Tennis Serve Lessons: Some Drills From the Pros That Helped Me

Tennis serve lessons, when combined with drills when2. Finish The Set
you are away from a coach, can give you aAnother of the most effective tennis serve lessons is
tremendous boost in skill and confidence.  You willto play a best of 5 match while starting at 4-4.  This
have a huge advantage if you are able to dictatedrill will also work to place more pressure and
points on your service games.importance on every serve.  Some variations are to
You will be able to start the point the way you want toplay the tie breakers or to play the best of 3 if you do
if you put in the time and effort to get better in thenot have the time.
right way.  If you want to try a one, two punch, youIn this drill you will be focused and scrapping for about
can swing the serve out wide with slice to get thean hour constantly.  Try out some tactics and shot
returner out of position.  Maybe you have hit a coupleselections until you get consistent results.  When one
short angles recently and want to kick the next oneapproach fails, try something else next set.
into the body of your opponent.  The point is that this3. Practice Your Aim
is attainable with a couple of the drills that areHead to your court and set up pyramids of balls to aim
explained below practiced consistently.at.  A little ways in from the corners are a great
1. Serving Under Pressureplace to target.  Practice your aim and be mindful of
This is the Jimmy Connors method of practicing beinghow much slice you want to hit with.
down in the game and about to lose your serve.  TheRepetition is key here.  Mix up wide shots and down
player starts down 30-40 in every service game. the middle shots while experimenting with flat, slice, and
This puts immediate pressure and focus on the mindkick serves.  The more times that you practice in this
of the server.way, the further away you get form the mentality of
When you get used to playing down a break point, the"just get it over the net and in."  It now becomes a
focus and intensity will be a regular thing that you arethought of something specific such as "hit a wide slice
used to.  Not only this, but when you really do faceto get my opponent out of position."  If you don't hit
this situation in a match that counts or a tournament,the corner, chances are that it will still go in with this
you will be better able to handle it.type of thinking.