Normal serve

[kevhen]

I finally figured out how to hit a 'normal' serve using a continental grip and back scratch take back while still hitting it in the 90-100mph range with some topspin on the ball but noticed my opponents seem to return it much easier than my other more extreme serves since this one is just like how everyone else serves.

Is this really a good serve if you want to win freebie points with your serve or just a good way to consistently get it in? I get like 60% or more in this way but most get returned. Otherwise I serve a heavy nasty slice with eastern backhand grip that jams people and the spin eats them up and makes for difficult or weak returns. I can also go with a straight takeback and eastern forehand extremely flat serve that I hit in about 40% of the time with speeds around 110mph thanks to my height.

I plan to spend more time with this continental grip, backscratch serve, with a toss slightly in front that allows me good power and some spin, but haven't seen it to be that effective in matches yet. Am I missing something?

 

[raiden031]

My guess would be that it is better in the long run to use the new serve. Probably just need to work on better placement of this serve. Consistency is better anyways.

I know this guy who has the freakiest twist serve I've ever seen. He is right handed, and hits with heavy slice, but instead of hitting the ride side of the ball causing it to curve from right to left (from the server's point of view), he hits the ball on the left side, causing it to curve from left to right (towards the returner's backhand). Then when it bounces it kicks back to the left like no other. The way he does this is by swinging his arm stiff across his body before he even strikes the ball. Of course the speed is limited, but the spin makes it very difficult to return without mishitting. I have never seen any conventional twist serve have anywhere near the angle of kick that this one has.

 

[kevhen]

Hey when I played 3.5s, my USTA team captain served with reverse slice so it would kick out wide on the ad court like a lefty slice. If only he would have learned how to hit a hard flat serve down the T, he would have been very dangerous.

My slice serve goes in about 75% of the time and forces more errors than this slightly harder topspin\flat serve that goes in like 60% of the time. I will keep working on it as it will give me a changeup in my serving arsenal and allow me to vary speed some and hopefully make my other serves even more effective. Sometimes I feel like Greg Maddux out there (unfortunately without the pinpoint control).

 

[Andres]

I finally figured out how to hit a 'normal' serve using a continental grip and back scratch take back while still hitting it in the 90-100mph range with some topspin on the ball but noticed my opponents seem to return it much easier than my other more extreme serves since this one is just like how everyone else serves.

Is this really a good serve if you want to win freebie points with your serve or just a good way to consistently get it in? I get like 60% or more in this way but most get returned. Otherwise I serve a heavy nasty slice with eastern backhand grip that jams people and the spin eats them up and makes for difficult or weak returns. I can also go with a straight takeback and eastern forehand extremely flat serve that I hit in about 40% of the time with speeds around 110mph thanks to my height.

I plan to spend more time with this continental grip, backscratch serve, with a toss slightly in front that allows me good power and some spin, but haven't seen it to be that effective in matches yet. Am I missing something?

You're missing PRACTICE, K.
They're getting returned, because it's still pretty new to you. Take some time, and work on it. You'll see the flat serves are going to improve, you can get better spin, and you can hit all serves with one grip.

Keep on going with the continental. Your serve IS going to improve

Submit a video, as you did before, maybe we can point things up

 

[kevhen]

I won my match last night 7-5, 7-5. After the match, I realized that I should try to go wide more on the ad side with this contental flat-topspin serve since my normal eastern backhand kicker is sometimes too slow (my opponent was cheating over and running around these) and my eastern forehand flat bomb is hard to place wide on the ad side.

By mixing up my serves last night, I did keep my opponent off balance. I will keep working on this serve as I know it feels right and my percentages will go up over time and I will start placing it better too. I lose about 10mph but gain about 20% more going in (60 vs 40%). I should be able to go wide on the ad side now better too so I just need to find ways to make it more effective.

 

[Bagumbawalla]

The main advantage of a fast first serve is, obviously, the speed. The speed is only an advantage if you place the serve out of reach of your opponent AND vary the placement to keep him guessing. With the first serve accuracy becomes more important than in a bounding second serve.

Good luck,

B

 

[Jesse K.]

You're hitting 100 mile an hour flat serves that are getting returned all the time? Wow...you have some stiff competition!

 

[kevhen]

Playing against high 4.0s and 4.5s. They handle 100mph serves pretty well. Some of the 4.5s handle my 110mph serves but then they were top rated D3 players (possibly be classified as 5.0s) and have seen alot of big serves.

 

[Trinity TC]

Sometimes I feel like Greg Maddux out there (unfortunately without the pinpoint control).

You've got to work the edges of the service box like Maddux works the strike zone. Using another baseball analogy...if you have a 100 mph fastball that catches too much of the plate...you don't last too long in the big leagues.

 

[alan-n]

I felt the same when I was switching from continental to nearly eastern backhand grips for all my serves. It took several months for me to learn how to hit the ball with the pace that the continental grip did but it has been worth it as some returners have thrown their racquets in frustration trying to return my twist serves and just the overall heaviness of the first has increased

 

[kevhen]

Last night I played a 3.5 guy and won 6-1, 6-1 while working on my new continental grip serve and flat rip forehands.

I found I could hit wide serves on both ad and duece side much easier and could force errors especially when going wide on his backhand where he was often late. I also had more aces than usual but also more double faults since then I use the eastern backhand grip and I was still swinging a little bit too hard and second serves going long. But otherwise I was very happy about this new normal serve as it has good pace, good spin and kick, and good percentage in the box with good placement using continental grip, backscratch takeback, no wrist snap, tossing just in front for good power. I could hit wide much easier and giving my opponent less time to react. Now I need to try this serve against 4.0s and 4.5s.

 

[boojay]

You're hitting 100 mile an hour flat serves that are getting returned all the time? Wow...you have some stiff competition!

i've played against some guys who seem to return my serve faster than i hit them, no matter how hard i hit it. it's pretty amazing. however, if i take some pace off and kick it up high, the same people can't seem to get it over the net.