Serve Like a Pro

The serve is the only shot which you have complete and utter control over. Unfortunately not many players take enough trouble to work on the serve.

The problem I see, mostly in learning players or beginners, is the toss, or the lack of it. Without a proper toss, you cannot execute a proper serve.

There is nothing much to the toss except that you have to practice it. Look at the pro tour, every player has his or her own way of tossing the ball.

What they all have in common are consistency, and that the ball is tossed straight up in front of their heads, where it is most comfortable to see and hit the ball.

Tossing height is also a matter of individual taste. While tossing too low (especially in beginners) makes it difficult to extend your arm at the ball, tossing too high creates problems with consistency and rhythm (even more so on windy days).

Some players toss higher to produce more spin (like Steffi Graf), but they are usually advanced players who toss at that height most of the time anyway. Generally, tossing slightly higher than the height of your racket fully extended upwards is best.


The Tossing Technique

1. Hold the ball lightly (like your favorite little furry pet, or bird or something fragile) with your fingertips, with all but the pinky.
2. Keep the tossing arm relaxed.
3. Lift up smoothly as if you were letting a bird go (not jerking or stabbing upwards).
4. Practice until you can toss and catch the ball while standing on the spot.

The Rhythm

The service rhythm is another difficult thing to teach. We all have diffirent natural tempos, and the key to finding it is to practice and practice and practice. In saying that, there is a basic technique which I use to teach the service rhythm;

1. Cradle the ball with the racket in front of you (like 99.9% of players at setup).
2. Count 1 as you drop both arms.
   
3. Count 2 as you lift both arms, one lifting the racket into the back-scratching or hitting position while the other executes the toss.
4. Count 3 as you extend your racket arm upwards at the ball.
5. Count 4 as you take your first step after the serve INSIDE the baseline. Imagine 'chasing' the ball towards the net.
   

Let me explain item 5 above.

Taking a step into the court is a sign of proper weight transfer. It does not mean that you have to rush to the net. Just that you should shift your weight forward following the serve.

This promotes pace, and more importantly, balance. Doing this helps your footwork to spring into action.

Sometimes I also play a favorite song inside my head to help with my rhythm.


My Serve Philosophy

I grew up learning the serve from watching Sampras and Edberg, both great servers. The thing that makes them great is that they both have very accurate and powerful first serves, but more significantly, extremely dangerous second serves.

Sampras and Edberg were not the hardest servers on tour. They relied on accuracy and variety. They used the serve to set-up how they wanted to play the point.

Social players on the other hand, have a much harder time holding serve for various reasons:

1. Inconsistent first serve (low percentage).
2. Weak floating second serves 'to get it in play'.
3. Lack of variety (your opponent prepares for the killer forehand the moment you toss the ball).
   

My suggestion is that you practice your SECOND serve.

It is important to keep your service rhythm similar to the first serve. Firstly, deliver all your first serves like they are second serves, but aim closer to the lines.

**Or for the more seasoned players; mix it up. Vary the spin. Give it a kick, then a slice. Aim wide and down the middle. Short and deep. High or skidding.

Think of it like getting 2 chances to hit a good second serve.

I call this the First-And-A-Half serve strategy. Generally returners do not win points outright from the return-of-serve. But most of them do pound on the second serve more confidently, especially if it's weak.

Putting your first serve in tends to keep them at bay.

Try this for your next few sessions and you will improve your confidence, percentage and effectiveness on the serve.