You can improve your tennis serve with various methods, but not every technique works for every person.
It would help if you had personalized advice and instruction that would suit your specific mechanics and serve style.
A more powerful grip, strategic positioning of your feet, and proper foot stance and swing are some ways to improve your tennis serve.
Below are some essential tips for making your serve stronger and more reliable.
Once you master these principles, you’ll be well on your way to having a killer shot.
Power position
A strong power position is vital for an effortless serve.
Great servers pause in this position for milliseconds before releasing the ball. It will improve your serve’s power by several miles per hour.
Practicing this stance in front of a mirror will help you get it right.
Another vital component to serve power is the racket drop. This part of the serve involves the racket inverting for milliseconds and your butt cap facing the sky. Every top-ranked player has a deep racket drop.
To improve your tennis serve, start by finding the proper stance. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart. Your non-dominant foot should be facing the net post at about a 45-degree angle.
Your dominant foot should slide back parallel to the baseline, slightly farther than your left foot. It will enable you create a stable base from which to hit the ball. Keeping your feet in the correct position can be a lifesaver.
To make your shoulder turn, shift the racket to your forehand side. When your left shoulder is higher than your right shoulder, your left shoulder should be in a power position.
Your shoulders and hips should move in tandem when you reach this position. This movement will give you natural power and control over your serve.
The platform stance is similar to a pinpoint stance but has more overall motion and moving parts. As a result, it is a more challenging stance for beginners, requiring more body weight to transfer forward and legs to the ball.
It is also challenging to maintain balance and control body motion while serving in this position. Still, it is possible to achieve this powerful serve using this stance. Once you’ve perfected it, you will be amazed at how much power you can generate!
An important factor that affects the power and speed of your serve is the angle of your shoulders. You want to rotate your shoulders almost 90 degrees away from the net, but it is possible to do more than that.
Practicing shadow-stroking will help you reach this range and keep your shoulders perpendicular. So, start practicing now! If you don’t already know this technique, you’ll see dramatic improvements in your game as time passes.
Rhythm
Developing a consistent and effective serving rhythm can help you hit your serves with more power and consistency. It becomes second nature as a result and can help you pinpoint your mistakes.
– Practice on an empty pillowcase and tennis balls.
– Try serving a ball with a 3/4 bounce.
– Begin your motion slow.
Many players start their serve motion with too much speed, which results in poor arm coordination and toss accuracy.
The usual approach to rhythm is to think about the different speeds of the serve motion like gears on a car.
The first speed corresponds to the backswing, while speed two corresponds to the trophy position, and speed three refers to the downward acceleration toward the ball.
By slowing down and focusing on the beginning of the service motion, you can dramatically improve your serve rhythm.
Rhythm is important because it reduces the risk of injury and overuse. With the correct technique, your tennis serve will be powerful and smooth.
It will also be less likely to result in an uncoordinated swing.
With the right rhythm, you will be able to hit every shot, from forehand to backhand and serve to volley.
The key is to develop a good rhythm that is easy to master and fun to practice.
Rhythm can also be enhanced by breathing. Studies have shown that breathing helps in the production of power and force. When you breathe in and out while hitting the ball, you’ll be able to store more energy.
Then, when you release your breath, you’ll be able to explode and hit the ball with more power and force. The key to improving your rhythm is to practice hitting the ball with a good tempo and in the proper sequence.
To improve your serve, you should practice hitting against a wall. This will help you understand where you’re hitting the ball and how to generate power and spin.
Practicing your serve against a wall will also help you learn how to hit at different angles and with proper rhythm.
This is especially vital if you want to hit your tennis serve hard.
Positioning Your Feet Strategically
One of the most overlooked areas for players is footwork. The key to hitting a good serve is knowing how to get into position, move to the ball, and recover in time.
For example, a split step is the best way to start every serve.
It requires timing, so it is crucial to be in mid-air when your opponent makes contact with the ball. The split step is an essential technique for tennis players.
One of the most important tips to improve tennis serves is to think about where to place your feet on the court during a serve.
For instance, if you always hit your serve in the center of your opponent’s service box, your opponent will likely prepare to strike back before you even hit the ball.
By using your feet and shoulders, you’ll be able to land the ball more accurately and successfully. You can also use your forearms and shoulders to position your feet on the ball to land it.
The proper stance is also crucial for hitting a solid and powerful tennis serve. When standing, you’ll need to stand on the opposite side of the baseline, with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Your non-dominant foot should face the opposite side of the net post, while your dominant foot should slide back parallel to the baseline, slightly farther than your left foot.
This will create a strong base for your serve.
Proper stance is a critical element of good tennis serve. It sets the foundation for the entire serve motion. The right stance means positioning your front foot towards the right net post and your back foot parallel to the baseline.
You want your toes to be aligned with the heel of your front foot. Once you have the correct stance, your body weight is transferred to your front foot, and you’re ready to move forward.
Reliability
To improve the reliability of a tennis serve, players need to master proper technique. For this, many methods can help them improve their serve.
Augmented feedback is also a proven method to achieve this.
This technology allows coaches to see where players are falling short.
This helps them make improvements in their technique and reduce injury risk.
The augmented feedback is portable and can be implemented with a standard video camera. It is beneficial in determining the mechanics of a tennis serve.
A common mistake that many players make is holding the ball with their fingers instead of their palm.
Instead, they should hold the ball with their fingers and open them as the ball reaches their eye level.
During the serve, they should also open their fingers when the ball reaches their eye level. A common mistake that can lead to an inaccurate serve is overworking the racket when the ball is tossed.
When this happens, the serve will not be accurate. To improve the tennis serve reliability, players need to focus on these three components.
Practicing Outside Of Matchplay
Practicing outside of matchplay to improve your tennis serve is an essential component of your game. While it is often the most overlooked stroke in tennis, it is essential to winning matches and gaining control of points.
A good serve has many different steps, and you should practice each one separately to develop muscle memory and consistency. For example, practicing the “figure 8” serve drill is a great way to establish a fluid serving motion.
Conclusion
To improve your tennis serve, there are a few things that you can do. A powerful grip, proper foot stance, strategic positioning of your feet, and swing will vastly improve your serve.
One of the most important is to understand what a good serve looks like and how it is done.
This can be done by watching videos and reading articles on how to serve well.
You can also get lessons from a professional tennis coach or another person who knows how to serve well. The next step is practicing, as this will be the only way that you will get better at serving over time.
