Tutorial 1 - Service Pronation

Do you want to improve your serve? How do you stop yourself as a beginner and intermediate player from having an incorrect serve?

Well, let me put your mind at rest, you can! A lot of beginners have what we call a Pancake service motion, this comes completely 100% from holding your racket with the wrong grip, using your forehand groundstroke grip to serve. So, first things first, you have to learn to hold the racket correctly, the grip you need to use is called 'the continental grip' or otherwise known as 'the chopper grip'. This is where your top knuckle on your index finger is holding the grip on the 2nd bevel from the top, shown in picture 1.

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Now, this can be an extremely difficult way to hold the racket and often coaches are told by students "what on earth are you trying to do to me" but let me tell you with enough practice, it has so many benefits. Well first, it will increase power over time and secondly, you will be able to hit a lot more topspin and slice with this grip. Hey, if it's good enough for the pro's, its good enough for us mere mortals.

The biggest issue you face with this grip, is that players have trouble pointing the face of the strings on contact point towards the net and the intended target.

So here's a very good tip to help you with this and finally nail that serve!!

As you start to throw the racket head towards the contact point, aim to hit the ball with the edge of your racket, then, at the very last moment before you hit the ball, start turning the racket so that finally the strings, are pointing towards the net. This motion is called 'Pronation' or in tennis terms, a turning of the forearm. Want proof? Look at how Novak's racket edge is quite literary pointing towards the net just microseconds before contact, shown in picture 2.

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Then at the last moment, just prior to contact, he turns his forearm and wrist to point his strings towards the net!. This is shown in picture 3.

Ok, so how do you practice this, I hear you all scream? Well, here's how! Practice your service motion with the continental grip, checking it each time before you serve. Then attempt to hit the racket edge at least 10 times in a row whilst you practise your service motion, finally practise trying to hit the racket edge and then at the last moment before contacting the ball, pronate (turn) your wrist so that your strings are now facing the other side of the net and your target. You will be shocked how much this can help.