A big, reliable serve can make all the difference when it comes to winning your matches! In this blog post I talk about some crucial elements you want to Master in order to have that “lethal weapon” that will help you win more of your tennis matches with ease!
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Importance of Right Grip
So, from my experience working with many club tennis players, I’ve realised just how common is “Serving with a wrong grip” in most cases the Forehand grip used for Serve…so lets talk about the grip.
Having the right grip is crucial if you are to develop that big, effortless Serve, just like ATP Pros do.
With a wrong grip, you cannot use the right Pronation and without the good Pronation you cannot generate much topspin or power…..Power yes, but you will be overhitting as without TOPSPIN it will be hard for you to keep the ball inside the box…
Loose Wrist
Lot of players seem to be very tight when Serving, maybe its a fear factor of loosing that point by double faulting or so…
But here is another important point…
Your wrist needs to be loose, I mean fairly loose, not too loose that you will be throwing your racket around, but you have to be very relaxed, holding the racket very firmly that it just won’t fall off your hand..
With a good “LOOSE WRIST” you can snap the ball much easier which will add you more power and spin at the same time…
Pronation
This is highly connected with first two points mentioned in this post..
That’s a real big key to have that big serve and it will make it harder for your opponent to return your serves.
If done well, you will have much more power and control at the same time, but it takes practise and to be aware about being relaxed, loose and follow the right guidance by a good, well experienced coach or a player.
On the other side, if you feel you don’t have much topspin and power at the same time, chances are your pronation is not there or is not done properly…which again is stopping you from achieving those massive, reliable serves..
The Ball Toss
This is around 70% of your Serve, if not more…
I worked with so many junior and adult club players who just don’t toss the ball to the right place over and over again..
Guess what, if you do throw the ball to incorrect place, then you gonna hit the ball at a wrong place too, which will stop you again from being able to transfer enough power into the ball..
From my personal experience, most of club players having a contact point behind them and not in front of them just like ATP Pros do..(if I talk about the First Serve)..
So, this is another point you want to spend lots of time on, I usually recommend taking the basket of balls, find that spare at least 1-2 hours a week, book the court and just keep on tossing the ball to the right place until it gets under your skin!
You have to be able to toss the ball to the same place over and over again – e.g. Master Roger Federer… (how many times you see him tossing the ball again for correction when he serves? –( I don’t think I ever seen him doing so…- this is thousands of hours of practising, over and over again..)
Use Your Body Correctly
Now, we are getting into the most important area..
All things I mentioned above are important, but will never work if you are not using your whole body correctly..
This is where 90% of club tennis players fall behind the Semi Pros & Pros..as they are not aware about using the body correctly in the right Kinetic Sequence…and yes there is one, as when you do it well, you will feel it and its JUST EFFORTLESS..
This is for me the “numero uno” when I start working with my players on court, I always start working with them from bottom up..then rest comes in place..
once my players are using their body efficiently enough, we always get a huge results and the answer I usually get is: “Jan, its just effortless!”….Yes it can be, but only when all is done well…there is a specific way how to use your body correctly just like Ivo Karlovic does (one of the best Servers in the world) and it has nothing to do with your high (but yes, it does help to be taller) , but not needed to be over 2 metres tall..
When you apply the right kinetic chain in right sequence you will be amazed how you can Serve…
I have seen so many Serve Transformations, that its amazing why club coaches are not teaching players what ATP Pros do…(lots of them believe, you can’t play like a PRO..) ??
What?
Yes I heard it many times in local clubs…“Jan, you can’t teach them this…” etc..
So, guess what? I started to teach them exactly that!!!
WHY?
A) Because thats the right way!
B) As thats how I grew up being coached by ATP Players and great Performance coaches…
why should I teach them something else, when I know what works well for them??
So….
I know if you do apply the right way how ATP Pros Serve into your game, you will get results!!!
WANT TO FINALLY MASTER YOUR SERVE?
I now opened a FREE SERVE MASTERCLASS that will help you to do that…(normally at $57)
Just hit the link below to reserve your Spot as long as its FREE >>
Lets transform your tennis game!
Have a great day!
Jan Metelka
Head Pro at JM Tennis & founder of PLB Tennis Method® & TennisFit® App.