One of the most important weapons in tennis is an effective serve. It should allow us to keep our opponents on the defensive, control how that game should be played to our advantage and eventually win plenty of short points. Tennis players must know some of the reliable mechanics so they can serve well. It is also important for players to be able to fool the opponents by disguising their serve. It means that opponents can’t determine the kind of serve that would come their way. It is necessary to know about the psychology related to proper serving. In tennis, serving is much like baseball pitching. In baseball, pitchers can be successful if the know how to utilize pitching locations and master a variety of pitches.
Baseball pitchers should be able to keep the opponent’s batter about the location of the pitch and the overall movements of the ball. This can be applied in tennis, so they can keep the opponents off balance. If the opponent continues to guess wrongly, it would be very difficult for them to react properly. An excellent server should be able to move tennis ball around with different spins and speeds; all with great disguise. Tennis players can be unbeatable if they know how to proper serve into the opponent’s body, out wide or down the middle. If serves are disguised properly, the opponent will face a lot of added pressure. They need to follow up one serve with another, while periodically attacking the net.
Actually serves can be adjusted according to the type of opponent’s body. In general, it is more difficult for taller players to handle serves that are directed into their body. Tall athletes tend to extend their arms, so it is easier for them to return serves that are directed down the middle or out wide. If we continue to do this, taller players will eventually gain the initiatives and force us into defensives. Tall players also find it difficult to handle serves that stay close the ground. On the other hand, it is much easier for shorter players to handle anything that’s directed on their body. Diminutive players may find it more difficult to deal with balls that bounce high. This is a general rule that many successful players follow to secure their winning.
We should also be aware that tennis balls tend to behave differently on specific surfaces. For example, big serves can be dampened by clay surface. Flat and hard serves can be effective when used on hard or grass courts. Regardless of the above techniques, it is important for us to have the right state of mind to ensure effective serves. In this case, we need to be confident, focused and relaxed. In fact, many tennis professionals place themselves in a kind of hypnotic trance before serving. This should allow them to gain confidence and focus through relaxation within the game.