Perhaps the most effective way of playing against a dominant returner is simply to prevent her from hitting many second serve returns! This means the server needs to get a high percentage of first serves into court—usually around 60 to 65 percent. However, this percentage may need to be higher if the second serve is […]

For years coaches have speculated on the advantage of being a left­handed server. The way the serve moves with slice away from the right­hander’s backhand can cause problems, especially because there aren’t many left-handed servers to practice against. This is the key. The left­handed serve is awkward because it is less familiar. The wide serve […]

If the second serve is being continually dominated, it can sometimes help for the server to vary the pace by suddenly hitting a ‘big’ second serve (i.e., significantly increasing the pace of the serve). Even if she misses the shot, this sudden injection of aggressive energy can instantly change the momentum of a match, sending […]

the second serve remains an area of weakness in the women’s game. Statistics tend to support this view. In the four Grand Slams of 2006, the percentage of second serve points won in the women’s singles events was 41 percent (based on 508 matches played), which compares unfa­vourably with the men, who won around 47 […]

When serving we usually plan the point as to where we will serve, what formation we will use, and what the servers partner at the net will do—i.e., will she intercept with a volley, fake, or stay. —Cara Black, Two-Time Wimbledon Doubles Champion (2004 and 2005) The serve and volley tactic differs from the drive […]

coaches often encourage their players to ‘sneak’ when rallying, so why not do this after a good first serve? If the server sees the return floating or short, she should try to take the return out of the air by sneaking (or ‘ghosting’) in to the net. Like the first serve and drive volley, the […]

A newly established tactic used in the women’s game by players such as the Williams sisters is the serve and drive volley. A powerful first serve can force a high, defensive return. If this return is allowed to bounce, the initiative can be lost because the returner has time to recover. Also, it is harder […]

In women’s tennis the need to serve more effectively has become greater in recent years because the game is being played more aggressively, and rallies are becoming shorter as a result. How well a female player starts each point is now vital. A strong serve will often create an imme­diate opportunity for her to dominate, […]

As the female game continues to evolve, the differences between it and the male game appear more marked. —Steven Martens (2006 Davis Cup Captain, Belgium) and Carl Maes (2006 Federation cup captain, Belgium) W omen’s tennis has enjoyed a huge increase in popularity worldwide in recent years . As with most other sports, it has […]