Marco Bitran: Improve Tennis Serve - The Advantages and Disadvantages of Your 4 Serves

By Junior Pswarai

If you want to improve your tennis serve then you are going to have to be able to hit the 4 different types of serves, each one with its advantages and each one which can cause your opponents problems if you are able to use them properly, keeping you in control of the game and your opponent off rhythm and always on the defense.

You need to learn how to effectively hit these strokes so that when the time is right you can pull a different one out of the bag keeping your opponent on their toes.

The 4 main shots you can use are the kick, top spin, flat and the slice. There is no better one out of them as they have their advantages and they also have their disadvantages but knowing when to use them can make you very troublesome for your opponent. By knowing this you will know when to mix them up in the game.

Flat Service

Advantages - The flat serve is a fast and powerful shot that you can do which if placed correctly can win you points. This is the main one that many beginners use as they can't add spin on the ball yet but it is very effective is you know where to place it.

Disadvantages - This is a very easy one for your opponent to hit back as it is just straight forward so you will need to make sure that you can control it and place it in paces that are hard for them to adjust to and return.

Topspin

By hitting the ball from the bottom to the top on the service you can create a load of spin on the ball which can be very tricky for your opponent to return.

Advantages - when performed correctly your opponent will find it hard to return and with the spin added it can make their return poor. It also gives you enough time to make it over to the net if they do end up returning allowing you to create a strong volley.

Disadvantages - It is easy to tell when spin is coming and the effectiveness will be lost if the opponent attacks the ball off the rise.

Slice

Brushing the ball from the right can create the slice which can be hard for an opponent to get to and return.

Advantages - Depending on which way you slice you can either make the ball move away or towards the opponents body which can put them in an awkward position where they have to readjust or go off court to reach it allow you and open court to smash a volley in.

Disadvantages - many people use this shot now and it is becoming one that people are used to returning now so not one to use frequently on the court.

The Kick

Just like a topspin you want to hit this from the bottom to the top (at an angle) and if done correctly can be trouble.

Advantage - When the ball hits the ground it travels in the opposite direction when it bounces off the ground confusing the opponent as the ball travels away or towards them in an instant and putting them into uncomfortable positions.

Disadvantages - It's hard to learn and perform and without enough experience performing this can put your opponent in a good position to make a return.

If you want to improve your tennis serve then understanding these 4 serves will be beneficial for you as you will know their advantages so you will know which one to play to mix up the game and throw your opponent off.

There are plenty of ways to improve tennis serve, exercises, drills, and things such as learning more about the serve can make you a deadly opponent from the service line. If you want to make your serve more deadly then something you can do is check out this blog where you can find more information on the serve and how you can improve it.

Marco Bitran: Perfect Tennis Serve - Tactics For Beginners

By Junior Pswarai

When it comes down to creating the perfect tennis serve beginners will find this to be very frustrating. There are many things to get right such as the form and then the power and then you have to think about the spin, placement etc. Things like this can be very confusing and if they aren't done properly can make a weak serve, however for a beginner the main thing you will want to think about would be to get a high ratio of serves in (preferably first ones) instead of out.

The reason why you want to try and make sure that you get the first one in is that that is what your opponent is expecting. Have you noticed how in some games at the first try the opponent might stand behind the baseline? They are preparing for that first shot to cause them trouble, they are giving themselves enough space. However if you ruin the first one then they are going to expect you to do it again and they will move closer so that they can prepare play on the aggressive which is something that you're going to want to avoid from happening as a beginner to the game.

Some things to keep in mind as a beginner would be the placement that you are going with. Placement is vital, with the correct placement you can cause trouble for your opponent, after a few strokes you will be able to understand which side is their weaker side and which is their stronger and this already will start to give you the advantage.

However, don't always aim at the weak side of your opponent, if you are consistently going for their weaker side then they will adapt to this and end up putting you on the defensive, you will want to keep it mixed up and mysterious so you keep them from getting used to one area of the court.

Another thing to consider with placement is how deep you are going to put it. The deeper that you go the harder it is going to be for your opponent to attack the ball and it also gives you enough time to get into a good position that will therefore allow you to go and volley the ball and get the point.

Many beginners like to think about just creating a powerful shot which can be deadly for an opponent but chances are as a beginner you won't be able to control a powerful shot and you may find that you are instead creating more trouble for yourself without any control. The first thing that you want to learn is control and placement and then over time you will want to start learning how to add more power and then move adding more strokes such as the slice and the kick which are going to be great to add to your arsenal of serves.

In conclusion, as a beginner to create the perfect tennis serve you just really want to be able to place it into the opponents weak side and their stronger side occasionally too to keep them guessing and the deeper you can get it the more time you can get into position to attack the ball.

There are many other things to consider with a perfect tennis serve; power, different types of serves, the placement of the ball and these can all be done with the right information as well. If you want to make your serve more deadly then something you can do is check out this blog where you can find more information on the serve and how you can improve it.

Marco Bitran: Sports Psychology And Tennis: How To Improve Your Serve Right Now - Six Simple Tennis Tips

 
By Jay P. Granat, Ph.D.

Tennis players of all levels periodically struggle with their serve. If you watch a lot of tennis you can see these struggles at the high school level, the collegiate level, the weekend warrior level and the professional level.

When a player is serving well, it can elevate his or her game.

Conversely, if he or she is serving poorly, it can negatively impact their confidence, their focus and the rest of their game.

Serves can be erratic, since there is a lot involved in generating and producing an effective serve.

For starters, the toss is very important. Players need to get the ball into the right spot on a frequent and regular basis. For many players this is between eleven o'clock and one o'clock.

Rick Macci, the world famous tennis coach who I have had the pleasure to interview several times, reminds tennis players to get their toss along side and above their right ear if they are right handed and along side and above their left ear if they are left handed.

Seeing the ball hit your racket is another important key to having a good serve.

Being able to hit several different kinds of serves like a flat serve, a kick serve and a slice serve is very useful.

Maintaining one's rhythm, and balance is also very important when serving a tennis.

Keeping you head up as your strike the ball and keeping it up through the stroke is another factor for players to keep in their minds when they are about to start the tennis point.

Macci also noted the importance of utilizing the legs to generate power in one' serve.

Mr. Macci also reminded players to have their feet pointed to the sideline when they get ready to serve in tennis.

Once you learn the mechanics of hitting the serve, it is useful to have a mental routine to go along with your service routine and motion.

Here is a simple method which many players have found helpful.

1. Walk up to the line confidently.

2. Take a deep breath and inhale relaxation, confidence,focus and enjoyment. Exhale and let go of any anxiety, self doubt, distraction or worry. Take a few more breaths if necessary.

3. Pick the spot you want to serve to and zero in on getting the ball to that spot. If you like, you can color your target spot with your favorite color.

Some players like a target the size of a magazine cover. Others like a target somewhat larger. Experiment to find out what is the right kind of image for you to focus on when you serve.

4. Bounce the ball from one to four times to find your rhythm. Some players bounce once for relaxation, once for confidence, and once for focus.

5. Make sure your arm and your wrist remains loose and flexible throughout your stroke.

6. See the sky and the ball when you make contact with the ball.

Jay P. Granat, Ph.D. is a Psychotherapist, Author and The Founder of http://www.StayInTheZone.com. He has appeared in more than a dozen major media outlets. Dr. Granat has developed numerous peak performance programs as well as a mental toughness program for tennis players.

To get the tennis program, click here http://stayinthezone.com/shop/sports-psychology-and-mental-toughness-system-for-tennis-players/

Dr. Granat is available for seminars and for coaching.