How to Easily Learn a Tennis Serve

While learning to fire 140 mile-per-hour bullet serves like Andy Roddick is probably out of reach, most tennis players can develop a dependable and eventually powerful serve. Take these tips with you onto the practice court.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Before you can hit a serve, you must have an idea of where you want to hit it. This is accomplished by “addressing the target”—or facing directly towards the area in which you want the serve to land. Stand in place, racquet in hand and concentrate on the top of the net. Then concentrate on the spot on the other side where you want the ball to land. Visualize the ball flying towards its target.
2. Just like a gun, a serve can’t be fired without being cocked. From your “target addressing” position, reach back as if scratching your back to get the racquet into a standard throwing position.
3. With your racquet in the ready and cocked position, and a ball in your other hand, toss the ball in the air above and slightly out in front of you. Keep your head up and your eyes on the ball.
4. Hit the serve as if you are just throwing a ball. Stay relaxed throughout the motion and follow through easily and loosely, with your arm flowing smoothly across your body to the left side (the right side for lefties). The more you practice, the better your ball toss will get and the more fluid the serve will become.

Tips & Warnings

• Advanced players will eventually develop different serves that do different things but for beginners to advanced intermediates, practicing these simple tips will have you serving well and enjoying the game more in no time.