ack! help me re-find my serve

[djbrown]

Okay, so the last two times I've hit the courts, my serve has abandoned me. I usually hit a basket of around 50 serves each time out, and the last two times I've had major problems with netting my serve about half way up the net. In the past, netting was rarely an issue, and it was usually right off the tape so it wasn't missing by much.

Continential grip, first serves about 110 mph. Seems that the only way I can get my serves over right now is to toss directly over my head. Still a solid serve, but it's not the first serve toss I've been used to. When my serve is clicking, it's got enough topsin on it to hit the back fence about 3-4 feet up without having bounced yet (aside from in the service box)

any ideas on what be the problem? Even when I think "hit the !@#!#% ball over the @!#!@% fence" it still ends up in the net.......

 

[TennsDog]

One thing I find to help get my serve back is to know how easy it is to hit it in the box, take all the pace off, and practically lob the ball over the net with as much topspin as I can get to make sure it drops in. Doing this for a few serves helps regain confidence and the feel. Once I do that a little bit, I try to do the same thing except toss the ball more normally and add the pace back. That usually helps me a lot.

 

[Rickson]

A net ball means your tossing the ball too far in front of you. You have 2 options here, either jump forward toward the ball a little deeper or toss the ball closer to your body. Problem solved.

 

[TennsDog]

The ball in the net could also mean you are contacting the ball too low. The toss could be in the right spot, but you just wait too long and the ball drops too far and thus the racket head can only hit down on the ball instead of up as it should.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

A net ball means your tossing the ball too far in front of you. You have 2 options here, either jump forward toward the ball a little deeper or toss the ball closer to your body. Problem solved.

Rickson please!!!!!!!! You're killing me again! You're not thinking through the issue very well.

The issue is tossing the ball and netting on the serve. The other issue is tossing further back (over the head) and hitting better serves.

The solution is not jumping forward, twirling your arms, or doing summersaults.

If he tosses more out front (which is good) something is pulling the racquet face angle downward. If he tosses further back, the thing that is causing the racquet to be pulled down does not have a chance to affect the serve (although it could be happening still). So he hits a better serve.

I think the posters problem is his head. Pulling his head down to ADD power just before he makes contact with the ball kills serves.

The head should stay centered looking at the ball just like a groundstroke. The relaxation and action that is happening with the body should not effect your head movement.

The toss should be placed perfectly so that you can continue to see the ball as as your arm reaches full extension, your wrist levels and the whole motion plows through the ball. Your head should be still and your eyes should see this blur.

If you didnt see the blur, you pulled your head down to soon. As the arm begins to come down well after the ball is struck, you can gain your senses forward by bringing your head down.

Try this: Raise your hand straight up in the air. Straight up. Now, look straight ahead, now lower your head. What happened to your straight arm? It is now angling downward.

Try working on keeping your head up and see what happens. Hit slower serves to regain your relaxed motion and keep your eyes longer on the ball.

The same goes for overheads.

 

[Rickson]

Rickson please!!!!!!!! You're killing me again! You're not thinking through the issue very well.

Gotcha, Bill. I'm not in a position to analyze as well as Bill, but that was from my own experience. My forward leap has given me good power and clearance over the net(Roddick like jump), but Bill has seen enough to find more answers. Check to see what you were doing wrong and get back to us, dj.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

Rickson please!!!!!!!! You're killing me again! You're not thinking through the issue very well.

Gotcha, Bill. I'm not in a position to analyze as well as Bill, but that was from my own experience. My forward leap has given me good power and clearance over the net(Roddick like jump), but Bill has seen enough to find more answers. Check to see what you were doing wrong and get back to us, dj.

Keep posting Rickson. It takes time to gain the understanding of why you're an advanced player. Not many advanced players know why they do certain things let alone explain it to people that want to learn. To them it just happened.

 

[djbrown]

small update: I served a bit over the weekend and really concentrated on keeping my tossing arm extended for a longer period of time. It seems to have helped. I think I was dropping it too soon before, causing my head and shoulders to drop too soon, which was causing the netted balls.....

 

[papa]

DJB: Something that I have noticed is not only keeping my arm extended after the toss but keeping it steady - its amazing how moving my throwing arm around seems to effect my serve. Next time out you might want to watch your arm and try to keep it straight & steady and see if it helps. I also find that keeping my throwing arm up longer keeps my hitting shoulder down and I hit more UP on the serve.

I know BB has mentioned the importance of keeping the head still during the serve and hitting up on every serve.

 

[Bungalo Bill]

Also, make sure your hitting arm is fully extended when you make contact as well and the wrist has had a chance to come forward from the laid back position.

Now, that your keeping your head up, why not get the most out of your swing.