Improve Your Game
Mixing up your serves during a match can make the difference between you holding your serve and getting broken on your service game. There are tons of variations of ways to serve mixing up pace with spins and so on. Being able to keep your opponents guessing where and how you might serve next will keep them on their toes and will most likely keep them from getting in a rhythm when returning your serve.
When most people think about mixing up their serves they think of using placement and spins. You can go beyond these two options and also mix speed and your stance location into the mix. Below we will take a look at each option you can mix in.
Placement:
Placement is always important, and maybe the most important of all the options to have in your arsenal in my opinion. With placement you can pull your opponent off of the court with a wide serve. You can also hit the ball at their body and jamb them. Placement of the serve also allows you to direct the serve to their weaker side and control more points. The placement of the serve will be the option that makes your opponent move the most. Moving your opponent out of position, or into the position you want will help win you more points.
Spins:
There are 4 different types of serves in terms of spins. The flat serve, slice serve, topspin serve and kick serve. Each of these serves has it's own advantages and disadvantages. However, if you use all 4 types of serves effectively during a match your opponent will have to adjust to hit each one and again not letting them get into a rhythm while returning your serve.
Speed:
Speed is a tough one to think about because people always think that the faster you can hit a serve the better. Being able to hit a hard serve is certainly an advantage, but without placement it is not nearly as effective. When you mix up the speeds of your serves it makes it harder for your opponent to get a good read on the ball. If you have been hitting 110 mph serves and throw a 90 mph serve in they may swing early expecting a 110 mph serve and hit an error. The same idea goes for the opposite situation. If you have been hitting slower spin serves and all of the sudden you hit a flat serve at a much faster pace it may throw your opponent off.
Stance:
This is probably the least important of the 4 ways to mix up your serves. However, if you like to adjust where you stand to hit your serve it can also keep your opponent guesses and wondering where you plan on hitting the ball. This may cause your opponent to stand in a different spot (or uncomfortable spot) than usual to return serve. If you stand way out wide to hit the serve you will be able to hit a serve with a much greater angle to pull your opponent off of the court. However, by doing this you also make yourself vulnerable by leaving much of the court open for your opponent to hit a winner. I have seen players stand out wide to hit serves and it really throws off their opponent because they are not used to people standing so far out wide to hit serves. However, if you are not used to hitting serves from out wide it might also play with your head as you to hit a serve you are not used to hitting.
In the end, mix up your serves as much as you can. Keep your opponents guessing what serve might come next. If you mix up the 4 options listed above, the number of options you have to mix up your serve are almost limitless!
Reprinted with permission from the Tennis4You Lesson Lounge
Copyright © Scott Baker - Tennis4You
When most people think about mixing up their serves they think of using placement and spins. You can go beyond these two options and also mix speed and your stance location into the mix. Below we will take a look at each option you can mix in.
Placement:
Placement is always important, and maybe the most important of all the options to have in your arsenal in my opinion. With placement you can pull your opponent off of the court with a wide serve. You can also hit the ball at their body and jamb them. Placement of the serve also allows you to direct the serve to their weaker side and control more points. The placement of the serve will be the option that makes your opponent move the most. Moving your opponent out of position, or into the position you want will help win you more points.
Spins:
There are 4 different types of serves in terms of spins. The flat serve, slice serve, topspin serve and kick serve. Each of these serves has it's own advantages and disadvantages. However, if you use all 4 types of serves effectively during a match your opponent will have to adjust to hit each one and again not letting them get into a rhythm while returning your serve.
Speed:
Speed is a tough one to think about because people always think that the faster you can hit a serve the better. Being able to hit a hard serve is certainly an advantage, but without placement it is not nearly as effective. When you mix up the speeds of your serves it makes it harder for your opponent to get a good read on the ball. If you have been hitting 110 mph serves and throw a 90 mph serve in they may swing early expecting a 110 mph serve and hit an error. The same idea goes for the opposite situation. If you have been hitting slower spin serves and all of the sudden you hit a flat serve at a much faster pace it may throw your opponent off.
Stance:
This is probably the least important of the 4 ways to mix up your serves. However, if you like to adjust where you stand to hit your serve it can also keep your opponent guesses and wondering where you plan on hitting the ball. This may cause your opponent to stand in a different spot (or uncomfortable spot) than usual to return serve. If you stand way out wide to hit the serve you will be able to hit a serve with a much greater angle to pull your opponent off of the court. However, by doing this you also make yourself vulnerable by leaving much of the court open for your opponent to hit a winner. I have seen players stand out wide to hit serves and it really throws off their opponent because they are not used to people standing so far out wide to hit serves. However, if you are not used to hitting serves from out wide it might also play with your head as you to hit a serve you are not used to hitting.
In the end, mix up your serves as much as you can. Keep your opponents guessing what serve might come next. If you mix up the 4 options listed above, the number of options you have to mix up your serve are almost limitless!
Reprinted with permission from the Tennis4You Lesson Lounge
Copyright © Scott Baker - Tennis4You
I feel that the second serve needs more attention than the first serve. Just as the first serve can be you best friend, the second serve can be your worst enemy! Many players have second serves that are easily attackable, meaning the returnee can hit the ball where they want in the court and possibly come into the net to finish an easy point. The problem with many player’s second serves is not the fact that they are slow, although it's not a bonus having a slow serve. What hurts these players is the fact that their second serve has little or no spin, and lands too shallow in the service box.
To keep the opponent from attacking your serve I feel you need to do two things. First you need to learn how to hit a deep second serve, this will force your opponent deeper into the court making it harder for them to attack the serve and come to the net or flat out hit the winner. The second thing you need to do is use lots of spin to hit the second serve with. The two goals listed go hand in hand. The more spin you can get on the ball (not a slice serve, but kick serve or topspin serve) the deeper the ball will bounce once it hits the ground. This again will push your opponent away from the net creating a second serve that is not as easily attackable. Many people are afraid to hit their second serve hard. If you refer back to the advantages of the topspin serve, consistency is an advantage of the topspin serve, this is due to all spin. A good goal to keep in mind is this, swing as hard at your second serve as you do your first, but use all spin when hitting the second serve. Pete Sampras was the master at this. He hits so much spin on his serves, more than anyone else ever has, which helps to make his second serve one of the best ever. Practice hitting the topspin serve and the kick serve as second serves before and after your matches, it does not take long to improve on these serves to have the confidence to use them effectively in a match. If you do this, and do it well, you will have a much better second serve and it will take the pressure off of you to not be attacked off of the second serve.
Another problem with people second serve is the fact that they do not aim the serve. Many people can aim their first serve, but just fire off a second serve just hoping it goes in, not caring where, just as long as it is in. If your opponent has a strong forehand, and is continually hitting winners off the forehand side you obviously do not want to hit second serves to his/her forehand side. Again, being able to aim the second serve can greatly decrease the chances of your opponent controlling the point from the get go.
The second serve is just as important as the first serve. With a solid second serve it puts less pressure on you to hit a first serve in and it keeps you from being instantly attacked on second serves. Work on your second serve as much as you can. Learn to generate good spin and hit with good depth to be effective.
Reprinted with permission from the Tennis4You Lesson Lounge
Copyright © Scott Baker - Tennis4You
To keep the opponent from attacking your serve I feel you need to do two things. First you need to learn how to hit a deep second serve, this will force your opponent deeper into the court making it harder for them to attack the serve and come to the net or flat out hit the winner. The second thing you need to do is use lots of spin to hit the second serve with. The two goals listed go hand in hand. The more spin you can get on the ball (not a slice serve, but kick serve or topspin serve) the deeper the ball will bounce once it hits the ground. This again will push your opponent away from the net creating a second serve that is not as easily attackable. Many people are afraid to hit their second serve hard. If you refer back to the advantages of the topspin serve, consistency is an advantage of the topspin serve, this is due to all spin. A good goal to keep in mind is this, swing as hard at your second serve as you do your first, but use all spin when hitting the second serve. Pete Sampras was the master at this. He hits so much spin on his serves, more than anyone else ever has, which helps to make his second serve one of the best ever. Practice hitting the topspin serve and the kick serve as second serves before and after your matches, it does not take long to improve on these serves to have the confidence to use them effectively in a match. If you do this, and do it well, you will have a much better second serve and it will take the pressure off of you to not be attacked off of the second serve.
Another problem with people second serve is the fact that they do not aim the serve. Many people can aim their first serve, but just fire off a second serve just hoping it goes in, not caring where, just as long as it is in. If your opponent has a strong forehand, and is continually hitting winners off the forehand side you obviously do not want to hit second serves to his/her forehand side. Again, being able to aim the second serve can greatly decrease the chances of your opponent controlling the point from the get go.
The second serve is just as important as the first serve. With a solid second serve it puts less pressure on you to hit a first serve in and it keeps you from being instantly attacked on second serves. Work on your second serve as much as you can. Learn to generate good spin and hit with good depth to be effective.
Reprinted with permission from the Tennis4You Lesson Lounge
Copyright © Scott Baker - Tennis4You
Being able to read your opponent's service motion can give away where he/she is going to serve, and what type of serve it may be. Knowing this before the serve is actually hit can gain you an advantage. Reading the serve allows you to be able to react faster and have more time to move to the serve. If you do not read your opponent's serve you will have to wait until the serve is struck to see what type of serve is coming, and where the serve is going. Some servers are not as obvious as others where and how they might serve the ball. Usually the better the player the better they disguise their serves. Sometimes a player may toss the ball behind their head to hit a kick serve, and sometimes the person may toss the ball to the side of him to slice the ball out wide. Being able to detect your opponent's toss is a huge advantage to the returnee. Also notice how the racquet comes across the ball as he/she hits the serve. You can read what type of serve is coming by the type of spin, or lack there of, that he/she hits the ball with.
The best way to do this is to watch how they toss the ball and see if they give anything away early. It is kind of like a player hitting a drop shot and telegraphing the shot before they hit the ball, giving you time to start running early. I will admit, this is very tough to read most servers. Do not get caught up trying to read the serve and not concentrate on your position and your preparation. Looks for the early give aways and see if you can pick up on any early clues to gain you the advantage.
Reprinted with permission from the Tennis4You Lesson Lounge
Copyright © Scott Baker - Tennis4You
The best way to do this is to watch how they toss the ball and see if they give anything away early. It is kind of like a player hitting a drop shot and telegraphing the shot before they hit the ball, giving you time to start running early. I will admit, this is very tough to read most servers. Do not get caught up trying to read the serve and not concentrate on your position and your preparation. Looks for the early give aways and see if you can pick up on any early clues to gain you the advantage.
Reprinted with permission from the Tennis4You Lesson Lounge
Copyright © Scott Baker - Tennis4You
