How to Serve in Tennis: Technique, Stance, and Tips

Ask most club players what breaks down first under pressure and they’ll say the serve. It’s the one shot you control entirely on your own, no opponent to react to, and yet it’s usually the least reliable part of an amateur’s game. The fix is almost always the same two things: a toss that lands in the same spot every time, and a swing that goes up and out instead of down.

The Basics: What the Rules Require

Each point starts with a serve from behind the baseline. The server stands to the right of the center mark for the first point, alternating between the ad and deuce sides after that, tosses the ball, and strikes it before it bounces. The ball has to clear the net and land inside the opponent’s service box. You get two tries; miss both and it’s a double fault, point to the receiver.

Step 1 — Stance and Starting Position

Stand sideways to the net (for a platform stance) or at roughly 45° (for a pinpoint stance). Your front foot points toward the right net post (right-handed player); your back foot runs roughly parallel to the baseline. Weight starts on the back foot.

Stance	Description	Best for
Platform	Feet stay shoulder-width apart throughout	Stability, beginners
Pinpoint	Back foot slides forward to meet front foot at trophy pose	Extra leg drive, advanced players

Step 2 — The Grip

Use the continental grip. To find it, place your palm on the edge (bevel #2 on a standard grip), as if chopping with the side of your hand. This grip lets you pronate for a flat serve, add sidespin for a slice, or brush up for a kick serve, all without changing your hand position.

Avoid the “frying pan” grip, palm flat behind the handle. It blocks wrist action and produces weak, flat serves with no margin for error.

Step 3 — The Toss

Of everything covered here, the toss matters most.

• Hold the ball in your fingertips, not your palm.
• Lift your tossing arm straight up (do not flick or spin the ball).
• Release the ball around eye level.
• Target: slightly in front of your lead shoulder and a few inches inside the baseline.

Practice the toss alone: toss, let the ball drop, and see where it lands. Aim for the same spot every time.

Step 4 — The Loading Phase (Trophy Pose)

As your toss arm rises, your racket arm bends, bringing the racket behind your head into the “trophy pose”: racket pointing skyward, elbow around shoulder height. Your knees bend to load power from your legs.

Step 5 — The Swing and Contact

Drive upward with your legs, extend your tossing arm (it naturally lowers as you reach up with the racket), and swing the racket toward the ball at maximum arm extension. Contact should happen above and slightly in front of your head.

At contact:

• Pronate your forearm (rotate the racket face from its edge to facing the net) to drive the flat serve.
• Brush up and across for a kick serve.
• Swing outward and pronate for a slice serve.

Step 6 — The Follow-Through

After contact, let the swing carry the racket down and across your body to the opposite hip. Your weight naturally transfers onto your front foot as you step into the court.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake	Fix
Tossing behind your head	Toss in front of the lead shoulder
Arm-only swing (no leg drive)	Bend knees and push upward
Hitting down instead of up-and-out	Focus on contact at maximum height
Using the wrong grip	Switch to continental. It feels awkward at first, but it unlocks spin and power

Practice Routine for Beginners

1. Toss-only drill: 20 tosses, catching the ball at the apex.
2. Serve from the service line (halved distance) until 7 out of 10 land in.
3. Move to the baseline and repeat.
4. Film yourself from the side to check toss placement and trophy pose.