Hitting your serve at the highest point of contact????

Question

My serve is coming on well but I want more power on my flat serve, I snap the wrist, get good leg bend and hit through the ball but I dont understand this idea of hitting the ball at its highest point. Because if I do that I mis time the serve, surely I let it drop a bit during the toss before I hit it???

Answer 1

it feels awkward at first, and you might miss a lot, but hitting the ball at the highest point is a key to the serve.  

If your having diffuculty getting the ball try moving your toss more out in front of you, this will make you lean into the serve.  Still hit the ball at the highest point, with your arm totally extended.

Good luck

Answer 2

I recently had the same problem, but i think it helps, of course, to get a good high toss, and hit it as soon as it starts dropping. For a while i couldn't get it in, but once i let it start to drop instead of hitting it while it is still going up it went in.  

Answer 3

You're misunderstood a little bit. You want to hit the ball at the highest point of contact, not at the highest point of the ball's path. So, imagine as far up as your racket can reach, and THAT'S where you should hit it.

The best things that were ever said to me about getting more power were "relax", and "slow to fast."

If you relax, you'll get more momentum. Also, since your muscles won't be tensed, it'll be easier for your arm to extend up higher.

Go slow in your toss, but right after you bend your knees and drop your racket behind your back, accelerate up to the ball as fast as you can.

The reason you're missing the serve a lot is probably timing. If this is a new adjustment, you're probably just not used to it yet. I would take the leg-bend out for a while, and just practice making high contact with the simplest motion possible. After you have that down, you can add the leg bend in.

Good luck!

Answer 4

The technique of hitting the ball at its highest point works brilliantly! Apply maximum pressure. If you let it drop, there's a chance it might hit the net and you won't be able to put in the same amount of aggression. But its totally up to you!