Ace Your Serve: 5 Tennis Serving Drills for Beginners

Serving in tennis can be intimidating, especially for beginners. But did you know that the serve is the only shot in tennis where you have complete control? Think about it … It’s true!

Whether you’re just picking up a racquet or looking to step up your game, mastering your serve is crucial. Today, I’m going to share 10 game-changing tennis serving drills that’ll have you acing your way to victory in no time. Let’s get started!

Understanding the Basics of a Tennis Serve

Tennis serves are a key part of the game. As a player, it’s the only shot where you have full control. That’s why getting it right is so important.

Let’s start with how to hold the racquet and stand. For a basic serve, use what’s called a continental grip. Imagine you’re holding a hammer – that’s pretty close to how it should feel. Your hand’s position on the handle is crucial for a good serve.

When you’re ready to serve, stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. If you’re right-handed, angle your front foot towards the right net post. Your back foot should line up with the baseline. Lefties, just do the opposite.

The serving motion has four main parts: getting ready, tossing the ball, hitting it, and following through. When you’re getting ready, think about winding up like a spring. You’re storing energy for the serve.

Tossing the ball is tricky but important. You want it high enough to give you time to swing, but not so high that you lose control. Let go of the ball when your arm is fully stretched out.

When you hit the ball, your racquet should start behind your back in what’s called the “trophy position.” From there, you reach up and forward to make contact with the ball. Think of it like you’re trying to grab something off a high shelf.

After you hit the ball, don’t stop! Let your racquet keep moving down and across your body.

Now, let’s talk about some common mistakes new players make. One big one is hitting the ball with an open racquet face, like you’re carrying a tray. This might feel natural, but it won’t give you power or accuracy.

Another mistake is not using your legs enough. The power in your serve should come from the ground up, so remember to bend your knees.

Lastly, many beginners rush through their serve. Take your time and find a rhythm that works for you. Some players count in their head to keep a steady pace.

5 Tennis Serving Drills to Improve Your Serve

Drill 1: Serving Without at Ball

Serving without a ball might sound strange, but it’s a powerful way to improve your tennis game. This technique, often called shadow swinging, helps you focus on perfecting your motion without worrying about hitting a ball.

To practice, start in your ready position. Go through your toss motion, hit your trophy pose, and swing through as if you’re serving. Do this repeatedly, starting slowly to feel each part of the motion. As you get comfortable, speed up to match your actual serving speed.

One great thing about shadow swinging is that you can do it anywhere. You don’t need a court or even a racquet. Just be careful not to accidentally hit anyone!

Using a mirror can give you valuable visual feedback. Set up in front of a full-length mirror and go through your shadow swing. Watch your trophy pose, wrist position during the swing, and follow-through. This can help you spot and correct issues in your form.

Remember, the goal isn’t to look perfect. It’s about developing a consistent, effective motion that you can repeat under pressure. Shadow swinging builds muscle memory, so your body knows what to do when you’re on the court.

Don’t get discouraged if it feels awkward at first. With consistent practice, you’ll start to feel the smooth, powerful motion becoming natural. Keep at it, and soon you’ll see the results in your actual serves.

Drill 2: Serving Target Practice

Tennis serves can make or break your game. But how do you get better at them? Let’s talk about a drill that can really help: target practice.

This drill is all about accuracy. You set up targets in the service box and try to hit them. It sounds easy, but it’s tougher than you might think. And it works wonders for your serve.

To start, grab some empty ball cans or plastic cups. These make great targets. Place them in key spots in the service box – the corners, the center line (we call this the “T”), and maybe one in the middle. Begin with bigger targets and make them smaller as you improve.

As you practice, you’ll want to make things harder over time. Here’s how:

Start with big targets like hula hoops. Try to hit any of them.
Move to smaller targets like ball cans. Still aim for any target.
Give different targets different point values. The tougher spots are worth more.
Call your shot before you serve. If you hit the one you called, you get extra points.
Try a second ball toss if you don’t like your first one. But you lose a point if you do.

The key is to push yourself without getting too frustrated. If it’s too easy, make it harder. If it’s too hard, make it easier.

Keeping score is important. It lets you see how you’re improving over time. It also adds some pressure, which is good practice for real matches. Try serving 10 times and count how many targets you hit. Do this at the start of each practice and keep track of your scores.

Don’t just practice your first serve. Use this drill for your second serve too. And try different types of serves, like slice serves. Make sure you practice serving to both sides of the court.

Drill 3: The Ten Toe Serve

Tennis serves can be tricky, but there’s a simple drill that can really help: the ten toe serve. It might sound odd, but focusing on your toes can make a big difference in your game.

Invented by Rockstar Coach Ian Barclay, the idea is to start with all ten of your toes touching the ground. This might seem easy, but keeping them down throughout your serve motion is tougher than you’d think.

Why does this matter? Well, it forces you to use your legs and core more. Instead of relying just on your arm for power, you’re engaging your whole body. This leads to a more powerful and consistent serve.

The drill also helps with spin. By keeping your toes down longer, you create more torque in your body. It’s like winding up a spring – the more you wind, the more power you release when you serve.

Here’s a way to practice:

1. Start without a ball. Focus on keeping your toes down as you rotate your body.
2. Add a ball, but serve slowly. Feel how your feet connect to the ground.
3. Gradually speed up, always checking that your toes stay down as long as possible.
4. Try serving with your eyes closed to really focus on how it feels.

Remember, the goal isn’t to serve with your toes down forever. It’s about developing a strong, stable base. Once you’ve got that, your serve will become more powerful, have more spin, and be more consistent.

This drill can help players at all levels, from beginners to advanced. It’s amazing how much difference a little toe focus can make. Give it a try next time you’re on the court. You might be surprised at how it transforms your serve!

Drill 4: Overarm Throws

Tennis serves can be tricky, but there’s a simple drill that can help: the overarm throw. Don’t worry, we’re not switching sports – this exercise is a game-changer for your tennis serve.

The overarm throw copies the serving motion without using a racquet. It’s a great way to improve how you move and feel the flow of energy through your body. This drill can boost your shoulder strength and help you develop that snappy motion we’re after in a good serve.

When you do this drill, start by standing sideways, just like you would for a serve. Hold a tennis ball in your main hand. Go through your serving motion, but instead of hitting the ball, throw it as far as you can down the court.

The important thing is to use your whole body. Start with your legs, twist your hips and upper body, and let your arm come through last. This is the energy flow we often talk about in tennis.

A common mistake is trying to throw the ball using just your arm. Don’t do that! Remember, power starts from the ground and moves up through your body.

This drill helps improve your body movements because when you’re throwing, you naturally want to use your whole body to create power. This directly relates to your serve. You’ll start to feel how your legs drive the motion, how your core twists, and how your arm is really just the final part of the movement.

One of the best things about this drill is that you can easily see your progress. Mark where your throws land and try to beat your distance each time. It’s a simple way to track how you’re improving.

Here’s a step-by-step way to practice:

1. Start with basic throws, focusing on good form.
2. Try to throw farther, but keep your good form.
3. Add a target to improve accuracy along with power.
4. Add a step to your throw to make it even more like a serve.

Remember, the goal isn’t to become a great thrower. It’s to develop body awareness and coordination that will make your serve better.

A word of caution: don’t overdo it, especially when you’re just starting. Throwing can be hard on your shoulder if you’re not used to it. Start with just a few throws and slowly do more.

Here’s a tip: try this drill with your other arm too. It can help balance your body and prevent injuries from overuse.

Drill 5: Second Serving

Tennis players often overlook the importance of the second serve. While it’s tempting to focus on powerful first serves, the second serve is actually the most critical shot in the game. Why? Because you must make it every single time.

I once worked with a player who struggled with double faults under pressure. After we spent a few weeks improving his second serve, his match performance improved dramatically. This experience showed me just how crucial a reliable second serve can be.

The second serve is challenging because it requires a delicate balance. You need to get the ball in play, but you can’t just lob it over the net. It needs spin, placement, and enough speed to prevent your opponent from attacking. Mastering this shot takes lots of practice.

Here’s a drill to help improve your second serve:

Start by hitting 20 second serves from the baseline. Focus on getting the ball in, not on power or placement. Once you can consistently make 18 out of 20, start aiming for specific targets like the corners of the service box.

To add pressure, try hitting 10 second serves in a row without missing. If you miss one, start over. See how many sets of 10 you can complete.

Finally, alternate between your first and second serve to simulate a real match situation.

It’s also important to practice different types of second serves. Try slice serves, kick serves, and topspin serves. The more variety you have, the harder you’ll be to play against.

Remember to practice serving to both the deuce and ad courts. Many players are stronger on one side than the other.

A solid second serve can transform your game. It can help you hold serve more easily, play with more confidence, and win crucial points under pressure.