Anybody else serve from near the doubles alley when playing singles to get extreme angles? I've been doing this, only from the ad side, serving kick serves out wide. I leave the down the line return winner completely open but no one is able to hit one. The return usually comes back near the middle of the court giving me a crosscourt forehand and control of the point. They know where the serve is going but if they want to hit a forehand, they would need to be outside the doubles alley and it is rare for someone to hit a high backhand sharp angle return.
Singles serving from extreme wide position
- Thread starter treo
- Start date
Fine strategy if it works at your level of play.
Seems in mine, which could be worse than yours, most returners go back sharp CC, leaving ME out wide of the alleys, and once in a while smack it DTL, forcing me to cover more court.
Main problem this strategy doesn't work for me is that I rely on my serve to win a few points outright each set. Serving from wide slows down my serve tons, and gives returners plenty of time to set up a full groundstroke....something I don't want or need to chase down.
Seems in mine, which could be worse than yours, most returners go back sharp CC, leaving ME out wide of the alleys, and once in a while smack it DTL, forcing me to cover more court.
Main problem this strategy doesn't work for me is that I rely on my serve to win a few points outright each set. Serving from wide slows down my serve tons, and gives returners plenty of time to set up a full groundstroke....something I don't want or need to chase down.
Its a good strategy to use once in a while if you have a good kick serve. I love to serve out wide on the ad side like you do with a good kicker that takes them off the court. 80% of the court they can hit is going to be on my forehand side which I can put away or get in a good offensive position.
I use it more often when my opponents have trouble returning kickers or bad backhand returns (works very well on 1hbh). Best way to counter is to return is to step in and take on the rise.
I use it more often when my opponents have trouble returning kickers or bad backhand returns (works very well on 1hbh). Best way to counter is to return is to step in and take on the rise.
Djokovicfan4life
Legend
I do this more on the deuce side for some funky slices.
rufusbgood
Semi-Pro
This was also a favorite of mine and worked well against players at my level and below, roughly 4.0. I tried this on a friend who is a former Div 1 player. He just returned it for a clean winner with a perfectly placed and completely effortless cross court drop shot. I think he may have rolled his eyes at me too.
thug the bunny
Professional
On the ad side, I will sometimes serve wide (esp if the wind is blowing left to right), but I put a reverse slice on it to make it kick even further out. The reverse slice is a tough one, and is probably <50% for me, but it is fun and makes your opponent look at you with a WTF!? look when it works.
Because my kick serve from the ad side spins up and away from their backhand, players at the 4.0 level and below can't hit a winner down the line and I'm there for the sharp angle return. I have even used this serve against lefties with success. Most people try to return up the line but instead they set up my crosscourt forehand into the open court.
I've run into more players who use a heavy slice serve to do this. Sometimes the ball seems like it's almost going sideways when you're returning it. Annoying, but if they do it all the time you can step outside the doubles alley and come in a few feet and cope with it.
Larrysümmers
Hall of Fame
I do this in doubles. i dont have to worry about DTL, and if they go down the middle the netman will intercept it, but it is also close enough for me to get it. for singles not as extreme, but further out than most.
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SirGounder
Hall of Fame
I've tried this but I'm not blessed with quickness to effectively cover dtl. Instead I move over a couple steps but not all the way to the corner. Works quite nicely for a slice out wide.
goran_ace
Hall of Fame
I did this a lot in juniors from the ad court - copying one of Agassi's tactics of old (denim shorts and mullet-era Agassi) - especially if I noticed my opponent was avoiding hitting to my FH. Basically I wanted to move my opponent past the sideline to open up the court and at the same time force them to give me a FH. Hitting a stretched out BH return DTL for a winner is a tough shot. If you can hit that one then I'll say nice shot, but most of the time there's no way you're getting into that point.
As long as you have the footspeed to cover the extra open court it's a solid tactic, particulalry if you don't have a huge serve but hit a big FH.
As long as you have the footspeed to cover the extra open court it's a solid tactic, particulalry if you don't have a huge serve but hit a big FH.
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