| The tennis serve is the opening gun of tennis. The | | | | action at full stretch, slightly in front of you, and above |
| purpose of the serve is to put the tennis ball into play | | | | your hitting shoulder. |
| and having a consistent serve can really help to | | | | One exercise to see where you are making contact |
| increase the chances of you winning your match. | | | | with the ball during your service is to line up against a |
| There is a well-known tennis saying to the effect that | | | | fence and to throw your ball up in the air and then |
| one fault is a mistake, but two faults are a crime--that | | | | capture the ball against the racquet and the fence so |
| sums up the idea of the serve. | | | | you can see where you are making contact during the |
| Your opponent will be half expecting your first serve | | | | serve. Another tip is to get someone to watch your |
| to be a fault, so by putting your first serve into play will | | | | serves as they may be able to spot any problems |
| catch them off guard. It will also conserve your energy | | | | that you are not aware you are doing. |
| as it will stop you needing to have a second serve, | | | | Your serve should be fast, but speed is not the be-all |
| which in a long five-set match could mean the | | | | and end-all. As explained earlier the serve must be |
| difference between victory and defeat. A serve not | | | | accurate but it also has to be accurate, reliable and |
| only must it go into court, but it must be sufficiently | | | | varied, to keep your opponent guessing. A perfect |
| speedy that the receiver does not have an opportunity | | | | serve should be 40 per cent placement, 40 per cent |
| of an easy kill. It must also be placed so as to allow | | | | speed and 20 percent twist. |
| the server an advantage for his next return, admitting | | | | There are 3 types of serve you should be aiming for |
| the receiver puts the ball in play. | | | | the Flat Serve, the Topspin Serve and the Slice Serve. |
| Let go over some basic points you should remember | | | | The Flat Serve produces a flat trajectory with a |
| about your serve: | | | | minimum of spin, while the Topspin serve has a high |
| 1. Stand sideways on to the net. | | | | arc and bounce and the Slice Serve generates both |
| 2. Throw the ball into the air so that it hangs nicely in | | | | side and topspin and is a very good serve to learn. |
| the area where you want to contact the ball. | | | | Having a consistent tennis service can help you |
| 3. The throw-up is also called the 'placement' coz that's | | | | improve your tennis game in leaps and bounds. To |
| what it should really be. Even just practicing throwing | | | | improve your serve you really need to spend the time |
| the ball consistently in the air without using the racquet | | | | practising, after all practice makes perfect. So spend |
| is a great tennis tip. | | | | the time improving and practicing your serve and start |
| 4. Try to contact the ball in the middle of your throwing | | | | winning more games. |