Tips to read serve...

[rk_sports]

many ways to read the serve. Agassi was the Master. Toss is the easiest way, but you can read the eyes as well. or way the feet are placed before the motion starts.

Didn't want to hijack that other thread for this question, instead started as this could be informative to many folks..

What are the keys to anticipating the locating the serve location?

[mixertefera]

having the instinct to be a great retrun thats what you need. you can be a good retruner by practing a lot and learning habites of your oppent

[thehustler]

Most people have patterns. Play them enough and you'll figure them out. I have opponents who like to hit to my backhand, not because it's weak, but because they fear my forehand return. When this happens I will change up my return. Sometimes I will hit a short biting low slice, other times it will be deep, sometimes it will even be down the line. On the serves that sit up I will hit them with my two handed backhand cross court or down the line, depending on what I feel like doing.

What's most important in returning serve is picking your spots before you return. For example I like to decide ahead of time that on the deuce side all serves to my forehand will go cross court and all backhands will be down the line. I find this to be easy to do and even though it's a pattern I stick with it until my opponent picks up on it. Then I will change it for a return or two, say my forehands go down the line and I'll hit a backhand return inside out cross court. This just makes them think a little harder about their serve and can lead to many more double faults and easy serve returns. Hope this helps.

[rk_sports]

Most people have patterns. Play them enough and you'll figure them out. I have opponents who like to hit to my backhand, not because it's weak, but because they fear my forehand return. When this happens I will change up my return. Sometimes I will hit a short biting low slice, other times it will be deep, sometimes it will even be down the line. On the serves that sit up I will hit them with my two handed backhand cross court or down the line, depending on what I feel like doing.

What's most important in returning serve is picking your spots before you return. For example I like to decide ahead of time that on the deuce side all serves to my forehand will go cross court and all backhands will be down the line. I find this to be easy to do and even though it's a pattern I stick with it until my opponent picks up on it. Then I will change it for a return or two, say my forehands go down the line and I'll hit a backhand return inside out cross court. This just makes them think a little harder about their serve and can lead to many more double faults and easy serve returns. Hope this helps.

thanks mate...for the strategies with the return.

I can read a player I play often but I wanted to get the general keys for identifying the location of the serve for any player

[mikeler]

The server's ball toss usually gives away what type of serve is coming and often will tell you the direction too.

[Fedace]

Most people have patterns. Play them enough and you'll figure them out. I have opponents who like to hit to my backhand, not because it's weak, but because they fear my forehand return. When this happens I will change up my return. Sometimes I will hit a short biting low slice, other times it will be deep, sometimes it will even be down the line. On the serves that sit up I will hit them with my two handed backhand cross court or down the line, depending on what I feel like doing.

.

Reading the habits can help a great deal, i agree. Most guys have their favorite serves, it maybe up the middle to the backhand or big Kick serve out wide in the Ad court. and even the good servers will go to their favorite serve on crucial points like Duece or break point against. so if you notice this and anticipate then you can get the return back in play much easier. and it will definitely frustrate the big server.

[Fedace]

The server's ball toss usually gives away what type of serve is coming and often will tell you the direction too.

Exactly.
1. Don't just stand around during serve warmup but watch your opponent's toss during his serves. you will see exactly what is going on. Watch it when he goes out wide or up the middle. you will see the differences in the spot where the toss is. Up the middle or out wide to the backhand will be little more to his Left( for the righty ) and out wide slice serve or up the middle in the ad court will be slightly more to his right and flat body serve will be right in the middle of that.
2. Also look at his EYES right before he serves. See if he has a tendency to stare at the spot where he is about to go. You will be surprised how many people do this.
3. If all else fails, watch his feet position. for some guys, wide out serve, they may have little more open position on his feet, or more closed stance for up the middle serve in the deuce court.
4. also check out the grip. some guys go to more extreme backhand grip for more severe Kick serves or slice serves. if you see extreme grip, expect some heavy spins. and don't worry about flat serves so much.
All these tips i learned during my Junior days and also during bolletieri summer camp.

[charliefedererer]

Players may have little quirks that will clue you into the direction of the serve. Andre Agassi revealed that he new which direction Boris Becker's serve was going by which side he would stick out his tongue out. Much more usually it's the toss or body position though.

[thehustler]

Another thing you should do is change your return position. Often on first serves I stand right on the baseline challenging the server to push me back. If his serve is weak or he has a weak 2nd serve I step in the court a few feet to send a message that I'm coming after the return. Depending on the server, if they're a lefty or righty this messes with them. If they start to feel pressure they'll likely serve to a spot that's the easiest angle to hit and they'll do it consistently until you screw up or you just take them to the woodshed. Other tips mentioned above work well. Reading eyes is fun. People give it away so much it's not even funny. Good luck.

[mikeler]

Exactly.
1. Don't just stand around during serve warmup but watch your opponent's toss during his serves. you will see exactly what is going on. Watch it when he goes out wide or up the middle. you will see the differences in the spot where the toss is. Up the middle or out wide to the backhand will be little more to his Left( for the righty ) and out wide slice serve or up the middle in the ad court will be slightly more to his right and flat body serve will be right in the middle of that.
2. Also look at his EYES right before he serves. See if he has a tendency to stare at the spot where he is about to go. You will be surprised how many people do this.
3. If all else fails, watch his feet position. for some guys, wide out serve, they may have little more open position on his feet, or more closed stance for up the middle serve in the deuce court.
4. also check out the grip. some guys go to more extreme backhand grip for more severe Kick serves or slice serves. if you see extreme grip, expect some heavy spins. and don't worry about flat serves so much.
All these tips i learned during my Junior days and also during bolletieri summer camp.


Number 2 is a great tip. The majority of players look where they are serving beforehand.