Developing The Return Of The 1st Serve
The return of serve of the 1st serve is one of the most difficult shots in tennis, but if developed properly, it can be a significant advantage in your game relative to others. Below are a few tips based on my expertise to develop this shot!
Stance and Split Step:
Getting into a solid athletic stance is key on the return of serve to be ready to move explosively to meet the incoming serve and to absorb power and send the ball back with equal force.
From the athletic stance, as the server tosses the ball, I split step (as you see in the picture below) to prepare my body to react quickly to move in either direction to get my racquet on the incoming ball.
Compact Swing:
Since time is short to hit the return given the speed of the incoming serve, the emphasis is on a compact swing, which is initiated with the shoulder turn. See how I turn my shoulder and pivot my weight as I prepare for the backhand return (picture below).
Tip: try not to shuffle your feet — just turn the shoulder and pivot.
Point of Contact and Weight Transfer:
A compact backswing will enable you to make contact in front of your body to redirect the ball with power and your desired direction (see picture below of my point of contact).
Tip: my front or right foot will hit the ground after I strike the ball. Practice this timing of your weight transfer and notice how you gain power efficiently.
Follow Through:
Once I have made contact, I finish my swing with a good follow through (in this case above my right shoulder as I’m hitting a backhand return) and firm step forward (see picture below).
Animation of the Return:
Front Angle:
Back Angle:
Summary:
In summary, start with a solid athletic stance and dynamic split step to prepare for an explosive burst to the incoming ball. Also, develop a compact swing and optimal contact point for successful execution of the shot.
All the best,
Harsh
The Tenicity — Enerzal Coaching Program is a partnership to support tennis player development with high quality instructional content. Tenicity is a tennis player development web and mobile platform founded by former India #1 singles and Davis Cup player, Harsh Mankad. Enerzal is a balanced energy drink which can be consumed before, during, and after tennis to maintain optimum energy levels.
