My Serve Is a DISASTER!!!

[egilgrim]

Hi, some days ago I posted a thread with a video of my FH and BH
(http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=390023)

I got very good feedback on that video, but shortly after posting the video I realized that my serve was probably the thing that hurts my game the most. MY SERVE IS A COMPLETE DISASTER . For instance, I played a couple sets of doubles the other day and I promise you, 4 of my serves that entire day went into the box (1 first and the rest seconds). The rest was double faults. This might be an extreme scenario, but it's not unusual for me. On average I have about 1 double fault in each of my service games and very low first serve percentage. I played against this kid in a local tournaments last winter and I had to serve underhand the last two games of the last set because my serves up to that had all been double faults. And when I do get the ball in play both my first and second serve are relatively weak so my opponent can put the ball away or get on the offensive right away. So if there is any technique tips or advice you can give me to make my serve better, I would really appreciate it. Thank you very much in advance

MY SERVE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xM4HyeXltM&feature=channel_video_title

 

[TheMagicianOfPrecision]

I think it looks good.
How old are you?
Maybe you could try to not be so woobly from the point you toss it until you hit it, try to be more compact.

 

[egilgrim]

Thank you, I'm turning 16 this November . By less woobly, you mean less motion in the take-back??

 

[TheMagicianOfPrecision]

Thank you, I'm turning 16 this November . By less woobly, you mean less motion in the take-back??

Yes, you could get even more power from less motion in the take-back, if you just keep the motion fast and compact.

I am not saying you should do like this, my motion is probably far from perfect, but this is what i mean by compact: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtJIXjvYAVw&feature=player_detailpage

EDIT: Saw that you are from Norway- my condoleances

 

[egilgrim]

Oooh, nice serves man And thanks for your advice, I'll try and eliminate all the strange movements and just keep it simple and compact. And I was looking at my serve now and compared it to a video of Juan Martin Delpotro serving, and I see that I put my feet together way earlier than he or any other pro does. Would waiting to put my feet together until my racket is in the trophy position help to improve both the take-back (less stuff to think about while taking back the racket) and the timing of my push off the ground??

 

[TheMagicianOfPrecision]

Oooh, nice serves man And thanks for your advice, I'll try and eliminate all the strange movements and just keep it simple and compact. And I was looking at my serve now and compared it to a video of Juan Martin Delpotro serving, and I see that I put my feet together way earlier than he or any other pro does. Would waiting to put my feet together until my racket is in the trophy position help to improve both the take-back (less stuff to think about while taking back the racket) and the timing of my push off the ground??

Absolutely, and also if you put them together to early you might over-rotate and your timing will suffer

 

[charliefedererer]

You already have all of the mechanics and balance for a first rate serve. (Also, by the way, nice video with multiple angles and slow motion.)

One tip would be to continue smoothly raising your tossing hand well after you let go of the ball and keep it up until you start your forward swing, like in photos 1-9 below:

The following are two helpful videos exlpaining how and why to do this:
Tennis Serve Tossing Motion Tempo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeZp90h-Ar8&feature=channel
Federer Murray Hass & more ball toss common threads: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIF-UaRUd6k

In the first of those videos, Brent Abel explains how keeping the arm going up adds a certain tempo to your going into a great trophy pose, as well as positioning your body better than you currently are doing. By getting the tossing arm up, you get a steeper shoulder angle, and to counter balance the upper body leaning back more, you have to get your front hip out over the baseline more.
Then your motion can include energy derived from a bigger reversal of the bow position and a bigger cartwheel action reversing the steep shoulder angle.

Hopefully you will also find that bringing the arm up smoothly will lead to a more consistent toss and more more consistent serve. (Your original complaint was a lack of consistency in your recent match.)

Another happy consequence of a bigger cartwheel motion is putting more topspin even on your first serve. A little more topspin will increase your serve percentages.


The second of the two videos basically shows that pros with a pinpoint stance (like you) keep bringing their arm up the same way as those with a platform stance (Sampras in the pictures above). Watch all the way to the end for the side by side comparison of Federer (platform) and Murray (pinpoint). Notice how Murray, by bringing his arm up and up and up well after releasing the ball is shifting his weight so that it is impossible to step forward into the pinpoint too soon. The step up is quite late, just as you observed how del Potro (and all the pros) do it. [This is just a suggestion, but to really increase your serve percentages, would you consider going to a platform stance to cut down on the moving parts, if you find this adjustment too difficult?]

Good luck!

 

[Dharmaboy]

My first impression is that the ball toss is too high. Leaving it too much to chance in outdoor games to the elements. I learned to shorten my throw just enough so that I am not mishitting and less chance of it being swept away by wind etc.

 

[TennisCoachFLA]

Its not a disaster, in fact its got a lot of positives. Start with the feet first. Widen your base right from the start, back your back foot up another 6 inches. It may feel strange at first but you need a little more stable base. It will also help you slow it down a little, you have a tendency to rush and exaggerating how far your foot is back will make you think about slowing down. You can move it back up if you want to, once you slow things down.

Also, the foot appears to be too far down the baseline. Let it lay a little more in back of the front foot.

Then work on your timing of bringing your feet together and your toss. Keep the feet still once they come together. I like the way you are loading up now though.

Take a peek at Serena's serve on You Tube. She has great timing of bringing the feet together, staying stable, then exploding up into the ball. Also compare her back foot position relative to her front foot compared to yours.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoNhZtPO5S4

 

[anchorage]

There is a lot that is good about your motion. I agree with the comments about the tossing arm. After release, the arm should rise further until it's pointing vertically up. That helps to stretch the left side & promotes a swing up to the ball.

The other thing that would make a huge difference to your serve would be leading with the hip more - getting in the so-called archers' bow position. (Raising your tossing arm to the vertical position also helps with this.)

The following video explains this well;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajoZ0f7hw-A

 

[Limpinhitter]

Hi, some days ago I posted a thread with a video of my FH and BH
(http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=390023)

I got very good feedback on that video, but shortly after posting the video I realized that my serve was probably the thing that hurts my game the most. MY SERVE IS A COMPLETE DISASTER . For instance, I played a couple sets of doubles the other day and I promise you, 4 of my serves that entire day went into the box (1 first and the rest seconds). The rest was double faults. This might be an extreme scenario, but it's not unusual for me. On average I have about 1 double fault in each of my service games and very low first serve percentage. I played against this kid in a local tournaments last winter and I had to serve underhand the last two games of the last set because my serves up to that had all been double faults. And when I do get the ball in play both my first and second serve are relatively weak so my opponent can put the ball away or get on the offensive right away. So if there is any technique tips or advice you can give me to make my serve better, I would really appreciate it. Thank you very much in advance

MY SERVE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xM4HyeXltM&feature=channel_video_title

Not bad. Try to slow the whole motion down from the beginning of your motion (both hands) and accelerate gradually through contact. Make your tossing motion a continuous motion all the way up to where you are pointing at the ball. The same applies to your racquet hand. Make it a continuous throwing motion. Start slowly and accelerate gradually through contact without stopping in the middle.

I highly recommend practicing throwing the ball in to the service box to cultivate a nice, smooth, continuous motion. Try to emulate the throwing motion in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlPVdppfYGs

 

[Fuji]

Good motion, I really like it! I only watched a few minutes, but I noticed that your ball toss was just a bit high. It looks like it's already dropped close to a foot by the time you hit it! It seems like you get some solid pop off the serve!

-Fuji

 

[egilgrim]

Thanks to TheMagicianOfPrecision, charliefedererer, Dharmaboy, TennisCoachFLA, anchorage, Limpinhitter and Fuji for all of your very helpful comments It really touches me to see all of you trying to help me improve my serve voluntarily. I will take it all into practice tomorrow when I'll go to the courts to hit serves (LOTS of serves)!!!

 

[egilgrim]

And by the way, I'm considering switching to a platform serve (thanks to charliefedererer for suggesting it) and I'm wondering if I would lose a lot of my pace if I did?

 

[TennisCoachFLA]

And by the way, I'm considering switching to a platform serve (thanks to charliefedererer for suggesting it) and I'm wondering if I would lose a lot of my pace if I did?

All things considered, the loss of some power may be likely but marginal. But I think we should find out what is 'wrong' with your current serve as far as results.

Are they accurate in practice but just not in matches? Some matches more than others?

 

[Spokewench]

I must be imagining things, but doesn't that wrist look awfully stiff to you guys? I think if he relaxed the wrist and arm of the racquet arm, that would help a lot.

Do your balls to long or do they go into the net when you are double faulting? Is there a pattern?

 

[egilgrim]

Very often they go into the net!

 

[Nellie]

Things I would change -

Toss more forward and to your right - your toss is at the baseline and far to the forehand side, so you get no power going forward.

Keep the head/right arm up more - you want to serve up and through the ball to get topspin to bring the ball high over the net and back into the service box. You get a pretty good racquet drop and a resulting tilt of the shoulders, but then you bring the shoulders back to level - so you don't actually hit up at the ball.

 

[masterxfob]

couple things i noticed:

1. it looks like you start moving your eyes away from the ball a little early.

2. you're dropping your tossing arm a bit early. that will cause your body to come down and that would explain why a lot of your serves end up in the net.

3. second serve looks about the same as the first serve. on the second serve, get your body moving more straight up to really apply the spin.

if you're not getting your first serve in, scrap it and hit two second serves. if the second serve isn't going in, take off the pace and work the spin.

 

[LeeD]

2 stage takeback is always inconsistent, as is a moving/wandering takeback towards the final trophy.
As a pro, it can work, but it takes pro time practice, something we don't do.
Good swing and forward movment, maybe more closed stance.

 

[dabudabuda]

I'm not the biggest technician when it comes to the minute details as most of what I have learned was from reading, hitting or watching pro's but as I was watching your video one thing stood out to me that others might not have mentioned. You have a really great knee bend but you are not fully utilizing the energy you loaded from it as you do not completely extend the legs to drive up into the ball. This shows the most in the slow-mo side view. Great base serve to build upon though.

 

[charliefedererer]

And by the way, I'm considering switching to a platform serve (thanks to charliefedererer for suggesting it) and I'm wondering if I would lose a lot of my pace if I did?

A key in your having a consistent serve is that it should at least start with a consistent toss into an aggressive trophy position, as shown by all the servers in the Sonic Serve video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajoZ0f7hw-A

As seen in this video some servers use a pinpoint and some a platform stance.

The key is to always be in a completely balanced position at the moment you are set to launch.

Jeff Salzenstein makes a pitch for the platform stance in this video, maintainng that there is little loss of power and maybe more with a stronger two legged pushoff!?):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snrsBGAF8dE&feature=player_embedded

Whatever you do, just eventually feel comfortably balanced just before the leg push off.

[For what it's worth, I've played around with this for years. For some time, I've used a narrower platform like Roddick for the first serve, and a wider platform for my second serve, as I like a wider base for the bigger coiling on my kick/topspin serves.]

 

[egilgrim]

I'm not the biggest technician when it comes to the minute details as most of what I have learned was from reading, hitting or watching pro's but as I was watching your video one thing stood out to me that others might not have mentioned. You have a really great knee bend but you are not fully utilizing the energy you loaded from it as you do not completely extend the legs to drive up into the ball. This shows the most in the slow-mo side view. Great base serve to build upon though.

Yeah, I realize that now as well thank you. It kinda annoys me that I have been using all that energy bending so much with my knees without even utilizing

A key in your having a consistent serve is that it should at least start with a consistent toss into an aggressive trophy position, as shown by all the servers in the Sonic Serve video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajoZ0f7hw-A

As seen in this video some servers use a pinpoint and some a platform stance.

The key is to always be in a completely balanced position at the moment you are set to launch.

Jeff Salzenstein makes a pitch for the platform stance in this video, maintainng that there is little loss of power and maybe more with a stronger two legged pushoff!?):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snrsBGAF8dE&feature=player_embedded

Whatever you do, just eventually feel comfortably balanced just before the leg push off.

[For what it's worth, I've played around with this for years. For some time, I've used a narrower platform like Roddick for the first serve, and a wider platform for my second serve, as I like a wider base for the bigger coiling on my kick/topspin serves.]

Thanks mate, today I started working on the transition to the platform stance. Feel a lot more balanced in this stance, so I hope it will work out. But is it easier to get my hip more over the baseline in this stance ofr more difficult?

 

[nabrug]

Hi, some days ago I posted a thread with a video of my FH and BH
(http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=390023)

I got very good feedback on that video, but shortly after posting the video I realized that my serve was probably the thing that hurts my game the most. MY SERVE IS A COMPLETE DISASTER . For instance, I played a couple sets of doubles the other day and I promise you, 4 of my serves that entire day went into the box (1 first and the rest seconds). The rest was double faults. This might be an extreme scenario, but it's not unusual for me. On average I have about 1 double fault in each of my service games and very low first serve percentage. I played against this kid in a local tournaments last winter and I had to serve underhand the last two games of the last set because my serves up to that had all been double faults. And when I do get the ball in play both my first and second serve are relatively weak so my opponent can put the ball away or get on the offensive right away. So if there is any technique tips or advice you can give me to make my serve better, I would really appreciate it. Thank you very much in advance

MY SERVE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xM4HyeXltM&feature=channel_video_title

There are two things concerning the service here:
1. developing a/your serve
2. getting your service in during a match

These are two so different things. People's advice here belong under 1.

ad. 1 : For some reasons you might want to change a service. If you want to become a professional you have to change a few things. But that is not what you ask.
ad 2.: At some stage you have to work with what you have. And you don't have a bad motion. So you can play at a nice level. The problem you are describing is about how to get a high percentage of your serves in during a match.
a. figure out (with a coach?) what is the ball trajectory of the particular serve at hand
b. that is interesting but the most important thing is the beginning of that trajectory. There is a little (what I call) shoebox (belonging to your serve) in the air. All serves from there will go in.
c. Now hit a few serves from there. Remember the serves which went in and gave you the feeling that they belong to you. From these serves you have to visualize the constellation which your racket makes concerning to the beginning point of the ball trajectory.
d. This is what you have to train. Not just serve a few balls. But consciously train a match serve. For every service (match or training) I visualize my begin point and the constellation for that particular serve. In my eyes Nadal is doing that too.

Good luck.

 

[egilgrim]

There are two things concerning the service here:
1. developing a/your serve
2. getting your service in during a match

These are two so different things. People's advice here belong under 1.

ad. 1 : For some reasons you might want to change a service. If you want to become a professional you have to change a few things. But that is not what you ask.
ad 2.: At some stage you have to work with what you have. And you don't have a bad motion. So you can play at a nice level. The problem you are describing is about how to get a high percentage of your serves in during a match.
a. figure out (with a coach?) what is the ball trajectory of the particular serve at hand
b. that is interesting but the most important thing is the beginning of that trajectory. There is a little (what I call) shoebox (belonging to your serve) in the air. All serves from there will go in.
c. Now hit a few serves from there. Remember the serves which went in and gave you the feeling that they belong to you. From these serves you have to visualize the constellation which your racket makes concerning to the beginning point of the ball trajectory.
d. This is what you have to train. Not just serve a few balls. But consciously train a match serve. For every service (match or training) I visualize my begin point and the constellation for that particular serve. In my eyes Nadal is doing that too.

Good luck.

Great tips man, right now I have started working on the motion in it self to make it as good as possible as I have aspirations of reaching a fairly high level and I believe that things like a more consistent (and lower) ball toss, keeping my feet stable, not too much motion in the takeback (and remove all movements that I don't need in general) and many other factors might help me keep more balls inside the box. I totally see your point of training a "match serve" since it's in matches all the double faults start to creep in (my serve generally goes in when I'm practicing). By the way, your comment reminded me a lot about the concept of "deliberate practice" presented by Geoff Colving in his "Talent is overrated" - so that's a good thing .

 

[TimothyO]

Not a disaster at all!

It just looks like you're not hitting "up" on the ball, everything is forward. Contact point is very high, but that actually makes it harder to hit/brush up on the ball to produce the spin need to drive the ball down into the coiurt. Since you're hitting hard that means most serves will either go into the net or long. Your window for success will be tiny.

Toss a little less into the court and more over your head, make contact a little lower, and focus on brushing up the back of the ball more rather than simply whacking it as hard as you can. Do these things to an extreme and then move closer to your current serve until you find a comfortable place with a higher percentage of success.

As they say at NASA, you're all thrust and no vector at the moment. Reverse that balance and then re-balance until you're getting pace and accuracy you enjoy.

 

[charliefedererer]

Yeah, I realize that now as well thank you. It kinda annoys me that I have been using all that energy bending so much with my knees without even utilizing



Thanks mate, today I started working on the transition to the platform stance. Feel a lot more balanced in this stance, so I hope it will work out. But is it easier to get my hip more over the baseline in this stance ofr more difficult?

You should get your hip out fine with the platform.

Of course the real reason in forming the "bow shape" is to get the upper body tilted way back (the front hip going out is to counterbalance this backward lean.) Then throwing your upper body forward (unbowing, uncoiling) provides much of the momentum of your swing, allowing you to use a "loose arm", more like "cracking the whip".

Here's more of a sideways view of Sampras serving than in my first reply to your post:

Notice how almost all the "going into a bow" or getting the "front hip out" or "getting the upper body tilted back" [really all the same thing] occurs after the ball release, and indeed after the arm is straight up to help aid in balance (and keep that steep shoulder angle) as he bows in photos 3-6. Also notice that the hip really going out over the baseline is a very fleeting moment in photo 6 before the start of the leg pushoff and racquet drop in photo 7 where the hip out looks even more prominent.

All of this happens too fast to have a real conscious thought of it when you are in a match, but realizing that a lot more should be happening with your body to "fully bow" well after ball release hopefully will help you as you continue to develop your serve.


By the way, I think the reason you are getting such excellent advice from other posters is the real potential seen in your serve, the care you took in the preparation of the video, and your thoughtful responses.

 

[egilgrim]

You should get your hip out fine with the platform.

Of course the real reason in forming the "bow shape" is to get the upper body tilted way back (the front hip going out is to counterbalance this backward lean.) Then throwing your upper body forward (unbowing, uncoiling) provides much of the momentum of your swing, allowing you to use a "loose arm", more like "cracking the whip".

Here's more of a sideways view of Sampras serving than in my first reply to your post:

Notice how almost all the "going into a bow" or getting the "front hip out" or "getting the upper body tilted back" [really all the same thing] occurs after the ball release, and indeed after the arm is straight up to help aid in balance (and keep that steep shoulder angle) as he bows in photos 3-6. Also notice that the hip really going out over the baseline is a very fleeting moment in photo 6 before the start of the leg pushoff and racquet drop in photo 7 where the hip out looks even more prominent.

All of this happens too fast to have a real conscious thought of it when you are in a match, but realizing that a lot more should be happening with your body to "fully bow" well after ball release hopefully will help you as you continue to develop your serve.


By the way, I think the reason you are getting such excellent advice from other posters is the real potential seen in your serve, the care you took in the preparation of the video, and your thoughtful responses.

Thanks for your response, advice and kind words Worked on my platform stance serve yesterday and continued to work on it today. Difficult as heck to change, but it's ok enough. And I must express how much your advice and the advice of everyone else means to me. I hope you all understand how much pain and defeat my serve has brought me during my years in tennis. But I promise you - SOON, my serve will be a BOMB!!!

 

[Limpinhitter]

I don't know if you had a chance to look at the video I posted earlier. The throwing motion demonstration is something I think you could benefit from A LOT! I'm guessing, by looking at your serve, that you haven't played any throwing sports because you don't have a well developed throwing motion - which is ESSENTIAL FOR A GOOD SERVE! If you haven't already, take a look at the "upward" throwing motion demonstration in this video at about 25 seconds, and, instead of practicing your serve, I would HIGHLY recommend that you spend some time practicing throwing tennis balls from the service position at the baseline into the service box using this demonstrated throwing motion as a model. Then work that motion in to your serve.

In my opinion, until you get a nice, clean, CONTINUOUS, throwing motion in to your serve, concerns about your stance and other technical issues are premature. This is primary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlPVdppfYGs

 

[NLBwell]

I stopped the video just as you were impacting the ball (within 0:47 mark). Try this. Your head is already dropped forward and down and your body has opened. Look at the Sampras pictures CharlieFederer posted. In the second-to-last one, his head is still upward and doesn't drop down until the last (after he hits the ball). Essentially, you are not timing your head/upper body with the arm (head dropped too soon or arm lagging, whichever way you want to think about it). Keeping your tossing arm up longer as others have said will be helpful for this. Also, a lower, better timed toss would be helpful for this and just in general for consistency.
Sometimes this habit can come from trying to put too much effort into the serve instead of relaxing and letting the racket flow.

 

[egilgrim]

I don't know if you had a chance to look at the video I posted earlier. The throwing motion demonstration is something I think you could benefit from A LOT! I'm guessing, by looking at your serve, that you haven't played any throwing sports because you don't have a well developed throwing motion - which is ESSENTIAL FOR A GOOD SERVE! If you haven't already, take a look at the "upward" throwing motion demonstration in this video at about 25 seconds, and, instead of practicing your serve, I would HIGHLY recommend that you spend some time practicing throwing tennis balls from the service position at the baseline into the service box using this demonstrated throwing motion as a model. Then work that motion in to your serve.

In my opinion, until you get a nice, clean, CONTINUOUS, throwing motion in to your serve, concerns about your stance and other technical issues are premature. This is primary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlPVdppfYGs

Yeah, thx man! I did actually watch the video and you are right - I have never played any throwing sports what so ever. And even though I serve with my left hand I have always been throwing with my right hand for some reason. I changed to a lefty serve this winter because of an injury to my right wrist that didn't go away even after several months of rest. But do you want me throw normally or do you want me to perform the whole motion just without a racket, but a ball instead? And I'll remember to throw "up the mountain"

I stopped the video just as you were impacting the ball (within 0:47 mark). Try this. Your head is already dropped forward and down and your body has opened. Look at the Sampras pictures CharlieFederer posted. In the second-to-last one, his head is still upward and doesn't drop down until the last (after he hits the ball). Essentially, you are not timing your head/upper body with the arm (head dropped too soon or arm lagging, whichever way you want to think about it). Keeping your tossing arm up longer as others have said will be helpful for this. Also, a lower, better timed toss would be helpful for this and just in general for consistency.
Sometimes this habit can come from trying to put too much effort into the serve instead of relaxing and letting the racket flow.

Hi, I appreciate your response very much NLBwell Thank you very much for pointing this out mate, will try it and hopefully make more serve come over the net (serves hitting the net are my biggest problem).

 

[LeeD]

I'm a lefty also, and personally don't care for the need of a "continuous" movement in my forward swing after trophy, or even a lack of hesitation going to trophy. BorisBecker had a great serve. He tossed ball, pulled racket straight back to trophy, and waited for the ball to drop.
I think your main problem is the wandering position of your trophy. Instead of gonig straight to your swing loop, you keep pulling the racket back and higher, leading to consistency.
You seem to have good power. You need to tighten up the details.

 

[SeriousSummer]

I'm sure they could always be better, but I don't think tweaking the mechanics is the answer to a consistant serve or the OP.

It looks to me like the OP is trying to hit the ball flat, and isn't particularly tall. If the OP switches to a topspin serve, at least on the second serve, then I would expect the serve to be much more consistent.

Once he can get the ball in play, then he can work on something, probably a kick serve for his first serve. Or, at 15, he's likely still growing and a couple of inches in height will make that flat ball a lot easier to put in play.

 

[Limpinhitter]

Yeah, thx man! I did actually watch the video and you are right - I have never played any throwing sports what so ever. And even though I serve with my left hand I have always been throwing with my right hand for some reason. I changed to a lefty serve this winter because of an injury to my right wrist that didn't go away even after several months of rest. But do you want me throw normally or do you want me to perform the whole motion just without a racket, but a ball instead? And I'll remember to throw "up the mountain"

Right now you should just focus on developing a strong "continuous" throwing motion. I suggest that you stand at the baseline and throw a bucket of balls in to the service box just like a baseball pitcher. Imitate the throwing motion demonstrated in the video. Notice the huge turn and tilt of his shoulders. In your wind-up, turn your shoulders so that your back is 3/4 to the target, and stick your right hip toward the target thereby causing your shoulders to tilt with your right shoulder as high above your left shoulder as possible. This turn and tilt of the shoulders will give you the upper body rotation you need to generate power, and just as importantly, it will position your body so that your throw is automatically directed upward. You want to clear the net by 8-10 feet with this throwing practice. You can either pretend to toss a ball with your right hand, or, more like a pitcher, just point your right hand in the direction of the trajectory you are throwing at. However, if you choose the first, it does NOT substitute for tossing practice, which you also need a lot of.

Good luck!

 

[TennisCoachFLA]

Right now you should just focus on developing a strong "continuous" throwing motion. I suggest that you stand at the baseline and throw a bucket of balls in to the service box just like a baseball pitcher. Imitate the throwing motion demonstrated in the video. Notice the huge turn and tilt of his shoulders. In your wind-up, turn your shoulders so that your back is 3/4 to the target, and stick your right hip toward the target thereby causing your shoulders to tilt with your right shoulder as high above your left shoulder as possible. This turn and tilt of the shoulders will give you the upper body rotation you need to generate power, and just as importantly, it will position your body so that your throw is automatically directed upward. You want to clear the net by 8-10 feet with this throwing practice. You can either pretend to toss a ball with your right hand, or, more like a pitcher, just point your right hand in the direction of the trajectory you are throwing at. However, if you choose the first, it does NOT substitute for tossing practice, which you also need a lot of.

Good luck!

Good post, throwing is a huge help. I had my kid throwing from the beginning. Gradually moving back to the baseline. She now has a great arm for a kid and her serve is coming along fast. You can tell when a student has not had a lot of throwing experience when you start to work on the serve.

 

[egilgrim]

hehe, throwing with my left hand will be a fun experiment But ok, I'll do what will be necessary to make my serve a weapon!!! Thanks mate

 

[TennisCJC]

Very often they go into the net!

Lots of good advice above but here's something else to try.

It is hard to tell but I don't think your racket is moving up as you hit the ball thus lots of DF into net. Especially on your 2nd serve, be sure your racket is moving upward and to your left (right for righty). I would guess you are not generating a lot of spin either. For a lefty serving into the ad court, you should be swinging to the left net post. For more extreme spin on 2nd serve to ad court, contact ball while physically swing up and racket is traveling toward service line/side line intersection - about 10-20 degrees more severe than swinging toward net post. You may have to pull your ball toss back and closer to your front shoulder or head to accomplish this. Try attacking it with edge of the racket while swinging up and to the left for spin and spin is safety as it bend the ball into the court.

 

[Up&comer]

Cut out the extra motion. You get into the position right before you hit but you never have a point where you set fully before the serve. You are ALWAYS moving, which isn't a good thing. Also, use your legs a little more. You push with them but not with a lot of authority.

Also accelerate your racket through the hitting zone.

Good luck.