How do you return serve?

[sunof tennis]

Originally Posted by LeeD

I use all your choices except the lob.
The lob, I use only when netman is atop the net and server is changing forewards.

Agree with this. Obviously depends on the type of serve I am facing as well.

[dman72]

Originally Posted by BurnNotice

I'll chip it back if it's a really fast serve or gets too high on the backhand side, forehand it's usually a block.

On medium paced serves I redirect the ball with some pace.

On slow spinny serves I go for hard cross court angles or take a real good whack and send it deep with pace.

Why anyone would dink back a dink serve is beyond me.

Watch most recreational players, and when a guy tries to step it up and blast dink serves back, he ends up making more errors than he does hit winners or put away points in one or 2 shots.

[Fuji]

Originally Posted by dman72

Watch most recreational players, and when a guy tries to step it up and blast dink serves back, he ends up making more errors than he does hit winners or put away points in one or 2 shots.

Makes sense I guess depending on your skill set. Most of the time I can tee off on sitters which isn't an issue.

I've slowly changed my return game from when the poll was first made actually. I still take nice solid cuts, but rarely ever at anything above 80% power now.

-Fuji

[dominikk1985]

If it's hard I take a half swing and if it is slow I take a big cut

[Jason130497]

Across the body on a hard serve normally a first serve and sometimes a second. Direct the ball normally down the line on a weaker serve or second serve.

[J011yroger]

Like it slept with my wife.

J

[Relinquis]

i don't face strong serves at my level (non-pros always overestimate how hard they serve imo).

I usually try to take a swing at the 1st serve (abbreviated for the stronger ones). I attack 2nd serves nearly every time on both wings. Mostly cross-court, but will throw the odd down-the-line to mix things up. I should block more on 1st serves to be more competitive, but i can't resist swinging.

I find that I make too many unforced errors on dink serves because i have too much time and my eye ends up wandering to where i want the ball to go. i need to focus on the ball more and not aim for corners\lines as much.

[tennytive]

Hard serves… block it back.

Medium serves… attack. Full cut, chip and charge, or drop just over the net if he doesn't move well.

Dink serves in doubles… topspin lob over netman or sharp angle crosscourt either as a drive or drop shot.

Hard serves to the body are my weakest returns.

[matchmaker]

Originally Posted by tennytive

Hard serves… block it back.

Medium serves… attack. Full cut, chip and charge, or drop just over the net if he doesn't move well.

Dink serves in doubles… topspin lob over netman or sharp angle crosscourt either as a drive or drop shot.

Hard serves to the body are my weakest returns.

I have to agree with this. The return really depends on the incoming serve. I find that if you play different people, you will encounter strong servest even at medium low level. Off course those strong serves tend to be quite irregular, and may only be in one out of three times. But still, the times they are in you wanna get them back. In that case, it is often a matter of being sharp in reaction and trying to get the ball back in the best possible way. This can mean, block or half swing if you have the time. The fact that the incoming serve has a lot of pace means you don't have to make pace on it anymore. A buddy of mine can occasionally get serve bombs in. A few of those got smoked by me, by just concentrating on the ball and redirecting it, which has occasionally led to laser returns.

I feel that between first serve returning and second serve returning there is a world of difference, unless you play against a really bad server. I can't stress enough how important it is to get that second serve ball into play. Overhitting is bad, as is underhitting. I feel concentration really needs to be highest on second serve returns. I count my own UEs on second serve returns and every one I miss hurts me a lot, as those balls were points to be played and not missed.

Many people overestimate their offensive capacities. Only try to hit a winner against a second serve if you are sure it will land in, i.e. if you know the stroke you are executing is something you are good at and 9 out of 10 it will be in. If you can't hit a winner, try to get the best ball out of it you can. Which often means a deep ball. That will set up a rally in which the odds favor you.

Mostly on second serves I take a full swing but the most important thing is not hitting winners, but putting your opponent under pressure. That is why I scarsely chip and charge on serves. I rather hit the return +1 shot to appear at net, except if it is really a weak serve.

[TennisCJC]

Decent First Serve: I normally use a slice on the BH and a little topspin blocking motion on the FH. I try to just take the strings to ball and follow thru. If really big serve, I will use a slice forehand - like a volley with a bit of a follow-thru.

Weak Serve: I hit a mini-ground stroke. Again, just take the strings to the ball but I will try to hit it with a bit of topspin off both sides. Use full follow-thru for pace and direction.

[TomT]

Originally Posted by Fuji

I ... how do you return serve? I personally go for almost ever serve I can. I take a full cut at the ball, and first serves I at least try to knock back with some good redirection.

There's only a few players that I play that have serves that I can't attack. Regarding those, I'm basically blocking it back but do try to get some direction on my return. Most times, the best I can do is just get it back deep, which is usually enough to at least keep me in contention for the point.

Originally Posted by Fuji

A lot of local rec players that I were watching, were just bunting the ball with a lob or just barely getting it back, when the serves were slow with no pace at all.

With this sort of play I'm usually able to just not let the opponent into the point. But I'm just a (newly bumped up) 3.25. So, I still make lots of totally unnecessary unforced errors.

Originally Posted by Fuji

So the question TT! How do you return serve? I've always tried to attack weak serves, but I'm curious as to how everyone else fairs! -Fuji

Yes, but of course, ATTACK weak serves. I'll try to remember to compile, and post here, a video of how I, a very low level player, do this ... successfully.

I think the principle applies to ALL levels of play. Yes, of course, you ATTACK weak serves.

[TomT]

Here's a couple of examples from VERY low level play:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PERTN3ranI

[v-verb]

Block a hard serve, crank a medium speed 2nd serve

[Fuji]

Originally Posted by TomT

Here's a couple of examples from VERY low level play:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PERTN3ranI

Great example / video! Love to see that!

-Fuji

[martini1]

The lob is great for lower level doubles. Lob it DTL over the net guy. Even if the server and get to the ball, the net guy is usually not quick enough to get out of the way. So you can either hit a hard CC to catch him or, the server will give a bad cc or short lob for you to finish it.

Keep in mind I am talking about a ts lob return, not some lame moonball return unless it is a 100mph serve.

[TomT]

Originally Posted by Fuji

Great example / video! Love to see that!

-Fuji

Thanks Fuji. Nice thread. I'll try to find and post some examples where I attack weak serves with backhand strokes. ATTACK means to me to either be hitting deep and well paced returns more or less down the middle third of the court, or hitting really well placed, but not necessarily fast paced, returns either down the line or crosscourt. If your returns are both well placed and fast paced, then so much the better. Low level players such as myself are generally not able to do this. So, for us, it's generally either more or less down the middle with good pace and depth or close to the lines with less pace and depth. Higher level players are of course progressively more able to hit well placed and well paced returns.

Bottom line, imo, remains ... one key to winning tennis is to attack any serve that you're able to attack. For that matter attack any stroke that you're able to attack.

Relentless pushing can produce good results at low levels. But at ever higher levels it's necessary to consistently successfully attack weak shots.

[TomT]

Here's an example of a well placed, but not fast paced, down the line backhand return of serve from the deuce court at the 3.0 level.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnwanVPJzYI

[martini1]

Originally Posted by TomT

Here's a couple of examples from VERY low level play:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PERTN3ranI

Yes, pounding the feet, even if it is not a fast ball, is a pretty good return. Low level servers got a bad habit of ball watching on serves too. But be careful because when somebody knows how to hit on the rise and just redirect the ball to the other corner the point will end quickly.