Getting the serve out of the strike zone.

[zaph]

Something I noticed from a doubles match, that we won in 3 sets. My service games went from one extreme to another. I either held to love or 40-15, or was broken to love.

The difference between the two was the height at which I hit the ball. If I had a low contact point, the ball went straight into my opponents strike zone, and the return flew past me. Hit it higher and the ball bounced above my opponents strike zone, and they missed/hit a weak return.

I use to be obsessed with pace, but I am never going to have a quick serve, and at rec level, pace with a low bounce is actually easy to return. It feeds pace right into your hitting zone, I love returning those serves.

Wereas a high bouncing serve is a pain to return. So I am going to concentrate on a high contact point, and getting my bounce, instead od trying to hit it pacey.

 

[sjoerdklarenbeek]

It's a good in-match discovery. Try to apply it in other matches. Just be aware that every match and every opponent is different. Some opponents hate it if you serve out wide, some can't handle a body shot, some hate spin, some are too slow to react to a flat hard serve. Find out what works for you in every match. But now that you have found this, you can use it as your plan A to start with in your next match.

 

[LeeD]

As in post #2, your ideas are based on one match only.
After playing more and different players, you will find you need both low and high bouncing serves, good speed and less speed, more and less spin, and better placement to different areas to be generally effective against all players.
Case in point. I'd been bouncing my twists somewhere around nose level in the past 2 weeks. Came up against the President, aka Josh, who just eats up that high ball, but is totally flummoxed by knee high skidders.

 

[user92626]

I concur with sj that you'll need to do it in other matches, but that's the essence of a good player. You'll do more things in more matches and constantly observe and adjust what works or not.

Another thing to do to get your server out of the strike zone is to intentionally go for either sideline. If you don't hit the sideline, at least you'll get close to it and get your opponent to move a step or two. When a returner has to take a step, his return is almost never strong. The problem for most rec server is they are really afraid of trying for the sidelines. It can be mental issue. Pros go for the sidelines and miss more than we realize. That's why there's 2nd serve.