FAQ About Tennis

The tennis serve is one of the most critical shots in the game, as it initiates every point. Developing a consistent and powerful serve can give you a significant advantage in matches. Here's a step-by-step guide to the basic technique for serving in tennis:

Stance and Grip:

• Stand behind the baseline with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Hold the racket with a continental grip (V-shape formed by the thumb and index finger points towards the top bevel of the racket handle).

Ready Position:

• Hold the ball in your non-dominant hand, and place it on the fingertips.
• Hold the racket in your dominant hand with the hitting side of the strings facing the net.
• Point your non-dominant shoulder towards the net, and keep your body sideways to the court.

Ball Toss:

• Raise the ball slightly above your head with your non-dominant hand.
• The toss should be in line with your hitting shoulder and just slightly in front of your body.

Trophy Position:

• As the ball reaches its peak in the toss, your hitting arm should be fully extended upwards, and your racket hand should be in the "trophy position."
• The "trophy position" is when your hitting arm is fully extended, and the strings of the racket are pointing towards the back fence.

Backswing:

• Begin the swing by dropping your racket behind you, keeping it close to your body.
• Your non-dominant arm should act as a guide, pointing towards the net during the backswing.

Contact Point:

• As the ball starts to descend from the toss, shift your weight onto your front foot and initiate the forward swing.
• Make contact with the ball at the highest point possible, slightly in front and to the side of your body.
• Hit the ball with a smooth, upward motion to generate topspin and control.

Follow-through:

• After making contact with the ball, continue the swing upwards and outwards.
• Your hitting arm should extend fully towards your target, and your body should rotate towards the net.

Recovery:

• After completing the serve, quickly recover to the ready position to prepare for the next shot.