Tip of the Week: Two Shots Determine The Outcome Of The Match

Most players spend a huge amount of their practice time hitting groundstrokes. It is very helpful to be able to hit three or four good shots in a row from the baseline. It also feels great when you hit a winner in a baseline rally. However, the majority of the points played at all levels in a tennis match will be determined by how well the players serve and return serve.

There are very few matches when one player or team serves and returns serve better than the other and loses the match. This can really only happen if the serves are not that great and/or the return of serves are not that good. If there are a lot of points that end up in a neutral position after the serve and return of serve, your groundstrokes could determine the outcome of the match. However, if a player can gain control of the point with their serve or return of serve, this will definitely put the odds in their favor.

My suggestion is to work on service placement (wide, tee, and body), as well as improving your first serve percentage. Since the opponent has no idea how you are going to hit the first serve, it will be difficult for them to hit a return of serve as offensively as they would on a second serve. Get the first serve to the player’s weaker side most of the time the point will go in your direction.

The same idea can be applied to the return of serve. Try to get a high percentage of returns in play and if possible, direct them to the opponent’s weaker shot. Hitting the return deep and down the middle is another good way to get them in trouble and enable you to control how the point is played. Mix in some short, low returns as well to make the court feel bigger and much more difficult for your opponent to cover.

Spend more time practicing your serving and returning. Play more points, games, sets, and matches so you get more comfortable focusing on these two shots. Pay more attention to the serve and return of serve when you play, and keep your focus on the beginning of the point so you are the one who can control what is going on. These two shots will determine who wins the match almost every time.

Steve Annacone, USPTA Elite Pro, is the Director of Annacone Tennis, www.annaconetennis.com and MyHamptonsPro, www.myhamptonspro.com throughout the Hamptons, NY. Please contact Steve at sannacone@aol.com or 865-300-7323.