In a sport like Tennis, service is everything. A service is something you start with and if you are not able to serve correctly, then the game cannot continue. In Tennis, serving right every time can be a huge challenge.
Till date, top Tennis stars too struggle with getting their serve right 100 out of 100 times. A service in Tennis is very technical and should be learned well.
Here is a step by step guide to improve and correct your service:
1. Stance
Having the right stance is very important. If you are right-handed, your front foot should be pointing towards the right net post and the back foot should be parallel to the baseline. For left-handers, its the left foot that is in front.
The toes of your back foot should be sort of aligned with the heel of your front foot. This ensures full stability once you initiate your swing for your serve.
2. Grip
Having a continental grip while serving is the most preferred. Players that use a forehand grip while serving, limit their abilities to swing the racket correctly.
3. Relax your arm
Most players tend to hold the racket very tightly with a lot of tension running throughout their arm and hand, specially at the beginning of their swing. Keep a relaxed arm while serving.
4. Start off slowly
Moving fast at the beginning of your service can be counterproductive. This mistake is made by many players. By doing this, players tend to bring up their racket too early which will throw off the timing and rhythm that one is trying to create. The key here is to start off slowly and then increase the tempo.
5. Aim the target you have in mind
Aiming a target while serving is crucial. Players tend to forget to look at the target they have in mind while serving. This can result in poor service. Where you want the ball to go is where your focus should be.
6. Use your shoulders
The shoulders should turn correctly while serving. Players who tend to not turn their shoulders correctly will result in not being able to obtain maximum power while serving.
7. Toss the ball correctly
The tossing of the ball while serving should be perfected. Many times it so happens that the ball is tossed in a place that is higher than what they wanted. It is important to develop a consistent toss. Being aware of the ball’s direction is crucial while serving.
8. Speed up at the point of contact
The tempo is everything while serving. One should accelerate their racket speed so that the ball just in a way explodes off one’s racket. This creates maximum power.
9. Avoid squatting
Many players use their legs to generate more power. They tend to do a squat to generate more power instead of using their hips. This will cause insufficiency in service.
10. Land inside the court
While serving you want to have a movement that is forward and upwards and one should land into the court. Getting the body momentum like this will result in a successful serve.
Watch this to understand how to serve correctly:
Conclusion:
Service in Tennis is the most important stroke. Mastering it is a big step towards success in the court.
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