East Bank Club

Fitness & Sports / Racquet Sports / Tennis / Tips from Our Head Pro

Tips from Tom Wangelin, East Bank Club Director of Racquet Sports

Posted June 21, 2011

With the Wimbledon finals beginning this week, we asked our Director of Racquet Sports, Tom Wangelin, to provide some tips on developing a better serve.

The most important stroke at Wimbledon is the serve because of the fast and unpredictable grass surface. Pros commonly try to add more speed to their serves to take advantage of the playing surface at Wimbledon, winning easy points with un-returnable serves.

Club level players rarely play on a grass surface, but improving the power of your serve is a great way to play at a higher level. The serve is generally the easiest stroke to work on because you can practice it by yourself. There is a whole chain of “rotational” elements that make advanced players serve harder, but here are a few simple tips for developing a more powerful serve:

For Beginner and Junior Players
Work on your throwing motion. If you can develop a good throwing motion, you can develop a good serve. Practice throwing and work on increasing the distance and height of your throws.

Your Toss
Put your service toss slightly in front of you, toward the net. A toss that is behind you is OK for spin, but not for power. The toss must also be high enough for full arm extension.

Gripping the Racquet
Use a continental grip with your fingers spread and your wrist relaxed. This is a major step for recreational players who generally use a forehand grip on their serve.

Racquet Speed
One of the keys to greater serve power is better racquet speed. It is essential that the arm be relaxed throughout the entire motion. Any work that can be done to improve strength in your shoulder and arm will enable more swing speed as well.

Practice
All of the above need to be practiced on a consistent basis. Start slow and build up to hitting harder. Hit 50 practice serves and make your last 10 about 10% above your normal pace and comfort level. Don’t hit too many fast-paced serves in practice or you could risk injuring your arm.

Fitness & Sports / Racquet Sports / Tennis / Tips from Our Head Pro

Tips from Tom Wangelin, East Bank Club Director of Racquet Sports

Posted June 21, 2011

For Beginner and Junior PlayersWork on your throwing motion. If you can develop a good throwing motion, you can develop a good serve. Practice throwing and work on increasing the distance and height of your throws.

Your TossPut your service toss slightly in front of you, toward the net. A toss that is behind you is OK for spin, but not for power. The toss must also be high enough for full arm extension.

Gripping the RacquetUse a continental grip with your fingers spread and your wrist relaxed. This is a major step for recreational players who generally use a forehand grip on their serve.

Racquet SpeedOne of the keys to greater serve power is better racquet speed. It is essential that the arm be relaxed throughout the entire motion. Any work that can be done to improve strength in your shoulder and arm will enable more swing speed as well.

PracticeAll of the above need to be practiced on a consistent basis. Start slow and build up to hitting harder. Hit 50 practice serves and make your last 10 about 10% above your normal pace and comfort level. Don’t hit too many fast-paced serves in practice or you could risk injuring your arm.

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For Beginner and Junior Players
Work on your throwing motion. If you can develop a good throwing motion, you can develop a good serve. Practice throwing and work on increasing the distance and height of your throws.

Your Toss
Put your service toss slightly in front of you, toward the net. A toss that is behind you is OK for spin, but not for power. The toss must also be high enough for full arm extension.

Gripping the Racquet
Use a continental grip with your fingers spread and your wrist relaxed. This is a major step for recreational players who generally use a forehand grip on their serve.

Racquet Speed
One of the keys to greater serve power is better racquet speed. It is essential that the arm be relaxed throughout the entire motion. Any work that can be done to improve strength in your shoulder and arm will enable more swing speed as well.

Practice
All of the above need to be practiced on a consistent basis. Start slow and build up to hitting harder. Hit 50 practice serves and make your last 10 about 10% above your normal pace and comfort level. Don’t hit too many fast-paced serves in practice or you could risk injuring your arm.