Should You STAY Sideways On Your Serve? | Tennis Serve Lesson

[@coffeedude2024]

This a great video and a topic very few coaches discuss. Thanks John👍

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

You are welcome, Grant! Happy holidays! Best, John

[@ql3670]

Another great video from you. I wish you had been my coach years ago.

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thank you! It's never too late! I have a personalized coaching program. Let me know if you are interested in getting Information. Thanks, John.

[@TeamTennisfr]

Thanks for clearing things because Mark Kovacs video, if it's the one you refer to, was misleading in my opinion.

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Yes, I agree...that is why I produced this video. Thanks for your feedback. Best, John

[@NStewF]

@@PerformancePlusTennis fantastic video - All the best for the new year!

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thank you so much, Neil! Best, John @@NStewF

[@lcervantes8505]

Super. Cleared up this very issue for me. Kudos!

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Awesome! Glad this lesson was helpful to you! Best, John

[@bournejason66]

Thanks for answering my questions. This video worth watching many times. 🙏

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

You are welcome, Jack! Happy holidays! Best, John

[@rcyc]

You mentioned facing 45 degree on the ad side. How do you serve on the deuce side? By rotating the body more?

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Great question! You should be in approximately a 45 degree angle from your intended target, so simply adjust for the deuce court or add court accordingly. Best, John

[@massimodanzelmo4607]

Top performance John 👍

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thank you! Best, John

[@milivojklobucar1173]

What’s position when serving to deuce court ?

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Hi, You should set-up sideways to your target line (or slightly beyond) and rotate to a 45 degree angle on contact. I hope this is helpful. Best, John

[@goldencalf5144]

Outstanding. You've covered a lot of key points in this video

[@coachhannah2403]

Core rotation is a standard technique in so many sports.

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Absolutely! Best, John

[@bmanbusee3812]

Really great video. Always was confused about how to rotate the body into the shot! Thanks

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thank for the great feedback! I am glad this lesson was helpful to you, and I hope you reviewed all the lessons here on the channel! Best, John

[@FairwayJack]

... I understand your topspin serve advice about torso staying sideways and hitting sideways ... but how is speed / power imparted ??... via the shift of body weight into the ball at impact ??

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Hi Jack, thanks for the great question. In this case the movement is mostly shoulder over shoulder, with very little (if any) horizontal rotation to contact. So the power is: 1) the leg drive, and: 2) shoulder over shoulder action created by the left arm (for a righty) pulling away and down. I hope this provides you clarity. Best, John

[@niravdesai7]

How about the legs? I found out that to get to 45 degree naturally the most important thing for me is to have the left leg knee to load equally as the right leg as you say in other videos where you say you should not load only on your right leg but kind of almost equally on both the legs in a trophy position. Loading your legs equally naturally gets your 45 degree naturally is the point am trying to make. Initial position Facing 45 degree to the right net pole is an imp tip. Thank you.

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Hi Nirav, Yes the legs certainly contribute as well. Thank you for your feedback and contribution to the video! Kindly, John

[@jono5900]

Hey John, appreciate your channel..I was curious about your input. I'm still developing my serve as since I've been a kid I've held the racquet in my non throwing arm..I guess I'm somewhat ambidextrous? Anyway, In the past few years I've been slowly learning to serve with my other arm(my throwing arm) as I couldn't generate the true serve motion with my non throwing arm..it was more like a pancake motion..not good. Anyway, I'm slowly getting there but I'm concerned that for me to have any chance of getting my serve in I have to glare at the ball while striking it while many of the pros in your video turn their heads toward the target right at impact. I think I'm putting way too much mental energy into staying fixated on the ball through impact..any thoughts?

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Hi Jono, Thanks for sharing your experiences and adding to the video. We often see pros not looking at contact on serves and groundstrokes. This is one thing I think Recreational player SHOULD NOT try to copy. Not because we can see the ball at contact, but because moving the head can also create movement in the body that disrupts timing and solid contact. Best to try your best to keep your head still and eyes on the contact point until the ball is gone....Federer was the best in history at this! Kindly, John

[@jono5900]

@@PerformancePlusTennis Thanks John as I've been acutely aware of Federer's focus on staring at the contact spot even when the ball is on it's way back to his opponent..I first noticed it when I was trying to learn his backhand slice methodology..it really stuck out to me and if it works for him, well then...lol Btw, do you give in-person lessons?

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Hi and thanks for your comment and contribution to the video.Yes, I do work with students in-person as my schedule permits. Do you live in Southern California? Thanks, John@@jono5900

[@jono5900]

@@PerformancePlusTennis I'm in northeast but would consider visiting SoCal again.. What region are you?

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

I live in Orange County...teach in Newport Beach. I may be having a 4 day clinic in early April of 2024...interested? Thanks, John@@jono5900

[@gregramsey5288]

I’m confused when you mention 45 degree angle. Having trouble visualizing that. 45 degrees in relation to the service line?

[@topspin1715]

Yes service line or net. Either one since they are both parallel to one another. 90 degrees means sideways to net/service line/baseline and as you said 45 degrees in relation to service line is what he is saying at 2:30 mark or so of the video. Hope that helps.

[@eduardomt3823]

@@topspin1715 I´d say, using your reference, that Pete stays almost 180 degrees fro service line! Is that correct?

[@topspin1715]

@@eduardomt3823 hahahah well his back does turn parallel to baseline while facing the net.

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Hi Greg, At contact the torso should be at a 45 degree angle to either the baseline or net. Let me know if you have additional questions. Thanks, John

[@bournejason66]

I think the confusion might be that you started with 45 degrees but then at contact it’s still 45 degree? Note the initial 45 degree is with your non-dominant shoulder in front while at contact, it’s your hitting shoulder in front. So the body rotation is there but torso is not entirely facing the net in parallel at contact. John, am I correct?

[@jerome_morrow]

Exactly. What is your X factor?

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

My specialty is serve development. Best, John

[@jerome_morrow]

@@PerformancePlusTennis That’s great to know! Excellent video lesson, by the way. I was being a little obtuse with my “X-factor” reference. It’s a biomechanical concept in golf where the greater the differential between hip and shoulder rotation, the greater the pre-stretch lag at transition from backswing to downswing, and therefore greater clubhead speed to impact. This principle is similar to the modern approach of hitting open stance on the forehand. It should also stand to reason that on serve, the feet would be better off not being aligned closed off to the path of the serve. Becker demonstrated this best of all with neutral feet alignment combined with a huge shoulder turn (high X-factor). However, Sampras and Federer used a closed alignment with their feet for their platform technique, yet generated enormous racquet head speed effortlessly. I don’t know if this concept has ever been explored with tennis serve biomechanics.

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Hi Jerome, Thanks for your explanation. I completely understand the concept and how it functions in both golf and the forehand. Regarding the serve: The idea of having a twist effect between the lower body and upper body is more difficult because you need to create shoulder over shoulder action and create power over your head. The X factor (as you describe) doesn't work well on the serve. Best, John @@jerome_morrow

[@jerome_morrow]

@@PerformancePlusTennis Thank you for taking the time to reply. Good point about the over the shoulder action on serve. Best wishes.

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Thanks Jerome! Best, John @@jerome_morrow

[@grantchen2324]

you know its serious when Jason Bourne asks you a question

[@PerformancePlusTennis]

Yeah, haha!

[@paolomontemurro2569]

Turn around on the way out , as a consequence