Serve Toss Location

[pokefan]

Could someone please clarify the correct location for the toss on a flat serve and a kick serve? I know that toss for the flat serve is supposed to be in front of you and the toss for the kick serve more over your head and more to the left, but how far on each. Say I stand straight up, toss the ball, and don't move after that, for each serve where should the ball be in relation to my right shoulder (I am a right handed player) for left and right position and in relation to my head for into the court positioning? When I actually move up and into the court for an actual serve, where should I make contact? Do I still move into the court on a kick serve? My serves lack consistency, and I think it is usually because of my toss location. If I have it right my serves are good. If it is off, so is my serve, and I haven't made the right connections to know how to adjust the toss to help.

 

[jun]

It's a little different from person to person.

For general guideline, kick serve toss would land right on your head, or right on your left foot (or several inches towards left).

For flat, probably a foot forward and right from left foot.

 

[pokefan]

Thanks. For the kick serve, do I use my momentum more to carry me straight up rather than into the court like on a flat serve? How do you end up with any pace on the kick serve if you swing up and push up (with your legs) not into the court?

 

[PHSTennis]

Pete Sampras toss on the baseline... I like it a little tad being me... I get more bit. behind left shoulder ...

 

[fastdunn]

I'm no expert but I used following steps.

1) find a best spot(of tossed ball) for you to good serve.
Experiment with toss location. In my case, it is slightly
to the right and frnt of my front foot. And the height is
where my hitting arm fuuly extnded + racquet length is.

2) place a tennis ball up at that height(angled in air in your room) and
position yourself to make it your optimal toss position.

3) register that poistion by going thru shadow serving motion.

For some reasons, it helped me toss well. The optimal position
looked closer to you when you serve. In my case, I did not
really have optimal position well registered in my brain.
And try to make the tossed ball have no rotation.
Don't let your fingers touch the ball when it leaves your palm.

Good luck.