Tennis - The service game in tennis

The tennis sevice is the act of putting the ball in play. The old idea was that the tennis service should never be more than merely the beginning of a rally. When American tennis players Dwight Davis and Holcombe Ward came on the scene the service took on a whole new significance. These two men originated what is now known as the American Twist delivery.

The serve went from a mere formality to an overpowering point winner. The serve slowly gained in importance until Maurice E. M'Loughlin the "California Comet," burst on the tennis scene with the first of the cannon-ball tennis service deliveries that revolutionized the game. This type serve caused some of the old-school players to call for a severe footfault rule or some way of stopping the threatened destruction of all ground strokes.

The cannon shot serve became a dominating factor in the game until R. N. Williams came along and started taking the delivery on the rising bound.

A good tennis service game must include speed, accuracy, reliability, and a varied strategy. Some form of twist will help prevent the easy kill by bring the ball into court with sufficient speed and accuracy. It is also important that it be placed so as to allow the server an advantage for his next return if the receiver puts the ball in play.

Service should be hit from as high a point as the server can comfortably reach. To stretch unnecessarily causes both wear and tear on the body and produce unpredictable results. Varied pace and speed along with accuracy are the keys to a good service. Be carefull not to footfault during the serve. A footfault is the crossing or touching the line with either foot before the ball is delivered.

The slice service should be hit from a point above the right shoulder and as high as possible. The server should stand at about a forty-five degree angle to the baseline with both feet firmly planted on the ground. Drop the weight back on the right foot and swing the racquet freely and easily behind the back. Toss the ball high enough into the air to ensure it passing through the desired hitting plane and then start a slow shift of the weight forward. At the same time increase the power of the swing forward as the racquet begins its upward flight to the ball. Just as the ball meets the racquet face the weight should be thrown forward and the full power of the swing carried into the tennis service.

Let the ball strike the racquet inside the face of the strings with the racquet travelling directly towards the court. The angle of the racquet face will provide the twist necessary to bring the ball in court. If necessary lift the right foot and swing the whole body forward with the arm. Twist slightly to the right using the left foot as a pivot. The general line of the racquet swing is from right to left and always forward.

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