A Performance Evaluation of the Tennis Serve: Implications for Strength, Speed, Power, and Flexibility Training

THE TENNIS SERVE IS THE MOST POWERFUL AND POTENTIALLY DOMINANT SHOT IN TENNIS, YET VERY FEW PLAYERS PERFORM THIS WITH MAXIMUM VELOCITY, POWER, OR SPIN ON A CONSISTENT BASIS. THIS ARTICLE WILL DISCUSS 3 PHASES AND 8 STAGES OF THE TENNIS SERVE WITH HIGHLIGHTED EVALUATION MARKERS THAT CAN AID THE COACH OR TRAINER IN DEVELOPING TRAINING PROGRAMS WITH SPECIFIC EXERCISES AND DRILLS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE ATHLETE'S TENNIS SERVE. THE 8 STAGES ARE THE (A) START, (B) RELEASE, (C) LOADING, (D) COCKING, (E) ACCELERATION, (F) CONTACT, (G) DECELERATION, AND (H) FINISH. THIS ARTICLE WILL HIGHLIGHT COMMON FLAWS IN TECHNIQUE AND PROVIDE SUGGESTED EXERCISES AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE THE RELIABILITY, VELOCITY, AND SPIN OF THE SERVE.