- Put pressure on your opposition
- Avoid serving second serves
- Avoid serving double faults
- You need to serve a second serve
- The pressure is then on you
- This increases the chances of hitting a double fault
- The sun can restrict your vision when serving.
- Similarly adjustments need to be made when serving in the wind.
- Hitting an ace is the quickest way to win a point Use your flat serve and aim for the corners or lines
- Varying your serve to either corner of the service box will keep your opponent guessing. Your opponent will then have to move or stretch to play their returns.
- Aim for your opponent’s body to cramp their returns.
- Exploit your opponent’s weakness(es)
- Keep your ball arm up when serving to avoid hitting your serve into the net
- During a match visualize (think about) your tactics before serving each point.
Coaching Tip - April 2012
Serving
To your Advantage
Many tennis players go out for a hit regularly but often do not practice their serve.
Every Tennis point begins with a serve so players should practice and improve their serve to gain the advantage.
The most important thing with serving is to get a good first serve in to
When you have missed your first serve
Players should learn to vary their serve so that they can change the direction of the serve to different areas of the service box without serving double faults.
This will make it difficult for your opponent and keep them guessing.
Tactics to win your points on serve
Adjust your ball toss and serving motion to minimize the effects of the sun on your serving game.
Just remember that if you miss then the pressure is on you to hit the second serve in and avoid hitting a double fault
Your opponent will then have no time to get into position or adjust to play his/her return.
Serve to the weakness and make your opponent play his/her weakest shots regularly. For example it may be the backhand but it could also be a high ball on the forehand.
This gives you more chance to get the serve over the net and in.
If your serve is going long consistently then use your wrist to get the topspin required to bring the serve down into the service box.
For example slice your serve out wide on the forehand court and then hit the expected weak return into the open court.
I hope that you can adopt the coaching tips above and use them to serve to your advantage.
Try not to confuse yourself by thinking too much.
Keep it Simple.
Let me know if you can think of any other options to help you Serve to your advantage.
Let me know if you can think of any other options.
Tennis the game of a lifetime
Contact me by Email if you have any comments or helpful Tennis hints.
Let me know the things that work for you.Coach Steve
Email steve.james@stevejamestennis.com
Website www.stevejamestennis.com