Serving Strategy – Hope College Tennis Academy

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More than any other shot, the serve makes players think about “technique” long after they should
be moving on to serving strategy.

For the purpose of this drill, all spins serves are referred to as SAM, because they both start with
the letter “S”, and all flat serve are referred to as FRED, as they both start with the letter “F”.

The numbers on the court simply refer to target areas that we can all use as a standard. If you
execute a “FRED-2”, it means you are serving into the body of the opponent in the deuce court. A
“SAM-6” means you are serving out wide in the add court. This “common language” may seem
silly, but it is a very effective way to remember the lesson for a long time.

The best servers are not only interested in having a great serving day, but are mature enough
strategically to also look for ways to make their opponents have a bad returning day.

Surveys show that 70 % of returners say they prefer to hit FH’s while 25 % prefer BH’s. This
leaves only 5% that claim to be the exact same on either side. NEW FLASH!! If you become
adept at hitting areas of the court and can do it at will, you can determine what your opponent will
hit. It’s like the difference in playing an “A” player or a “B” player.

Location is more effective than power.

 Vegas Serving: In this serving game players try to get
to 21 points (like blackjack) using as few balls as
possible.

Points are scored as follows: Ball must be in to count

Second bounce before the baseline = 1 point

Second bounce past the baseline = 2 points
Second bounce against fence = 3 points
Serve over the net but out of correct box = 0 points
Serve into the net = -1 point

Players should play several games at their leisure and

compare who did it with the fewest number of balls.
X1 X2 X3 X4 X5 & X6 rotate into one of the 4 serving spots as they
become available.
X5 X6

Pressure Serving This is a great game to create pressure on

the serve for players. It is much better than just serving into
an empty box.

Score is kept just like the “Vegas Game” above.

This time players X1, X2 & X3 are on the same team

and competing against X4, X5 & X6.

The ball cart is in no-mans land – after each serve, the

person that just served must run to the ball cart and
retrieve a ball for his team mate behind them.

B This drill creates pressure because there is a time limit

and team mates are watching. It is not uncommon for
good players to fall apart during this drill.
X1 X4
Variation: Force each team to name a “money” player
X2 X5 and everything the money player s does is worth
X3 X6 doubles including -2 points for hitting the net.
 Clear the Table: This is a good serving game to be
used with advanced players.

Set up an 8-foot table on its side just behind the

service line so it acts as a short wall.

Players go one at a time and try to hit the ball hard

enough to make it ricochet back and then volley it out
of the air and into the court. Every time a player does
this they score a pot for their court and the courts
compete against each other.

This game creates pressure as others are watching you

serve.

Variation: For lesser skilled players, forget the volley

X1 and only score in the ball ricochets back over.

X5 X4 X3 X2

X1 X4 Server / Return Defender: This game is good for

working on deep returns and counter-punching skills.

X1-X2-X3 are a team vs. X4-X5-X6

Each team sends a returner over to return against the

other teams 2 servers. Every time the returner hits the
ball XC and short = 1 pt, XC and deep = 2pts.

First returner to get to 20 points wins the match for his

team. Continue to rotate returners over so every player
gets a chance to return.

The serving teams alternate serves and keep track of

the score out loud as the game goes on.
X2 X5
X3 X6
X2 X4 Server / Return Defender: (Version 2) This game is good
for working helping servers to be “Effective” vs.
“Impressive” with their serves.

X1 plays X2 and X3 plays X4 (two separate games)

Scoring
Server Returner
st
1 serve in = 2 pts Return xc and deep = 2 pts
2nd serve in = 1 pt Return xc but short = 1 pt
Double fault = -2 pts Return into the net = - 2pts

Both players start at zero and play up to 15 points or for

time.

Good drill to work on making the returner “return bad” as

X3 X1
opposed to always having the server trying to “serve good”

Serving Bob Sled: This is a fun game that is great for

a class wrap-up. It is also good for serving accuracy.

X1, X2, and X3 are a team against X4, X5, and X6.

Each team must take a turn being the Bob Sled team.
X6
In this example X4, X5, and X6 are the Bob Sled
X5 team. The Bob Sled team must sit on the ground inside
X4 the service box and have their legs up along side of the
their team mate in front of them like a Bob Sled team
would normally have.

The serving team serves at the Bob Sled team who try
to bob and weave from side to side to avoid the
incoming serves. The serving team gets 1 pt. for each
serve into the correct box and 5 points for each time
they hit any member of the Bob Sled team. Allow each
team to serve for 2-5 minutes and compare scores.
X1
X2
X3 Important: Must be done with Foam balls
 Two Minute Private: This serve practice concept
allows for each player to visit the pro that is parked on
the side, and receive a two minute private lesson on
their serve. All players will serve at once, but only the
one next to the pro is getting the private lesson.

The pro should try to give just one tip to each player to
work on. If the player has great form and needs no
technical adjustments just move them on and their
private may only be for one minute.

This way each player gets at least one specific piece of

advice before they leave for the day.

This has always been the most requested type of

service practice from our players.
X1 X2 X3 X4 Pro

X4 X2 Server / Volley Practice: This game is good for

working serve and volley practice as well as working
on the doubles return where the returner comes in
behind the return.

X1 play X2 for 2 pts. On the first point the server must

serve and volley and the returner must return and
come into the net. On the second point, both players
reset to their respective service lines and the server
feeds a volley to the returner and they both close into
the net and play out the point.

After both pints are played, then X3 and X4 repeat the

same two shots. Opponents can keep track of their
score up to 21 points and then switch the servers with
the returners.
X1 X3
 Serve - Target Game

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Serve - Target Game: This is a good drill for developing accuracy on the serve.

All players are racing each other up to 7 points. Up to 4 players can serve at once,
serving no more than four balls before they must rotate out of their spot.

Pro designates only one area/target for each service box. I like to select area 3 in
the deuce court and area 6 in the add court – to practice serving to most peoples
backhands.

Players can serve into either box and when the hit the designated target area, they
call out how many points they have and then they get to select another player to
run back to the fence behind them and do 5 jumping jacks. It is important that
players call out how many points they have each time, because the object of the
game is to send the player that has the most points back to the fence so they won’t
get to 7 points before anyone else.

The second bounce of each serve must be past the baseline so that players do not
simply “tap” the serve over. Otherwise they do not get a point.