Tennis Serve Like the Pro Tennis PlayersAccurate tennis serve technique is a critical element for all tennis players, regardless of their skill level. With the three steps in The ACE System, the serve has never been so easy for the tennis student to implement. One of the biggest comments I get when I'm talking tennis with friends is that I "must have a big serve." The reason people say this is because I'm 6 feet 6 inches tall. They assume that the leverage I get from my height is an advantage to my serve. My height helps, but unfortunately it's only one factor. Since I threw a ball left-handed and I played tennis right-handed, I had to work on my serve constantly. (The serve is the natural throwing motion.) The proper uncoiling of the kinetic chain is something I never knew about until I began studying and applying these bio-mechanical reference points.
I always thought the 1st serve was supposed to be hard and flat, but the pros actually hit a slice 1st serve as their main form. The slice helps to keep the ball in a higher percentage of the time. The pros are serving at such fast racket speed that they throw their right foot up to the sky to slow them down for recovery footwork. It’s not just for show with no purpose. Use the continental grip. The tendency is to let the grip slip toward the eastern and even semi-western grip, so watch that. Also, there is no need to use an eastern backhand grip for the 2nd serve. You’ll gain more spin initially with that grip, but you’ll lose “snap” and power in the long run. Here are a few basics for the serve technique (for right-hander, lefties reverse the instruction)… The Preparation
The Hitting Zone The Ending |
