Tennis, the importance of the service (advanced players)

The service is of great importance in tennis, as every point starts with it. But which aspects are important for a good service?

The importance of a good service

The service is of great importance for every tennis player. Because every point starts with the service, one should work on it a lot. Also, the service is a stroke that doesn't have to be hit following a shot from the opponent. You can perfect it by only focusing on explosiveness and technique. When you have a powerful serve, you'll notice that you'll win your own service games in a breeze, and be able to focus more on the service games of your opponent.

The technique

As said before, technique is an important aspect of the service. The breakdown of the movement below will help you with perfecting your technique.

The knee action

The knee action is an important aspect of the service: it aids speed as wel as rotation (spin, slice or reverse twist). Descend at the moment you let the ball go. When the ball reaches the ideal height, try to reach out to it in one fluent movement. If you perform the knee action (and the rest of the stroke) rhythmically, you'll notice you arm can stay relaxed (which will lead to a better and more accurate stroke).

Shoulder and trunk rotation

Trunk and shoulder rotation will lead to a more powerful movement while reaching for the ball. The bigger the rotation, the bigger the velocity you give the ball. A good tip: point to the ball with the tossing hand for as long as possible.

The toss

The toss can make or break your service. If the toss is bad, there's little chance of performing a good stroke. Therefore, you have to practice it a lot. If the toss goes wrong, don't hit, but try again. The toss determines which kind of serve you hit. If you toss the ball slightly in front of you, you can hit a flat, hard (and risky) one. If you toss it more above you, can hit a safer service with some spin.

Some last tips

Vary your service! Use different sorts of spin, different angles and different speeds. Don't let your opponent read your serve by varying continuously. While warming up, you could also try to discover the weaker side of your opponent (forehand or backhand), and aim at it. Good luck!t

Sources: www.todio.nl