How to serve faster in tennis?

Question

I plan to play tennis for next year but I have a lot trouble on serving.

Should I jump up and serve so the ball's velocity will more likely to increase when I release the potential energy?

Please help me.

Thank you very much

Answer 1

throw the ball high enough were you can reach it, then your possition should be like if you were shooting with a bow with your hand wich with you threw the ball raised, make your swing faster than usual, but this needs a lot of practice, start hitting the ball softly until you improve it. The jump helps to add more power but it's a little more difficult, try doing it stationary at first.

Answer 2

Jumping shouldn't be done on purpose; it is only a result of the legs bending down and releasing upward to hit the ball. The harder they release the higher you jump. It is much more important though to hit the ball at the right time: while you're moving upward and into the court, and while the ball is just starting to come down.  A lot of people will say hit it at the top of its flight, but that is not really true; its usually a split second after it reaches its peak.  Another thing to be sure and do is have a loose flowing arm motion, so you will have more of a whip-like uncoiling that will ultimately make your racquet move faster, causing the ball to go faster.

Answer 3

To serve faster you should hit the ball at the highest point possible. If you jump it will help. Doing so will let you hit the ball more downward not needing to use as much spin on the serve. You should also use a lot of wrist snap on the serve wich will make you serve faster. Remember that your legs and your back are the strongest muscles in your body. You should use them when you serve to increase your ball speed.

Answer 4

I guess so , you could also work out your arms so you will have a greater forse and hit it with more strenght.

Answer 5

here are few tips to help your serve

- keep your grip continental (I'm not assuming you're hitting the ball like a hammer or anything but I've seen people do this and if this is the case with you then change it)

- learn to pronate (cut through the air and whip at the ball - like what the guy above me said) Sampras does an amazing job at pronating and really getting speed on his racquet before impact; http://youtube.com/watch?v=wsUMOeNi6BU watch how his racquet is lined up with the ball as if though he's going to hit it the ball with the edge of his racquet; before he makes contact with the ball he turns the racquet head (not really turning with the wrist but more like whipping it) so that when he makes contact with the ball he hits it flat. and also, this should be obvious but smack the ball with the sweet spot of your racquet and keep it flat; this will really increase your serve's velocity

- toss the ball in front of you (height of the ball does matter, but it just depends on how you like to hit it; you'll generally want to toss it so that when you swing at the ball your arm is fully extended when you hit the ball to maximize the force you put on it; so throw it as high as necessary)

- after you toss the ball let your racquet drop behind your back and pronate up to the ball before you hit it like in the sampras video; i'm not saying that you should copy his serve, even though myself and others can agree that he probably has the best form in serving, but by doing this you'll be able to get more speed on your racquet before you hit the ball

- learn to turn and put your body into your swing at the ball; in other words, coil/uncoil on the ball and get your body into it to get maximum force on the ball (when you serve your body shouldn't be facing the service box where you're serving, keep your body at an angle from the service box so that when you toss the ball your body is sort of facing the sidelines of the court and when you hit the ball you're body is facing the service square) - and to answer your question about jumping, jump if it feels comfortable to you; if it feels like you get more power out of your serve then go ahead, it's true that it does help get the ball over the net if your short but it's really just a matter of how it makes you feel when you serve

- stay loose; the fastest serves are done by whipping at the ball, when you use a whip you don't tense up and unload at whatever you're hitting, you stay loose and use the whip's momentum and impact to do the damage

- the most important tip, TIMING; keep emphasis on this because this is what really matters; if you don't hit the ball at the right time you won't get the most of out your serve; I can only tell you to hit the ball when your arm is fully extended but I can't really say exactly when to hit the ball; this is what is necessary to develop if you want that blazing serve

Well yeah those are my tips. I use them and they're evident in pro players' serves. I guess the only thing I have left to say is try it out and experiment with it to find a comfortable way of serving. Roddick has the fastest serve and look at how he serves, he has his own unique form because he feels comfortable serving like how he does. Just practice serving with my tips (if you choose to use them) and have fun with it. And don't be afraid to completely unload on the ball to get it going faster just make sure you practice enough to get them in.

P.S. i used Sampras as my example to serving because it's easy to learn off of him, I don't favor his form/style over anyone else, I like Roddick's serve

Answer 6

Very good question.  Technique is very important.  Please see link.  If you have good technique, power will soon follow.  Remember: good shoulder turn, contact the ball at your highest comfortable reaching point, and snap up and out with your wrist.

Answer 7

No need to jump :) It looks dramatic, but not necessary at all. What you need is sort of "coil" and then "uncoil" your body. Your arm and your wrist should work like sort of a whip. Timing ang hitting the ball at the right point is crucial, jumping is really not.

Answer 8

This question has been asked and answered many times before. Try searching for the answer.

Answer 9

If you are having trouble with areas of your tennis game the best thing is to try out different techniques to see what fits you or pay a coach for weekly sessions to work on what you want until you are happy.

Answer 10

You have no need to jump. Why people jump is to hit it higher in the air so it is easier to hit it over. For example, I am 14, but really small. I jump because, the smaller you are the it has to be to get over the net compared to you. Just do some arm strengthenings to get stronger if you want more velocity.

Answer 11

You don't really jump but you bend your knees and push off. To serve faster you should also increase the racquet head speed when you swing.