How to Hold Serve in a Tennis Match

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In today's video, I demonstrate how to hold serve in a tennis match. When you are serving keep in mind that the match is in your hands. There are certain things that you can do to increase your chances of holding serve more consistently...
📺 How to Hit a Kick Serve (mentioned in video): • How To Hit A Kick Serve?
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[@IntuitiveTennis]

These tips could make your serve worse 👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJy7hadtl5V3ors

[@augustblood6810]

Should your 2nd serve be as fast as your 1st serve, or should you just slow down your 1st serve to increase percentage?

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Great question. I made a video on that topic 👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2ScgK2whN2Ug68

[@augustblood6810]

@@IntuitiveTennis Brilliant I'm watching the video! Everything you are saying is true about my serve: fast flat 1st serve (like Becker), very slow tap 2nd serve (like granny).

[@juliusbutcon7330]

Thanks a lot again...very helpful and your very intelligent...

[@sobelgar9289]

Really LOVE the in match coaching you did here. This is what 90% of tennis instruction videos are missing. Teh real life application and thinking are very helpful thanks!

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Thank you

[@alephbeta4090]

Wow, this was such an insightful video. One thing missing from other KZbin channels is the mental & strategy component, but the fact that you were an accomplished pro-player helps adds so much depth and value! Loved the walkthrough of your shot selections & even small details like what balls to pick. Please keep up the good work and THANK YOU!!!

[@hansolsson3409]

I really like how you choose the ball that looks the fastest. A no brainer. I like it. Thank you Nick.

[@Alexander-dt2eq]

breakdown for amateur players: 1) just serve wide to move the player out of the court (especially on his weaker side). 2) calm down before serving, does not matter how you serve, I found it difficult to set up a game plan. Most amateurs struggle executing their plan once the serve is not hit properly or the return surprises them (mishit etc). So focus on hitting a constant serve first and apply rule 1). Your ONLY GOAL is to reduce the number of winners the return player can hit OR the number of returns deep into the court. Your goal is to be in a dominant position when the ball returns.. so just move the opponent. Even if they adapt, amateurs will usually always struggle to play a good return on a wide serve. Once you manage this, re-watch Nicks video :)

[@mauriziodenapoli873]

I really love the strategy explanation during a real match. Keep doing more of them!

[@IntuitiveTennis]

🙏🙏

[@doughaynes8771]

I love your instruction. The one thing that people do not work on enough is the second serve, and the ability to hit both corners on both sides of the court, duece and ad. If they would practice that, their serve would be more of a weopon, and not just a desperation hit to stay in the point. Thanks for your work, instruction with a purpose is well appreciated.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Thank you Doug

[@nicgoodfellow1435]

Can't afford a coach as often as I'd like, which make your videos an amazing help. Thank you!

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Glad to hear that Nic

[@alfandosavant4639]

That is just so me! Picking the least fuzz for the 1st serve, thinking it'd go fast through the court. And the fuzzier one for 2nd serve, thinking it'd be easier to brush it for my kick 😄

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Makes sense

[@jyotsnam9519]

Excellent video! Very helpful. Thank you

[@Mickey_McD]

Thanks for giving us insight on your thought process while serving -- really illuminating information!

[@dinuvulpescu433]

Great info..Thank you!

[@serveyourname5565]

While watching Nadal win the title of Roland Garros on TV, I realized he'd hit more than two million serves during his entire lifetime. I wish I could reach your level of serves within a decade or so. I do appreciate this vid.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

How did you come up with the math. Super interesting, total amount of serves struck

[@thomasmedeiros5722]

Growing up in the USA I played baseball from the time I was 9 years old through High School. I was coaching in pitching and hitting so I learned about strategy and tactics like moving the ball around the strike zone, throwing and hitting ball that had different spins and curves that made it more challenging. The strike count is like the service score which determines which type of pitch should be thrown and it’s placement. It’s the same in Tennis. It’s very important to know your opponent and figure out what challenges them and use that to your advantage in Tennis and Baseball. I was a placement and breaking ball pitcher so when I developed my tennis game this carried over into my all court serve and volley tennis style. You got to practice your placement and different spins and constantly get the ball in to where they don’t like or expect it. Pay attention to how they react and where they hit returns and use that to your advantage. Personally I like to mix it up by going wide then into the body. Some players like to move towards the side but have trouble getting out of the way when the ball breaks into their hip. You got to know the score and feed them what they don’t like when you really net the next point.

[@iggiepaeng]

That's a very well dissected explanation, thanks !!!

[@matthewwoodhead6161]

Another excellent post 👊🏻🎾

[@satyu131089]

Kick serve: the most important kind of serve. It's preferable to hit two good kick serves than to hit a sitter second serve. A ball with rotation is actually harder to return than a flat ball with the same pace.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

True

[@jeffhermida4788]

definitely agree with you on that. I am short and I get about 3/10 flat serves in. Really hard to get my percentage up on flat serves. I would only try it if im up a break or 2 and up 40-love. Hard topspin is about 7/10 for me. My first serve kick is 9/10 and never double fault in second serve kick. Its all about the percentages for me. I dont want to give a free point away via double fault or weak serve so I just serve kick all the time. Still this is a great video. Thanks!

[@serveyourname5565]

@@jeffhermida4788 How tall are you? 170 cm or less..?

[@jeffhermida4788]

@@serveyourname5565 162cm. Yeah im a little guy with a big kick serve. It works for me

[@rucas10]

Great video ! Great tips !

[@vivy_xo]

Great video Nick! I really need to learn kick serve when I grow up! One day! 😀

[@IntuitiveTennis]

You will

[@eg0198cm]

Excellent tips🎾💯

[@adrianfrontera5005]

Great video Nikola, just exactly what we the club players need, brilliant coaching, more of this please, really appreciated your help, Greetings Adrian

[@adrianfrontera5005]

Thanks Nikola, if I Have to pick a tennis coach to improve my tennis would be you mate, definitely :)

[@erichuang2310]

Really enjoyed hearing your internal conversation on serve selection during a game. Do you have a specific "play" that you associate with each serve? For example - out wide serves, keep hitting to the opposite court to attack movement. Down the middle serves, look for inside out forehand to go forehand vs backhand. Kick serves - serve and volley. Etc.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Thank you, I try to win the point outright with serve. I don’t serve and volley

[@erichuang2310]

@@IntuitiveTennis I see. You have to have a big and consistent serve to use that strategy! Serve is the strongest part of my game, but I don't get too many aces. A lot of weak returns though, so I try to guess where the ball is going based on my serve placement to get an easy put-away.

[@grishkazumba]

Great content! Thanks.

[@grishkazumba]

Always thought the ball selection stuff was merely superstitious

[@K4R3N]

Tremendous video. Love the format. I only have a reliable 60 mph kick serve. I would like to develop a reliable flat serve next, right now they sail long. Great tips about the ball selection and confidence.

[@ale03000]

Tips from my coach, do a crunch after contact or bend your upper body down for flat serve. Now the ball goes in more :)

[@K4R3N]

@@ale03000 so since my post 2 years ago I've gotten a better kick serve and developed a flat serve. Also recently got a slice going. Can do all 3 now.

[@boarini2003]

Nick, great video and very useful for me as a 3.5 to get a window into your strategy and decisions. Question: Why the old racquet?

[@IntuitiveTennis]

I get so many questions about my racquets. I made a video on it. Coming soon...

[@davidlever3107]

Intuitive smile after first ace :-D

[@EdmonBegoli]

Nikola - do you have any tips/progression drills/recommendec steps for how to work on increasing serve speed while not losing consistency? Velika hvala i puno pozdrava. Vrhunski program.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

I’m planning a serve power video

[@here2inspireU]

Thanks for all your sharing with us! What model Pure Drive are you using? What strings and tension? Thanks again!

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Pure drive plus 300 gram, kirschbaum super smash. Have several equipment videos coming out...

[@ssenssel]

When it comes to serves I believe for club level players around 4.0 one should never try flat 1st serve, usually those balls can go right at the opponent wheelhouse and then they get a winner return with ease. Your best bet is slice/kick 1st serves going for T or wide, and slice/kick middle of the box on 2nd. When you up in the match a couple of games maybe go for the ace flat a couple of time just to try it out. If Nik who is a tall former pro isn't trying to ace every 1st serve imagine the rest of us. Anywho, great stuff. Loved the confessional style.

[@geoffhess2267]

Really helpful content here and crucial to advancing your game. So many parallels to effective pitching in baseball insofar as the importance of mixing up what you're giving your opponent and where you're delivering it. I'd also like to see some of your tips when one is having difficulty holding serve due to rhythm being off, flat serves regularly going long or into net, slices missing, and the confidence that you normally have in your serve is being put to a test. I try to take more time between serves, get back into a relaxed serving motion and rhythm, and do more kick serves. From there, gradually ramp up and work my way back to my normal mode. It takes a lot of mental discipline to do this rather than allowing frustration to take over. Interested in your recommendations. Maybe another video on this.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Great method when flat serve percentage is low 👍👍

[@golllaur]

Hi Nick! I'm learning the kick serve now and I realize that I'm having soo bad time of switching from the kick back to flat - like I can have a practice session on flat serve and when it finally become feeling good it's enough to have a couple of kicks to bring my flat down to the nightmare (for me, not opponent) :) what should I do? Forget about the kick for a while and really master my flat? Or do the opposite - switch more back and forth during my serve training? Thanks!

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Put in the reps for the kicker until it becomes match ready 👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2ScgK2whN2Ug68

[@mrindecisive100]

Excellent video as always. Before you hit each of these serves, do you have a target in mind for your second shot (and how much does that depend on your opponent's return)?

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Not for me bc I try to win the point with the serve. Other players will look to hit a forehand after the serve ie Fed, Nadal

[@mrindecisive100]

@@IntuitiveTennis Thanks for your reply and interesting answer. You've got a great serve so that makes sense. I don't get many free points from my serve, so I'd better have a plan for my second shot before I serve I guess.

[@Montemen1]

nice

[@marklerfald]

Thank you, Coach Nik! This was VERY helpful. What is your approach if/when the returner sends the ball back and you’re now neutral in the point? What are your thoughts and disciplines when you are returning? Thanks again.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Thank you Mark, depends on several variables. I’ll make videos on both of those topics...

[@marklerfald]

@@IntuitiveTennis Thanks, Coach Nik. I’m in Oregon and would like to work with you. Can we do it virtually somehow, or should I make time to come to Florida?

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Contact me privately

[@NealDurando]

Forced myself to slow down between serves by adding a bounce (to four). Sometimes I want to rush. I'm good at correcting errors and I feel like accessing the muscle memory quickly helps. Any comment?

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Slowing down is good

[@Alexander-dt2eq]

breathing helps a lot. If you have any feeling of rushing the serve.. just take 5 seconds, breathe, and setup your serve. That will help you focus on the ball and your game plan a lot... its just these few seconds...it really matters

[@ripleypipe]

Nick your grunt reminds me Sir Andy's, although out of the top 100, I still hope that he'll get back to winning ways.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Hope so too 🙏🙏🙌🙌

[@SkyreeXScalabar]

What if I have pinpoint stance and hitting flat serves after a while puts stress on my left leg (right handed) and makes it ache? Also I thought that the pros pick balls with less fluff for flat and more fluff for spin serves.

[@MiS-jy4gm]

Thanks for the video. However I didn't hear much on decision making process. My impression is that is random selection of type of serve and serving location regardless of where the Serve receiver stands - and all I need is "Magic 8 Ball". You never said how to see the opening on the court where to serve. Never mentioned how to read opponent intention to attack or block the serve. And so on and so on. For version 2.0 of this video, please equip yourself with a blue-tooth mic, and try explaining serve selection based on opponents stance, grip, etc. just before you serve. ThanksInAdvance

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Yes my apologies about the mic. It was interfering with the sweat and I had to cut large portions of this video. Have a new mic for future vids like this one. As stated in the video opening, my methods of holding serve don’t apply to most players. I try to win the point with my serve and the things you mentioned above I pay little to no attention to unless the guy standing at the back fence I might slice a little more.

[@adityamukherjee9462]

Do we want the ball with more fuzz for the first serve or the ball with less fuzz?

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Less

[@sravandanda2302]

Please consider making a video on how to serve on pressure points. Usually I end up double faulting on break points.

[@chrain2.080]

Going for too much

[@sravandanda2302]

more like feeling the pressure and making some stiff movements

[@Skarmeta1]

Amazing video! Thank u so much for your amazing work! Always interesting contents. A tecnical question, could be a good idea to pick a ball with loosy felt to get more rpm in your high on spin second serve? I mean, if you want to slow down the ball but put a lot of spin on it, a fluffy ball should generate more spin because the fluffy felt should grab more the strings, isnt? Thank u! :)

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Thank you Personally I like the fast ball even on kick

[@Skarmeta1]

@@IntuitiveTennis thx! :D

[@alenx5455]

My 1st serve is rly good, fast and gives me alot of aces, but the % is quite low, whats your advice? Usually its around 50-55% 1st serves in, not enough, id want at least 65%. Also I make too many double faults, because I get nervious when I have the 2nd serve specially if im down 15:30 or 30:40 or so, I get tight and nervious because I know I have to make this serve in or I lose the point. Do you have any advice for me?

[@IntuitiveTennis]

55% is not bad, improve your second serve

[@meintennisgame]

I watched carefully and will use it against you hahaha

[@IntuitiveTennis]

I need to figure out a way to block you when I do these revealing vids 😂😂

[@norienor4658]

My fairly young coach in tennis ( 29 y old) who made it only 800th in atp due to injury ( he stop at 24) would tell you to reduce your unforced error on your first shot after serve.

[@tablack01]

How do you break your opponent's serve? Hit winners on the return?

[@thecasualmuslim]

what does it mean if your kick serve attempts keep hitting the net?

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Could be many things, but always look at toss first

[@Leapops]

Aim higher?

[@pawelpiotrowski6277]

I guess being 6+ft tall and having a reliable first and second serve helps a lot in being able to hold your serve

[@norienor4658]

Video should be called " how do i hold my serve"

[@IntuitiveTennis]

Yes how I hold my serve and general service game advice for everyone

[@reverse2190]

Great video, but you gotta work on your t shirt design.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

😂😂 you edited out “horrible design”. I will work on it. 🙏

[@reverse2190]

@@IntuitiveTennis😂 Yes, I realized that was a bit rude, insensitive. Keep up the great content though. 🎾

[@IntuitiveTennis]

@@reverse2190 no worries 🙏👍

[@Kassini94]

And you lost 6-2 😂

[@chrain2.080]

To a guy half his age

[@knotwilg3596]

Love everything about your channel but I'm a little disappointed you're with the moaning squad.

[@IntuitiveTennis]

I can’t help it, have a video coming out on grunting next week....

[@felixyung]

There’s nothing wrong with grunting...I feel it helps with breathing, control nerves and timing.

[@knotwilg3596]

@@felixyung I simply don't like it and can't watch a match where people grunt all the time. I'm also easily annoyed by grunting opponents. So it's both not very good for the sport's popularity, as there are more spectators like me, nor for its fairness, as it induces another psychological/mental factor which IMO is not essential to the sport. AFAIC, the whole breathing rationale is just a narrative, an excuse to be annoying. You know, it may help me control my nerves if I insult my opponents, but that doesn't make it right. ATP has regulations for that, fortunately, and it should have for grunting too.

[@felixyung]

@@knotwilg3596 Nik has a video where he’s playing one of his 4.0 students and during a long point the student said he was holding his breath. Nik immediately told him to grunt to help the breathing and release of tension. I do agree there’s some people who overly grunt to be a hinderance but for most people it certainly does help with breathing.

[@knotwilg3596]

@@felixyung I don't contest it can help some people with breathing. I just find it a very selfish way to solve things because there's an opponent too whose own rhythm and flow may be disturbed. Perhaps playing tennis while being a gentleman is a thing of the past.

[@jackdenmark6116]

Kick serve: the most important kind of serve. It's preferable to hit two good kick serves than to hit a sitter second serve. A ball with rotation is actually harder to return than a flat ball with the same pace.