Tennis drills: the serve

Our coaches have come up with four simple drills to help you improve your serve and make it a genuine weapon.With these exercises you can work on your accuracy and technique when serving.

What shot could be more important than the serve? It can win you a lot of cheap points and working on it regularly can really pay dividends. A few little drills shouldn't be too much to ask for such an important part of your game.

Drill 1: accuracy.

Objective: accuracy.

There's nothing like putting some targets down in the service box for working on your accuracy.

This very simple drill involves hitting sets of ten serves at a single target. You should aim to land seven of your ten serves in the box, with three of them hitting the target.

Do the drill three times, with one target in the T, one in the middle of the service box, and another out wide.

If one of the targets is too hard for you to hit, then try to hit a certain area instead.

Drill 2 - the serve: accuracy.

Objective: accuracy.

The best way to work on accuracy is to use targets in the opponent's service area.

The drill is very simple: do sets of 10 serves, choosing only one target. The aim is to put at least 7 balls out of 10 in the box, including 3 serves that hit the intended target.

Repeat the drill on the 3 arranged targets (at the T, in the centre, and on the sliced or lifted zone)

If a target seems impossible to you, then you can create target zones rather than cones.

Drill 3 - the serve: accuracy.(match)

Objective: win cheap points with your serve.

Before you start scoring, you determine a number of points assigned to each service area.

For example, if you serve on the T and score the point, you win 3 points. If you serve on the player and score the point, you win just 1 point.

Once these points have been awarded, you can start scoring. For games like this, you should play ten-point tie-breaks.

A little extra: You can deduct points for double faults ;) It'll add a little extra spice to your match.

Drill 3 : accuracy. (match)

Objective: win cheap points with your serve.

This drill involves playing for points with an opponent. Start by allocating a certain number of points to parts of the service box.

For example, if you hit the T and you win the point, you score three points. If you serve at your opponent and you win the point, you score only one point.

Once you've worked out the point allocations, you can start playing. For games like this, you should play ten-point tie-breaks.

Little bonus: You can deduct points for double faults ;) It'll add a little extra spice to your match.

Drill 4 - the serve: leg push

Objective: Work on your leg push.

The leg push is such an important part of serving that you really need to focus on getting it right without the ball. That's why this is a ball-free drill!

Get in position to serve, on either side of the centre mark.

Do an empty serve, pushing as far forward as possible and stop your movement! Mark the spot where you stop.

Then do sets of 10 empty serves, going for that landing spot each time.

Drill 5 : leg push

Objective: Work on your leg push.

The leg push is such an important part of serving that you really need to focus on getting it right without the ball. That's why this is a ball-free drill!

Stand in your serve position, to one side of the centre mark.

Try a serve without the ball, pushing yourself as far forward as you can and then stopping after you complete the shot. Mark the spot where you end up.

Do a set of ten serves without the ball and try to reach that stopping point every time.

Drill 6 : serve toss and leg push.

Join our two coaches for a session that involves working on your serve toss, leg push, and your percentage of successful serves.

So practise your serve as much as possible, this shot marks the beginning of a rally, of a point to be won! Let's go!

Simon

Author

I share tips from the Artengo team to help you up your game.

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