This July, I had the great fortune to photograph the Newport Hall of Fame Championships. Apart from the great induction ceremonies, the 32 man draw is quite a wonderful treat after Wimbledon. Grass court tennis, which is the Newport surface, is very different. Unlike Wimbledon, the grass at the Newport Casino is of the traditional variety. It is very fast, creates unpredictable bounces and rewards those who are blessed with a big serve.
 
As was the case with the traditional grass courts at Wimbledon (before the All England Club changed the type of grass to favor longer rallies), Newport is certainly a place that can reward the adept serve and volley player.
 
While photographing for a European Publication, I took the time to watch (not shoot) one of John Isner's matches. It was an epiphany of what is needed to serve well in the modern game. In the match that I watched, John had 23 aces!
 
We all probably know John for his powerful serve. But, his second serve (a kick serve) was jumping up high even on this grass surface! I was amazed that his second serve was not the traditional slice serve that works so well on grass. Frequently, a kick serve on grass simply produces a lower ball bounce that returners can crack away for winners. This was not the case for John!
 
Ultimately, John did not win the tournament. But in carefully watching his match and making some notes about his service technique, I realized the common ingredients that are the norm in the modern, effective serves... first and second.
 
So this month, I will focus my efforts on providing readers with the essential ingredients necessary to produce effective serves. In essence, I will be providing the "anchor points" needed to serve with placement, spin, and power. Note the order of these factors. They are written in order of importance.
 
Most important is the ability to place one's serve. Spin is the next most important component because it provides the consistency needed to serve well throughout a match. Lastly, power enters the equation. Unfortunately, this is often the first objective. If you could see the power generated by John Isner in person, you would certainly understand why so many players seek this kind of power as a first rather than last step. It is that seductive!!!
 
THE PRE-SERVE
 
Certainly, the things one does before beginning the actual service motion are as important as the motion itself.
 
First, each player should assume his/her "proper" position and stance at the baseline.
 
When righties serve to the deuce court, they want to be close to the center hash mark. When serving to the ad court, righties should move about 6 to 8 inches left of this same hash mark. The opposite would be true for lefties. Assuming these positions takes best advantage of the dominant hand/arm movement and enables the server to place her/his serves anywhere in either service box.
 
In all probability, the front foot should be about an inch or so from the base line and its toes should face the net post that is on the server's forehand side. (Righties should be pointing the left toe to the right net post, and lefties should be pointing the right toe toward the left net post.) This front foot position is absolutely critical. It should be consistent. By always pointing at the net post, the server automatically adjusts body positioning for deuce and ad court serving.
 
Simply deliberately and consciously setting up your position and stance before serving can improve your service percentages significantly. Each player may want to deviate a bit from the above, but probably not too much!
 
Relax your body and muscles. With your weight evenly distributed between each foot, stand erect and simply attempt to relax all your muscles and eliminate any tension. In critical situations, this is not always easy. However, it is essential that your body is as relaxed and calm as possible in the pre-serve setup.
 
Lean forward and bounce the ball slowly and deliberately. Usually, three to four bounces before beginning the service motion is sufficient. One doesn't necessarily need to be as Djokovic and bounce 6 to11 times. This should be a consistent ritual which stimulates a consistent delivery.
 
After bouncing, pause and look at your opponent and the opposite court. In addition to being a way to be certain that your opponent is prepared to receive serve, this pause allows you to mentally visualize exactly where you wish to place your serve, and what kind of serve you wish to execute... flat, slice or kick. First serves are normally flat or slice serves. Second serves are normally kicked or sliced serves. In addition to one's personal skill with a particular serve, surface, wind, and sun conditions affect which serve is best.
 
You are now ready to begin the actual service motion!
 
THE SERVICE MOTION COMPLEXITY
 
In general, tennis players either employ the more traditional, complex, circular service motion or the more abbreviated, and more modern, "toss and hit" service motion.
 
The former motion is complex. One drops his/her arms in unison, and then, both arms begin to rise in sync. The non-dominant hand/arm move to toss the ball and the dominant hand/arm begin the racquet's upward and forward motion which is needed to make contact with the ball. One can always identify this more elaborate service motion by noting that at one point the non-dominant hand is point at the tossed ball and the racquet is behind the server's back. This moment is frequently referred to as the "trophy position." For decades, this was the only motion taught.
 
In modern years, more and more players are using the "toss and hit" motion. This motion is much more abbreviated and direct. One is literally tossing the ball up but the racquet never falls much below the waist in its motion. Isner uses this kind of motion as is the case with Andy Roddick. In Andy's case, the motion is much more compact than is the case with Isner.
 
As an extreme example of the "toss and hit" motion, I would ask the reader to recall the serve of Jay Berger. When Andre Agassi was experiencing an injury, he adopted Jay's unorthodox delivery. They simply had the racquet up and "cocked" before they would toss the ball. I believe the success each had with this service motion (or lack thereof) suggests that the most critical part of the serve occurs in a relatively small zone.
 
Either of these motions is fine. I would recommend the latter over the former. Why? There is less that can go wrong when the motion is more simple and direct.
 
However, the most critical factor in deciding which of these two styles is best for you deals with grip. Which of these two styles allow you to start with a loose and relaxed grip and keep a relaxed grip throughout the serve?
 
No serve is good if the arm and grip are not relaxed before and after impact. The time for a somewhat tighter grip is only at the moment of impact.
 
In the image below, look at John Isner's hand and racquet grip. What could be more relaxed? He literally is holding the racquet with his index finger and thumb as he begins his service motion!
 
Oxymoronic as it may seem, you cannot generate consistent power without a relaxed arm and hand!!!
 

 
TOSS HEIGHT
 
How high should you toss your ball? Again, there is no one "right" answer to this question.

1. Some players toss very high and make contact with the ball as it begins its descent.
2. Others toss a bit lower and hit the ball at the peak of its upward path. I call this an apex toss.
3. Lastly, some player will actually be able to make contact with the ball as it rises. This generally results in a relatively low toss.