How do you get out of service rut?

[gameboy]

This year's indoor season is off to pretty terrible start as I am 0-2 in doubles play.

The one thing I can point to as the cause of my problems is my serve. I am getting broken about 50% of the time when I used to win most of my serves last season.

Not sure what I am doing differently. Usually, a point or two go their way then we make an error, add a double fault or two and bam, my service game is done. I am definitely not getting as many errors in return as I used to, but not sure what is different.

I don't even go for it all on my serves, i usually just serve my second serve all the time. But I used to be able to get 2 or 3 aces just by placement last season, but I am getting none of that now and much less errors.

What do I need to do to get out of this service rut?

 

[salsainglesa]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yrDk4xrSZE

this is fun, and actually very helpful!

 

[Jake Speed]

What do I need to do to get out of this service rut?

Improvment.

JS

 

[Jake Speed]

What do I need to do to get out of this service rut?

Improvement.

JS

 

[maggmaster]

When I start serving poorly, I switch to two second serves. The first will almost always be the hardest kicker I can hit to the backhand, the second will be my normal second serve.

 

[LeeD]

When I start serving poorly, which is quite often, I'll resort to a fast second spin serve first, then my normal second serve that is poking along at maybe 70 mph, well short of the service line, but IN every time.

 

[GuyClinch]

When I start serving poorly, I switch to two second serves. The first will almost always be the hardest kicker I can hit to the backhand, the second will be my normal second serve.

Yup. And if this isn't working for me I think more about brushing along the backside of the ball - up and across it. This might add more slice to my second serve but for me makes it more reliable.

 

[mucat]

Maybe your opponents are getting better at receiving your serve?Maybe it is just a mental thing, you are expecting free points but you are not getting it?

 

[Ajtat411]

Have you looked at your doubles partner's net play? Are they doing their job? Harassing the returner and poaching when possible?

Sometimes, a good server can be broken when the net player doesn't play the net well.

Maybe focus more on placement of your serve and communicate that with your partner so you both can move to the right location and get easier shots.

 

[WildVolley]

Collect data on what is actually happening. A video camera is a good way, or an intelligent coach can write down what is happening. Use this information to change your pattern and work on the change at practice. Implement.

When you say "I don't know what is happening," that's a good time to really try to figure out what is happening. Good luck.

 

[gameboy]

OK, I have an update...

I think I found out what I was doing wrong.

I switch my serve last year so that my feet came together before I jumped up for the serve. I made the switch after looking at all the advices around here and the videos created by the ServDoctor on Youtube.

It seems that I lost a lot of power and spin from making that move.

About a couple of weeks ago, I went back to my old stance (split without feet moving before the swing) and started tossing the ball a little more to the right and forward. Now, I am hitting a medium pace serves with a lot of spin that is kicking side to side more than before. This is causing a lot more service returns error and my opponents are not hitting hard returns as much.

In the last two USTA matches and during practice sessions, I am winning about 75% of my serves again. It is making it MUCH easier to win my matches.

Just goes to show, it is not always good to keep tinkering with your swing...

 

[tennisplayer1993]

Underhand serve.. and i'm not even kidding lol

 

[TennisCJC]

Underhand serve.. and i'm not even kidding lol

Someone should have used this against Nadal at IW considering he was returning from 20' behind the baseline.

 

[mightyrick]

This year's indoor season is off to pretty terrible start as I am 0-2 in doubles play.

The one thing I can point to as the cause of my problems is my serve. I am getting broken about 50% of the time when I used to win most of my serves last season.

Not sure what I am doing differently. Usually, a point or two go their way then we make an error, add a double fault or two and bam, my service game is done. I am definitely not getting as many errors in return as I used to, but not sure what is different.

I don't even go for it all on my serves, i usually just serve my second serve all the time. But I used to be able to get 2 or 3 aces just by placement last season, but I am getting none of that now and much less errors.

What do I need to do to get out of this service rut?

Be careful. You thinking the issue is a "service rut" might be a red herring.

It could be that your opponents are getting better. Which means you and your partner have things you need to work on.

 

[TheCheese]

Unless you've always had a bad serve, don't worry about technique. If you start worrying about technique while you're in a slump, you're going to end up changing your technique usually for the worse and that will derail your serve even further.

Assuming you had a good serve before, just keep doing what you're doing. Relax. The serve will come back.