Hi everybody! Nadim here for Online Tennis Instruction with
another serve tip.
Today's tip is a little bit more on the soft side less
mechanical and it has to do with building a rhythm on the serve.
Many players tend to step up to the line and really rush into their first serve but
especially rush between first and second serve.
What you will see on TV and this is
where I want you to look at it, the professional players
will never start their serve until they're ready.
Okay you have a certain
number of seconds between points. Utilize those to get into your comfort zone
ready to serve.
Remember the serve is the only shot in tennis where there is no
outside influence placed upon you, you start when and how and where to
whenever you're ready so why rush it? What is a good idea you could do?
There are a couple different things you can do as you see on tour everybody has
slightly different routines but it begins with essentially when you step to
the line and get ready to open the point.
I highly recommend you have a certain
number of bounces that you will give yourself that can place you in a zone
where you can tell yourself okay I'm going to stay loose here, my arm
feels good I feel nice and comfortable I want to go down the T.
So you have
let's say five or six bounces at most and then I would like you to start with a,
you can I mean these are all suggestions. Pick up whatever makes sense to you!
The number of bounces that you use here on the serve, a certain rocking motion to
begin a rhythm on the actual motion and exhale before you make contact, before
you start the motion so we can actually
feel that your body is not tightening up. You can be very conscious of how tight
you use the racket or grip the racket when you toss the ball you can keep your
fingers wiggling a little bit to ensure that you're nice and calm, and then start
the serve!
Here's what's going to happen when you do this, you're much more likely
to not hit a bad toss because you are in a controlled state you know what
you're doing and if the toss is off you're less likely to rush for that ball
for example.
That is one benefit of what you can do
when you actually start the same way whether it's the first serve or a second serve each time!
So what do I personally do? When I personally step to the line I
bounce the ball three to four times then I have my weight on my front foot,
I exhale and then I go for my serve! Okay I know this sounds easy, it looks easy....
It is not easy and you really need to focus on getting yourself into a zone
before you start. Remember! The only shot in tennis you control first serve, second
serve, kick serve, slice or flat serve. It doesn't matter what serve.
You want to start when you're ready. So pick up one of these things i've talked about!
I know these are soft factors, there may be plenty others to use but you know a
certain routine, Nadal has this funny routine. Whatever works for you but don't
start until you're ready to go!
Don't feel rushed by your partner at the net if
you play doubles or the the other person dancing on the other side or whatever!
You start when you're ready! Even if you have to turn around, look at your strings
take another deep breath and then step to the line that's totally fine but do
something that you can do over and over and makes you feel comfortable so when
you're actually tossing, there is no second guessing of what you want to do
but you can really focus on the execution!
So go home and try this.
Let me know if this helps! I'm really looking forward to hearing what you have to say!
Take care! :)