Below are a series of key points when describing the service motion to your intermediate players. It is important to take the time to discuss these steps with your players. All too often many coaches jump straight into a specific aspect of the serve without explaining to the player the fundamentals of the entire serve and why is wroth their effort in learning the correct technique from the start. Once these key points have been discussed then you can move onto the specific points as the player will now understand the role of each in developing the serve.

Key points when discussing the serve to intermediate players:

• Explain to them why it is important to learn the correct serving grip. Using the correct grip will help them to develop all of the serves from slice, flat to kick serves.
• To start the serve, you must stand behind the baseline without touching the line before contact. If you do touch the line prior to contact, you will be called for a foot fault and will lose that serve.
• You have two chances to serve the ball in, if you miss both serves it will be called a double fault and you will lose that point.
• For right-handed players, stand with your left foot in front of your body and your right leg extended behind your body.
• Face the direction you are serving with your arm extended out in front of your body in a relaxed position.
• Visualize where you are going to serve and how you are going to construct the point.
• As you start your motion, your body will shift its weight from the back foot to the front foot as you begin your serve.
• The racquet drops down simultaneously as your throwing arm in one motion.
• The racquet completes the swing by extending backwards before dropping down behind your back (back scratching position).
• The arm tossing the ball up needs to move a little more slowly that the racquet arm because it has less distance to travel before impact.
• If the tossing arm moves too quickly, the toss will have to be extremely high to give the racquet enough time to hit the ball.
• At the contact point you should be at full extension.

Key Points to Emphasize:

• Throw the ball in front to help generate a forward motion of the body.
• Take your time as it is the one shot that you can completely control yourself.
• Develop power through good shoulder rotation, knee bend and racquet head speed.
• Add spin to your second serve for added control and consistency.
• Don’t stop your racquet on your follow through; let it swing through and across your body.
• If you use your legs properly, you should be jumping up off the ground as you make contact with the ball.
• Maintain a relaxed yet controlled motion throughout the serve.
• Remember to follow through after contact as your body weight carries you forward and into the court.
• For a kick serve, make contact at the bottom of the ball and exaggerate the upward hitting motion.
• For a slice serve, hit the outside of the ball.
• Develop a routine on your serve to help maintain control and consistency.
• Develop your serve into a “weapon” that will help you win free points.
  

   

  David Horne

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