Tennis Practice Drills: The Service
Uruguayan tennis phenomenon Fabián "Fab" Nuñez Seixa runs VideoJug users through simple yet effective practice exercises to help you develop a deadly serve in your tennis game.
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Step 1:
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Flat first serves
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The flat service uses a similar technique to that described in our video “the slice service”. The only difference is that the racquet hits the ball square on, rather than at an angle. Practice your flat service using three cones to mark the best lines for the ball: the right- and left-hand corners of the service box, and straight down the middle.
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Step 2:
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Slice first serves
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Practice hitting slice serves to the two corners of the service box, again using cones to mark the best places. Playing into the right corner can confuse your opponent. The ball seems to be coming nicely onto the racquet for an easy backhand return, but turns uncomfortably into their body. From the left corner, the ball curves away from your opponent and increasingly out of reach.
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Step 3:
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Second serves with top spin.
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When practising topspin second serves, you need to think about the direction and depth of the shot. Mark several directions with cones and practice hitting the ball towards each, so that in a match your opponent will find it difficult to predict your second serve. Depth is very important, as an opponent can easily attack a short second serve. Try to make the ball reach the wall or fence behind the court before its second bounce. In addition to using spin, hitting a second serve about a metre above the net will ensure sufficient depth.
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Step 4:
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Play against the court
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For a concentrated exercise to improve the reliability and focus of your serve, play a set against the court using the following rules: A good first serve wins you the point. If you miss your first serve, take a second serve. A good second serve is a point to you. If you play a double fault, award a point to the court. See if you can maintain your concentration and win a love set playing by these rules.