How To Make A NATURAL Racket Drop On Your Serve | Tennis Lesson

[@nicolasX2602]

Best tutorial for serve.

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thank you so much! I hope you are benefitting from all the content here on the channel! Best, John

[@drigans2065]

Relaxing the wrist and particularly not trying to do the racket drop look like really good tips for me. Thank you

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Glad to hear this video was helpful to you! I hope you benefit from all the content here on the channel! Best, John

[@fl4176]

Thanks for the great video! 1) I use a pinpoint stance and struggle a bit with the balance of the leg drive and staying stable when leaving the ground to strike, any advice? 2) I am able to get the racket drop fairly natural and good but the swing to the right is missing, I believe it might be due to my dominant hand being too wide apart and far behind my body before dropping. Any tips ?

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thank you for your feedback, questions and contribution to the lesson. Of course it's hard for me to give meaningful advice without seeing your serve, but I would start by simplifying your serve with the platform stance to re-establish balance. Regarding the non-dom arm/ hand: It plays a major role in positioning, timing and coordination. If you want more specific coaching / solutions, please consider my video analysis service, which is popular and very productive. If you are interested, here is a link to provide all the details: performanceplustennis.com/performance-plus-serve-stroke-video-analysis-description/. Please let me know if you have questions. Best, John

[@frankpiccione8571]

John- The palm does not have to face down with strings facing to sky and ground in initial position. Taylor Fritz- whose serve you have already analyzed- has racquet on edge paralel to base line with strings facing front and back of court. His racquet rises on edge into racquet drop. Then he drives up to ball. He has hit 130bmph serves and is a top ten talent. It is working for him. I love his serve and am working hard to replicate his motion. 🎾

[@stevenchuey]

I appreciate your advice which you delivered with experience and sincerity. Thank you very much. I have been trying to do a racquet drop for years and recently began to use a shortened starting point where my serving arm starts at head height to my right side and just itching to drop. But that has not worked well, unfortunately. Instead, I will try your advice of loose arm and feeling its weight prior to initiating the motions and the toss. Of course I need a shoulder tilt too, which is hard as well!

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Hi Steven, thanks for your comments, feedback and challenges. Being a passionate tennis coach who wants to help, I can’t help but offer to take a look at your serve and give you some advice. Let me know if this is something that interests you and I will follow up with instructions to submit your video. Best, John

[@billthestinker]

Outstanding lesson thank you

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

You are welcome! Kindly, John

[@rachidbaaira9869]

great video as always, great job, I hope to you a great healt, big Hi from Morocco

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thank you so much! Kindly, John

[@plalyn]

many thanks for your precise explanation!

[@crazycatpetera1404]

My drop itself is pretty good but I struggle getting the 90 degree angle with the elbow pointing straight up and the rest of the arm making the L shape. What’s the best exercise or stretches for mobility to free it up?

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thanks for your great question. There are a number of exercises, most quite simple to increase mobility, but difficult to describe in text form. I will produce a video later this week covering this topic....stay tuned!

[@crazycatpetera1404]

@@PerformancePlusTennis Awesome! Looking forward to it

[@emilianozm]

Great explanation John! Thanks for sharing! 🎉🎉🎉

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thank you so much, Emiliano. I hope you benefit from all the content here on the channel! Best, John

[@coffeedude2024]

A great video John, one of the best on the racket drop. Thanks for sharing👍

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thanks Grant for the great feedback! I hope you are benefitting from all the content here on the channel! Best, John

[@AlonsoOsorio-xl2kk]

YOU always do a great job! great video.

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thank you so much! Best, John

[@itsnicethat1]

Great video, thanks!!

[@danielqian8899]

Awesome talks about the mechanism of racquet movements in serve. At one time years ago I was trying to consciously make racquet drop as some online coaches teach and it just felt hard and awkward to do in a series of quick motions.

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Hi Daniel, Thanks for sharing your experience. Glad this video was helpful to you! Enjoy the rest of the content here on the channel. Best, John

[@alfsearching]

The tossing motion must be perfect for the racket to drop naturally - learned that the hard way John. Thank you for all your videos - the best.

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Hi Chauncey, Perfectly stated! I couldn't have said it better...you are exactly right! Thanks for your contribution to the video! Best, John

[@nTo-vlog]

Very nice lesson, really pin pointing the key moves to enable a good tennis serve. Thank you sir.

[@kurtisclarke3380]

Such an excellent video

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

@@kurtisclarke3380 thank you so much!

[@PrecisionPointTennis]

Really great advice! The only stroke I need to lift my game high enough to beat ATP players is my serve and I’m trying!!! This video inspired me with your great insights and last tip🙏🎾🏆

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

That's awesome! Keep up the great practice and keep me updated on your progress! Let me know if you want me to perform a video review of your serve. Best, John

[@PrecisionPointTennis]

@@PerformancePlusTennis I’d love that but I haven’t worked in 4 years. If I could pay I would! I’ll get there thanks to your help. A big bow of gratitude 🙏🎾🏆

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Ok, keep up the great practice! Are you playing tournaments? Ranking? @@PrecisionPointTennis

[@PrecisionPointTennis]

@@PerformancePlusTennis I just uploaded a short unlisted video of me hitting my second serves. In matches I double fault maybe once a set or so. My first serve looks the same but faster and flatter and I hit about 40% but get a few aces and non returnable winners. The serve is my weakest stroke and I have tried every style and technique but this faster motion helps me at least be consistent. Here’s the unlisted video if you are open to checking it out. Much appreciated: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqPPfmdmoNqXjdEsi=w_-PstNYJcVogQqD

[@PrecisionPointTennis]

@@PerformancePlusTennis I just played about 7 ITF Futures (I’m 58) and I won around 30 points in each match (against top 1000 atp ranked players) but I couldn’t get enough points in a row to win many games. I broke their serve many times but in the end I didn’t win a match…yet! But I played an ITF Masters tournament and I won it easily in my age group. I just know I can beat these young kids as I train with them and I can crush them in stroking down the middle and drills…it’s just their serves are 130 mph and I’m not used to that. They don’t crush my serve. They just get it in down the middle so that’s good for me. Thanks coach john! Greetings from greece 🇬🇷

[@Fatonzzz]

So when you say to just set up correctly and then make your move, and the racquet drop will happen naturally what exactly is "the move"? What is the sensation we are looking for to initiate the movement? Is it the dropping of the non-dominant arm that initiates the rotation of the shoulders, that in turn "pulls" the racquet? From reviewing videos I was staying way too closed at impact, and by thinking about pulling the racquet by opening my shoulders, it seems more natural to get a racquet drop....but I have tons of work to do lol.

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thanks for your great questions and contribution to the video! "Make your move" refers to driving the legs and pulling the toss arm away from the stretch/ vertical position. That is the sensation you are looking for, but most be in a balanced, "loaded" position to make / time the move. I hope this helps. I am also offering a free serve analysis for a limited time. Here is the link to sign-up if interested: performanceplustennis.com/?ff_landing=17 Kindly, John

[@Fatonzzz]

@@PerformancePlusTennis Hi John and thanks for taking the time to reply. I’m 50 and have only been playing around 6 months total, so not sure if I am at the stage yet of benefiting from a serve analysis, but I definitely will consider!

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

@@Fatonzzz Actually, better to get a review now to avoid developing and embedding unfavorable movements! Best, John

[@Fatonzzz]

@@PerformancePlusTennis Well I definitely have a ton of footage! I film every serve practice session…ha ha.

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

@@Fatonzzz Well, what are you waiting for? 🙂

[@guyrestivo]

wow..what great instruction..i cant thk u enough!!!...i love tennis vids even though i dont play(hopefully this year)...knowing the importance of non-dominant arm in tennis would u say the position and tension of the left arm during the serve toss can effect the dropping of the raquet..i ask this silly question because in golf getting the rt elbow(and not dropping the club) stuck can be attributed to bent left arm(creating a hindering brake)..lack of complete turn..and tension..things u mentioned...and seeing so so many tennis players struggle on their 1st serve(tension and over-hitting)--im just curious if tension in the tossing arm can prevent this looping action in the right arm..in any event u rescued my golf swing and the trapped arm/elbow preventing my drop of the club..i subscibed and look forward to more great vids from u..thks again..your instruction was so enlightning..

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thank you so much for your kind words and contribution to the video. I hope you get out there and start playing tennis! Keep me updated on your progress.

[@MR57LV]

Very helpful

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Glad you think so!

[@watcher687]

John, maybe the open face racket drop is not really important as long as the racket goes up to the ball on edge (just before pronation happens). Two of the best servers ever Sampras and Federer have an open face drop. Shapovalov is the most extreme of all. His racket drops with a completely open face to the sky.

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thanks for your feedback and contribution to the video. I agree - ultimately the angle of the racquet up to contact is more important. However, for the many recreational players who struggle with an open face and maintain the open face to contact, the intention to close the racquet in the drop is an important step in solving the problem. Best, John

[@watcher687]

@@PerformancePlusTennis Good point, John. Thank you.

[@marktace1]

Most of us need to supinate to get maximum shoulder external rotation for full racquet drop. Some people are so flexible that they can get full external rotation without supinating first. Shapovalov and Berrettini are prime examples. They do get the racquet stuck behind their heads a bit and I doubt most rec players could get away with it. BTW, Djokovic with his extreme flexibility used to do something similar, but he corrected it and improved his serve.

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

@@marktace1 Thanks for the follow-up comments, Mike. Yes, Djokovic did change his serve and it changed his career. His serve was a real problem before 2011...he lacked confidence and double faulted on big points, not to mention the potential for injury. Here is my review of the transformation of his serve: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jKGtoHujattmhLssi=xZHsYTsNXNp8tBif. Best, John

[@bournejason66]

John, did you address the stay sideways in this video? I didn’t find it in this one. But good video 👍🙏🎾

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Hi Jack, No I did not address it in this video. I have a dedicated video for this topic that will release next week. Best, John

[@bournejason66]

@@PerformancePlusTennis thank you. Looking forward to it

[@abhs1141]

I think on a different tips that help me , don't try to hit down targeting the opponent service box , you might end up pushing the ball , with much less power on the serve . Try to hit the ball aiming for like , 8 inches above the net . That is where the get the solid contact point . The ball will drop down inside the opponent service line , just by the help of gravity naturally ..

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thanks for sharing your experience, your comments and contribution to the video. Best, John

[@caillesbenarous]

Thanks for your video, I Love it ❤❤❤

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thanks for the feedback! Glad the video is helpful to you! Be sure to review and benefit from all the content here on the channel! Best, John

[@TeamTennisfr]

Ball toss is essential also ; ball toss too low => no time to make a good racquet drop.

[@Myyt1234_video]

His Ball Toss video is the best most comprehensive ball toss video on KZbin kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6fQZ4OAaNV_mLsfeature=shared

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Absolutely correct! Thanks, John

[@ANDREAELISA2010]

Maestro, when I perform the empty movement I have an excellent racket drop, while when I perform the serve the head of the racket does not fall and I perform a slightly "catapult" serve, how can I fix it?

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Hi, I would love to help you, but I have to see your serve to make recommendations and coach you through the process. Please let me know if you are interested in submitting a video and having me perform an analysis and video lesson. Thanks, John

[@jackquinnes]

I think you should try to put the racket, that is, wrist and elbow, into the "correct" positions and angles before launching up. Then let it happen relaxed and you might get lucky.

[@alsonyang2991]

First of all, I would like to thank you for sharing all these great and useful tips throughout the whole serving motion, BUT still I want to point out that the video is not directly answering the question you pose in the title, and that's probably the specific point some of us wanted to know in this video... I clicked in the video hoping to learn some drills or tricks that can help myself achieve the natural racket drop, but none of them are mentioned... The title would be better named "The 4 fundamental techniques that you have to know for proper tennis serving" to indicate the video content IMO. But still thanks for the valuable content that you put up anyway, as many of the people would definitely benefit from knowing the fundamentals. For people like me that are looking for the "natural racquet drop" specifically, one thing that I learnt was to focus on leading with the elbow with loose grip, which helps me make quite some progress to a certain point. Let me know if there are some other useful tricks, drills or mindset to help achieving that.

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Hi Alson, I am sorry the video did not meet your expectations. If you perform the 4 fundamentals as presented and rehearse your serve without a ball, then you will begin to feel and develop a natural racquet drop. If you want more guidance, I do offer a video analysis service, which you can learn about here: performanceplustennis.com/performance-plus-serve-stroke-video-analysis-description/. Best regards, John

[@Skiiiiiifreeeeeee]

I struggled with this for years. Had a greaat kick serve as a kid them developed a hitch at the drop trying to develop a flatter first serve. Been struggling with that hitch on and off for 20 years and only in the last 2 did i figure it out. Instead of raising the tossing and serving arm together i toss the ball first then quickly release the serving arm. Not saying this works for everyone but i do think that for anyone like me who can throw a baseball well but struggles on serve technique...mess with the cadence of your swing. The body knows how to throw (serve). Muscle memory screws you up and disrupting that muscle memory and letting the body figure it out is the way to go

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thanks for sharing your experience and making a valuable contribution to the lesson. Yes, leading with the tossing arm (lagging with the swing) definitely allows for a more natural motion to develop without a hitch. The old school "down-together, up-together" is not the ideal motion for most players. It's hard to believe high level coaches still teach that movement, as shown here with this "high level" (hah) coach working with Iga Swiatek: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaTcpoBqpbenmsksi=ufZ3XH0lpq_-Li1f

[@LavernLee-zz5ln]

The racket drop serve is the one thing missing from my serve. This video will help correct that.

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Hi Lavern, Thanks for the feedback. Keep up the practice and let me know how your serve is coming along. Best, John

[@Naltrex1-999]

❤

[@hectorayub2594]

Awesome 👌

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thank you so much! I hope you are benefitting from all the content here on the channel! Kindly, John