Unleashing Your Serve Superpowers
Three Drills to Elevate Your Tennis Game
Hello, beautiful tennis enthusiasts. This evening, we share the secret to a serve that will unnerve your opponents and make you the Queen (or King) of the court. We probed our network of tennis pros to find the best practice drills to transform your serve from “meh” to “oh wow!”.
Photo via Vogue US May 1993 ‘White Mischief’ - Rachel Williams, Kristen McMenamy & Eva Herzigova by Helmut Newton
#1: Target Practice
Setting up targets on the court is a fabulous drill to refine your serve accuracy. Using cones or markers, set up your targets, strategically placing them in various spots within the service box. There are four main areas to aim your serve: down-the-T, into-the-body, deep-wide, and sharp-angle wide (see pic). Practice, Practice, Practice! Challenge yourself to hit each target before moving to the next, and repeat the cycle at least 5 times a day. This exercise not only hones your control but also fosters the confidence to execute directional serves under even Wimbeldon-level pressure.
#2: Setting the Toss Height
Before you can morph into a serve dominatrix, you must first perfect your toss. Though you can definitely practice this on your own, your accuracy will be greatly improved if you have a buddy or coach available to help you get your toss the right height. This drill serves as an invaluable tool for those players who find themselves grappling with inconsistent ball tosses, struggling to maintain the ideal height required for a fluid and rhythmic serve. How to practice? Have a friend or coach stand on a chair next to you and hold a racquet at the precise height where the intended toss should reach. As you begin your service motion (sans racquet), the ultimate goal is to release the ball toss at the height of the racquet. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat! This meticulous drill, combining shadowing and precision, allows the player to refine their ball toss and commit that motion to muscle memory so you won’t ever have to think about it again.
Raquel Welch playing tennis, 1971via Heritage Auctions
#3 Shadow Serving
We love this drill because you can really do it anywhere (even your living room!), so it’s a great way to keep up your practice even on rainy days or a day when you can’t get court time. Channel your inner child and unleash your imagination as you emulate the serving motion repeatedly without a ball. Sounds easy enough, but form is key here. By refining the nuances of your form and fostering a profound connection between mind and body, Shadow Serving serves as a transcendent pathway to serving mastery. We love this practice video from Coach Robert outlining some form basics to help get you started: Watch here.