How To Be CONSISTENT On Your Serve | Tennis Serve Lesson

Summary

In this tennis lesson, John Craig addresses the common challenge of serving consistency. He explains the importance of understanding the arc required for the ball to clear the net and land in the service box. Craig suggests using a continental grip and swinging up into the ball to achieve a consistent serve, especially on the second serve. He emphasizes the need for accurate ball placement and offers tips on finding the point of release and maintaining eye contact with the target. Finally, he advises reducing power on the first serve to increase the chances of getting it in, thus improving overall serving consistency.

Takeaways

• 🎾 The serve is the most important and challenging shot in tennis, requiring consistency.
• 🏆 Understanding the court dimensions and net height is crucial for achieving a consistent serve arc.
• 🌐 The ball must have an arcing quality to clear the net and land in the service box, especially for players shorter than 6'7.
• 🔄 The difficulty of serving consistently is due to the need to balance ball speed, trajectory, and gravity.
• 💪 A 'push' or 'lollipop' serve is safe but lacks performance, making it easy for opponents to exploit.
• 🤝 Using a continental grip and swinging up into the ball can improve serve consistency, particularly on second serves.
• 🎯 Consistency in ball placement is essential for achieving a consistent serve; aim for the ball to land inside the shoulder and slightly in front.
• 👀 Keeping your eyes on the point of release and maintaining a consistent gaze helps with accurate ball placement.
• 📈 To improve serve consistency, focus on hitting the ball with 75% of your power to maintain control.
• 📊 Aiming for a high first serve percentage by reducing the occasions of second serves can give you an advantage in the game.
• 📚 Further improvement can be achieved by mastering the ball toss and reducing the power on the first serve to increase accuracy.

Q & A

Why is consistency with the serve considered difficult in tennis?

Consistency with the serve is difficult because the dimensions of the court and the height of the net require the ball to have an arcing quality in its flight to land in the service box. This involves blending ball speed, trajectory, and gravity, which is challenging to do under pressure.

What is the importance of the serve in tennis?

The serve is considered the most important shot in tennis because it initiates the point and sets the tone for the rally. Mastering the serve can significantly elevate a player's game to a higher level.

How can a player improve the arcing quality of their serve?

A player can improve the arcing quality of their serve by swinging up into the ball, creating a high toss, and using spin to bring the ball down into the court. This helps in achieving consistency, especially on the second serve.

What is the difference between a gravity serve and a serve with spin?

A gravity serve relies on the natural force of gravity to bring the ball down into the court, which can be less consistent under pressure. A serve with spin, on the other hand, involves using racket speed to create spin, allowing for better control and consistency.

How should a player's first and second serve feel different?

The feeling of the motion and serve should be similar for both the first and second serve. The main difference is that the player might use more racket head speed for the first serve and apply more spin for the second serve to ensure the ball lands in the court.

What is the recommended percentage of power for a first serve to improve consistency?

To improve consistency, it is recommended to use about 75% of full power on the first serve, swinging with control rather than going for 100% power, which can lead to lower success rates.

How can a player ensure accurate ball placement during a serve?

For accurate ball placement, a player should know their point of release, ideally at the top of their head, and keep their eyes on the target until the ball is released. Using the hand as a guideline can also help determine if the ball is accurately placed.

What are the key fundamentals for achieving a consistent serve?

The key fundamentals include understanding the arcing quality required for the serve, mastering the swing up into the ball, maintaining consistent ball placement, and adjusting the power percentage for the first serve to improve consistency.

How can a player reduce the occasions of giving their opponent a look at the second serve?

A player can reduce the occasions by increasing the percentage of first serves landed in, aiming for at least 50 to 60%. This can be achieved by not going for maximum power on the first serve but instead focusing on control and accuracy.

What are the benefits of having a consistent serve?

A consistent serve allows a player to hold their serve more often, reducing the pressure and enabling them to take charge in the rally. It also helps in maintaining a defensive mindset for the opponent, making it harder for them to attack the serve.

Outlines

00:00

🎾 Understanding Serve Consistency

The first paragraph discusses the importance of a consistent serve in tennis and the challenges in mastering it. John Craig explains that the dimensions of the tennis court and net height are designed to make the serve difficult. He uses a visual analogy with a racket and fingers to illustrate the need for an arc in the ball's flight to clear the net and land in the service box. The paragraph emphasizes the difficulty of blending ball speed, trajectory, and gravity to achieve this arc, especially under pressure. It also touches on the difference between a gravity serve and a more controlled serve with spin, which can improve consistency and performance.

05:01

🎾 Achieving Consistent Ball Placement

The second paragraph focuses on the necessity of consistent and accurate ball placement for a reliable serve. It suggests that the point of release for most players should be at the top of the head. The paragraph provides tips for maintaining eye contact with the release point and using the hand as a guide for accurate placement. It also discusses the importance of reducing the power on the first serve to increase the chances of getting it in, thus minimizing the opportunities for the opponent to capitalize on a second serve. The paragraph concludes with advice on serving at 75% of full power for better control and consistency.

Keywords

💡Consistency

Consistency in tennis, particularly in serving, refers to the ability to repeatedly hit the ball in the desired location with accuracy. In the video, John Craig emphasizes the importance of consistency in serving to improve overall performance. He suggests that players should aim for a consistent serve by understanding the arc of the ball and practicing accurate ball placement.

💡Serve

The serve is the most important shot in tennis, as it initiates the point and can set the tone for the rest of the rally. It is also one of the most difficult shots to master due to the need for precision and control. The video focuses on improving serve performance by addressing common issues and providing techniques to enhance consistency.

💡Arcing Quality

Arcing quality refers to the trajectory of the ball as it travels from the server to the receiving side of the court. A good serve requires an arc that clears the net and lands in the service box. This concept is crucial for understanding how to serve consistently and effectively.

💡Ball Toss

The ball toss is a critical component of the serve, as it sets the trajectory and timing of the shot. A consistent ball toss is essential for achieving a consistent serve. The video suggests that players should focus on the point of release and maintain eye contact with the release point to improve ball placement.

💡Racket Head Speed

Racket head speed is the velocity at which the racket head moves through the air during the serve. Maintaining a high racket head speed is important for generating power and spin, which contributes to a more consistent serve. The video encourages players to keep their racket head speed up while using it to create spin, especially on the second serve.

💡Spin

Spin is the rotation of the ball as it travels through the air, which affects its trajectory and bounce. Applying spin to the serve can help control the ball's landing point and make it more difficult for the opponent to return. The video highlights the importance of spin in achieving consistency and control over the serve.

💡First Serve

The first serve is the initial shot in a point, and it is typically aimed for power and placement to gain an advantage. The video discusses the importance of not going for 100% power on the first serve to increase the chances of getting it in, which can help reduce the opponent's confidence and improve the server's consistency.

💡Second Serve

The second serve is the backup shot after a missed first serve, and it is generally played with more caution and spin to ensure it lands in the court. The video emphasizes that the feeling of the second serve should be similar to the first serve, with the main difference being the increased spin to ensure accuracy.

💡Ball Placement

Ball placement refers to the ability to direct the ball to a specific location on the court. Accurate ball placement is crucial for a consistent serve, as it allows the server to control the point and make it difficult for the opponent to return the ball. The video provides tips on how to improve ball placement, such as knowing the point of release and maintaining eye contact with the target.

💡Serve Builder

A serve builder is a coach or trainer who specializes in helping players improve their serving technique. In the context of the video, John Craig positions himself as a serve builder, offering his expertise to help viewers enhance their serve and overall tennis game.

Highlights

The serve is the most important and difficult shot in tennis.

Consistency in serve is challenging due to the dimensions of the tennis court and the height of the net.

Players shorter than 6'7 need an arcing quality in their serve to clear the net and land in the service box.

The serve's arcing quality is crucial for landing in the box and cannot be achieved by looking over the net from the baseline.

Gravity serves are difficult to master under pressure due to the need to blend ball speed, trajectory, and gravity.

A 'push' or 'lollipop' serve is safe but leads to poor performance and frustration.

Using a continental grip and swinging up into the ball can improve serve consistency.

The feeling of the first and second serve should be similar, with adjustments in racket head speed and spin.

Consistent ball placement is essential for achieving a consistent serve.

The point of release for most players is ideally just above the head.

Keeping eyes on the point of release until the ball is let go helps with accurate ball placement.

Using the hand as a guideline for ball placement can improve consistency.

Reducing the power on the first serve to increase the percentage of successful serves can be beneficial.

Swinging with control at 75% of power can lead to more consistent first serves.

The serve builder offers video analysis and lessons to improve serve performance.

The serve playlist and library of lessons provide resources for mastering the serve.

Transcripts

hello everybody John Craig here with

Performance Plus tennis in today's

lesson we're going to address a question

that's so commonly asked and that's how

do I become more consistent with my

serve we all know that the serve is the

most important shot in tennis we also

know it's the most difficult shot to

master in this lesson we're going to go

through a series of Concepts and ideas

that going to help you improve your

surve performance before we begin let's

talk about why is so difficult to be

consistent with your serve and the

reality is this is that the people who

invented tennis the dimensions of the

court and height net were very smart and

they wanted to make the game difficult

so that you had to have a particular

skill to be consistent particularly on

the serve so as an example we're going

to use my my racket here as the surface

of the Court we've got a baseline on the

right we've got a baseline on the left

my finger represents the net okay so if

I'm serving and I'm shorter than 6' 7 my

ball cannot travel in a straight line

clear the net and land in the service

box so the ball has to have some arcing

quality in its flight in order to land

in the Box to clear the net land in the

box and that's so important to

understand so for example I just with my

students all the time when we stand at

the Baseline I say to them from this

perspective do you ever see a ball land

in the court even a groundstroke you

only see it land in the court by seeing

it bounce through the net so if I took

the windscreen off the side of the fence

and draped it over the net so you

couldn't see through the net you'd never

see any ball bounce at all so now let's

take that perspect persective and

imagine for a moment that your eyes are

at the level of contact so my eyes are

at the level of contact here could you

look over the net and down the service

box and no you can't unless you're 6' 7

so you have to get an arcing quality on

your on your toss or excuse me on your

serve on your on your ball flight to get

the ball to land in the box and there's

only two ways to get a ball to Arc the

first one is gravity and when we're

starting out in tennis usually we have a

forehand grip and we hit a what we call

a gravity serve and we use gravity to

bring the ball down in the court the

challenge is is that you're trying to

blend together uh ball speed trajectory

of the Flight of the ball and gravity to

get the ball to Arc and land in the

court but that's very difficult to do

Under Pressure so what we end up doing

when we get nervous is we default into

what we call a kind of a push or a

lollipop serve which is very very safe

of course you can be consistent doing

that but your performance is so poor

that a better player can can pick on

your serve and you just will get

frustrated and not be able to hold your

serve so it's important that you

understand that you know hitting a flat

serve on a second serve just using

gravity to bring the ball down in the

court you could be consistent but you're

not going to have much of a performance

on your serve it's not going to enable

you to elevate your game to a higher

level assuming that you play with a

continental grip the key thing that's

really going to help you become more

consistent on your serve is the idea of

swinging up into the ball so knowing

that the dimensions of the cord and

height of the net don't allow you to

really hit a straight line get the idea

and the image in your mind that the

flight of your ball is going to have an

arcing quality so you're really going to

feel like the ball's above you more

you're going to swing up into it get

lots of height on your serve especially

on a second serve you want to get that

ball up get lots of height up and over

the

net and there's your consistency right

there okay up and over the net lots of

height and then the spin is bringing the

ball down what that enables you to do

Under Pressure is keep up your racket

head speed but you use the racket at

speed to create the spin effect on the

ball hit up on it have the ball leave

your racket on an upward flight and let

the spin bring the ball down in once you

start to trust the feel of that and get

the consistency you won't back down on

your racket head speed under pressure

and match play and you'll realize a much

much more consistent serve so you might

be thinking well how much different

should it feel from a first serve to a

second serve and would I be better off

hitting the serve long or in the net if

I was going for a first serve what

should I be trying to do what should I

be aiming for here so the re answer is I

don't want there to be a big difference

in the way you feel as you play the

first and the second surf you're maybe

going to hit through the ball a little

bit more and use a little more racket

head speed to get the ball to travel but

the feeling of the motion and the serve

should be pretty similar that way if you

miss your first serve by going for it

let's suppose I go for my first serve

and I hit it long when I go to hit my

second serve I don't feel like it's a

completely different movement that I

have to figure out I can just replicate

that movement but all I'm going to do is

increase the spin load on the ball and

get the ball to land in the court okay

that was a little bit out I'll put a

little more spin on

it and there she is but notice that I

didn't change my racket at speed from

the first serve to the second serve I

just applied the racket to the ball

differently and the grip enables you to

do that and on the second serve I just

didn't change my thought process nothing

other than I'm going to sweep by the

ball more and use that racket head speed

to create the spin the ball left my

racket on a very similar trajectory but

it do sooner into the court and that is

the feeling you want to get to you

become really really consistent on your

Surf and of course all this is

contingent upon having a consistent and

accurate ball placement none of these

Concepts and ideas and skills on the

serve are achievable if you're chasing

the ball around so it's really important

that you get consistency in your ball

placement and so you know for the

classic serve that we're hitting a

little bit flatter we want that ball

inside the shoulder and just slightly in

front just slightly in front okay and if

we're going to hit a little more slice

maybe put the ball a little bit more to

the right so we can cut across the side

of it and if we're going to hit Top Spin

it can be a few inches to the left so we

can hit up on it but you've got to make

sure that you're placing the ball where

you intend to and everybody struggles

with that so I'm going to give you a

couple tips that are going to help you

first of all you have to know where your

point of release is and the point of

release for most players is going to be

ideally just about at the top of the

head so we've got to make sure we're

letting the ball go right in this area

Okay the other thing that's going to

help you is having your eyes stay right

on line with where you're going to

release it until you let it go so what

we don't want to do is we don't want to

follow the ball as our hand Rises and

our head shifts all over the place and

we don't want to look up in the sky and

hope we find it up there either we want

to take a look at our Target we want to

look at our Target which we've done with

our routine and then when we shift back

our eyes are going to move towards the

point of release and as the arm Rises

our eyes are waiting right here so you

feel like you skillfully let the ball go

right in the right area so it'll come

right back into your hand and that is

really important that you also use your

hand as a guideline for whether the

ball's accurately placed or not this

will help you a ton because there's

nothing else up there for me to refer to

in the Big Blue Sky my left hand is up

there and I can tell right away that's a

playable ball right back into my hand

again my hand's right there in that

perfect spot where I can come right up

and play that ball so work on your ball

placement and these other things that we

worked on the lesson today are going to

help you get closer to achieving a

consistent Surf and if you want to dive

deeper into the Ball Toss we've got a

really good Ball Toss video Lesson here

on the channel just click on this link

right here it will cover everything you

need to know about how to place your

ball with consistency and control and a

final thought on improving the

consistency on your serve most tennis

players like to go for 100% power on

their first serve but we get very low

percentage in so remember your your

opponent when they're receiving your

first serve they have a defensive

mindset they're thinking let's just get

this ball back and get into the point

when you miss that first serve they step

up and go oh boy I'm going to get a good

look at a second serve so we want to

reduce the occasions that we give our

opponent that look at that second serve

and the confidence to begin the point by

getting more first serves in because

even if you don't hit the very best

serve you can hit they're still going to

be defensively minded and they're going

to just try to place the ball back and

then you can you can take charge in the

rally so the key is to not go 100% go

75% go 75% of your power and swing with

control and you'll probably get at least

50 to 60% of your first serves in and

that's going to help you your overall

serving games be much more consistent

you're going to be able to hold your

serve much more often so think 75% of

your of your swing power your speed and

that's going to help you swing with

control and keep the ball in thanks so

much for watching today's lesson please

give us a like leave your comments down

below and subscribe to the channel if

you've not done so already and we've got

a lot of content here on the serve so

check that out in the serve playlist you

know I'm known as a serve builder in the

online world I can really help you with

your serve got a couple options for you

you can click on the link in the

description down below if you'd like me

to take a look at your serve and do a

video analysis of your serve I can do

that we also have a link down below

where you can access our library of

lessons where you can gain access to and

learn the five key fundamentals that you

need to learn on every shot in tenness

to achieve your full potential thanks so

much for watching today's video and

we'll see you in the next lesson