Unreturnable Serves: 5 tips to out serve your opponent

[@douglas_van_der_merwe]

Amazing serve tips! I believe most recreational players don't spend time on the serve. I spent a lot of time practicing, learning, watching video then back to practicing the serve. Today I have a reliable second serve that frees up my first serve exploration. Amazing tips! Thanks.

[@speedypete4987]

Great lesson beautifully executed. You are a great teacher and there are many life lessons here for those who can transfer the wisdom to other contexts and situations.

[@SummitSeeker546]

Spot on discussion! I had a coach early on in my youth that had me focus on my second serve. He had me hit it aggressively with the goal of getting as much top/sidespin as possible and deep. I love my 2nd serves; total confidence in getting it in. Only thru practice and the proper mindset can you view your 2nd serve as a weapon. Yes, weapon!

[@willmurphy6663]

Brilliant, thanks What serve can you do min 50% Work on second serve 1st if weak Go to your favourite best serves 1st Use 80% rule for variation from favourites If things are tight: mix it up on pace, spin and placement...dont let them get into a rhythm. He favours a throw just above the racket for ease of timing. And practice just hand and arm for accuracy and feel....

[@steveodog47]

Our philosophy as high school coaches is very similar if not identical to Coach Stokke. We ‘preach working on your second serve first because if you know you have a reliable second serve, you can do more things with your first serve, take more chances, go for more, etc..

[@goldencalf5144]

I can vouch for the lower toss. It was suggested to me by my opponent in a match. I was losing at the time, but the lower toss instantly improved my serve and I ended up winning the match.

[@steveodog47]

I got to speak to the great Rod Laver once at a clinic. He said, just as Coach Stokke did, you can’t have a great serve without a great toss. I’ve never forgotten that nugget.

[@EdmonBegoli]

@StokkeTennis - outstanding video for USTA players. Could you record some videos on how you serve now and what would you recommend as 1st/2nd serves now. Your slice serves look great. I am slightly older USTA 3.5/4.0 player and your tips from your current level and fitness are super-helpful.

[@StokkeTennis]

Thanks for the idea!

[@walterhayley7252]

Nice lesson. Full of detail. I'm 6'5" and my toss is lower than many of the folks with whom I play (and more accurate too, as is my serve location). I am really looking forward to trying the "service line serve practice". Thank you!

[@vrnvorona]

To be fair, accuracy comes not only from toss but from height in itself as well.

[@nutsforyouofficial6567]

The slow server - that's me 😀Still working on improving my serves. As always, thanks for the valuable lessons Jonathan!

[@francinedumont619]

Great content, great tips, as always! Thanks!

[@ashleymacinnesHSL]

Thanks for this video! I was totally waiting for this one and it exactly addressed the issues I was facing.

[@nikolasb5111]

Dude, you're a genius!! I'm going to watch a few times!!

[@propgee]

Great one here Stokke

[@StokkeTennis]

Thank you!

[@lyndseyandandrew5771]

Can you make a video on where to stand on doubles serves, and where you'd move after the serve, in various scenarios? Thanks!

[@StokkeTennis]

@@lyndseyandandrew5771 I can!

[@nx2269]

How does this channel only have 11k followers?? This is great content delivered well.

[@StokkeTennis]

Tell me what I need to do to get the information out there!

[@elanstewart5459]

I agree 100%! By far my favourite (and only) online coach!

[@StokkeTennis]

@@elanstewart5459 thank you!!

[@eddies.j.2075]

⁠​⁠​⁠@@StokkeTennishey! I love your content. It’s very informational, and very relevant to my level. I think people love attention grabbing content like shorts and such, especially if they are trendy. Maybe try some trends just to get the word out (that you’re a great coach)? I also believe you have super nuanced information that beginners just wouldn’t grasp as well as a better player. Maybe dumbing it down for beginners? Also maybe edits with big words. There are plenty of editors who could spice up and create attention grabbing content as well. Not to say my attention isn’t grabbed, because you are a great speaker. I just think people like visual examples, rather than just a video of you standing and preaching. Just my thoughts after watching a lot of your content, and listening to your podcasts! All love.

[@steveodog47]

Love the tactics!

[@K4R3N]

Great lesson. I use a lot of variety to get easy +1's or S&V and hold serve

[@StokkeTennis]

@@K4R3N two ball patterns!

[@K4R3N]

@StokkeTennis yes, I was teaching my son (15y) serve+1 and S&V, he's 6' tall and athletic and has a strong body serve and we're working on his kick. Once we dial in these serves he's gonna be hard to break

[@AlonParis22]

Practical and easy to apply. Thanks for that. What about the usefulness of testing body serves to backhand or forehand side?

[@StokkeTennis]

@@AlonParis22 absolutely a good play

[@innoasuncion7628]

this is such high quality content lol

[@JohnFaalogo-j2t]

Add this to my game.makes sense Awesome

[@thomasward8894]

Obviously aces are great but serving to get the return you want is so underrated… if you can serve and get a predictable return it’s very easy to hold serve!

[@StokkeTennis]

@@thomasward8894 aces are also tough to get and rely on

[@jchan810]

You can hold serve easily without hitting a single ace in a match

[@NamesAreRandom]

I think weaker players are too focused on trying to hit small targets (wide or tee) or just hit with as much pace as possible. My experience is better to aim for big targets (i.e body) at moderate pace but try to build variety (flat/slice/topspin) instead. The variety means they are still fairly effective and it teaches you to serve different serves. Once you have some consistency hitting the body then you can pick one style and one smaller target (e.g. wide slice) and add that in, slowly building up until you have one way of hitting wide/tee on each side to mix in with the body serves, which you should also be able to start to use as a second serve.

[@StokkeTennis]

Absolutely agree

[@propgee]

Body forever. Highest percentage serve😂

[@dennisfois8414]

Great video - I’ll give the lower toss a try. I always thought that the higher toss would help with some more time to load the legs

[@StokkeTennis]

@@dennisfois8414 think of dunking a basketball…they don’t stay in that load position very long…

[@dennisfois8414]

@ Love that mental image - thank you!

[@NickNeras]

Great stuff Thank you

[@StokkeTennis]

@@NickNeras of course!

[@K4R3N]

Lower toss FTW, I'll try that half serve drill. I can hit locations but not consistent enough.

[@elanstewart5459]

Love your content and how it's delivered. I WILL attend one of your camps. I can't go in 2025 but 2026 I will find a way!

[@StokkeTennis]

Looking forward to meeting and coaching you!

[@JV-py3lg]

Need to be 9/10 for second if not 10/10

[@nascentnaga]

federico delbonis has entered the chat

[@StokkeTennis]

@@nascentnaga you can serve with tons of different techniques, but some ways are much easier than others

[@nascentnaga]

@@StokkeTennis I like the short serve box practice tip. I'll have to fold that into my warm up. You elucidate something I've thought about which is the risk dial point by point. Ie when to go for risk on serve