Some gamers are so good at serving that it could actually turn out to be a weak point.
“Huh? That is unnecessary, Tom. How can robust serves be a weak point? You’re speaking nonsense, man.”
Effectively, let me elaborate. That is what usually occurs at decrease ranges…
A participant will develop some robust, spinny serves. His opponents don’t have the receiving abilities to return lots of the serves. He wins many factors outright together with his serve.
He serves. His opponent misses. Level.
He serves once more. His opponent misses. One other level.
Taking part in at a decrease degree, the robust server can win 5 or 6 factors straight from his serve, each sport he performs. On this state of affairs it turns into very tempting for the robust server to develop the behavior of anticipating his opponent to overlook when he serves. The participant serves with the purpose of successful the purpose immediately. He serves. He watches. His opponent misses. Job carried out.
These robust serves are a giant, large benefit on the decrease degree. The robust server can win a variety of matches by means of the standard of his serves alone.
However issues come up when the robust server faces larger ranked gamers – gamers who’re able to returning his robust serves. By creating a behavior of anticipating his opponent to overlook, the robust server has not developed the required restoration abilities after the serve. Now his large energy turns into a giant weak point.
He serves. His opponent returns. He hasn’t recovered correctly after the serve and isn’t in place to assault, so performs a passive shot, giving all of the benefit to his opponent. He loses the purpose. This occurs repeatedly. He loses the match, shaking his head, complaining that his serves weren’t good at this time.
Sound acquainted? It might do. There are such a lot of gamers I’ve helped in teaching periods with this actual downside – what I name the curse of the robust server.
Breaking the curse
So what’s the answer? Get extra spin? Get extra disguise? Be taught new serves? Effectively possibly it will aid you develop even higher serves. However what is actually wanted is an entire change of mindset. Once you play at the next degree, increasingly of your serves will probably be returned, regardless of how wonderful your serves are. It is because gamers are equally as expert at returning serves.
As an alternative of anticipating (or hoping!) your opponent will miss your serve, change your mindset so that you just anticipate your opponent will certainly have the ability to return your serve. This modifications every part. Once you begin to anticipate your opponent to return your serve, you start to develop the next three abilities…
- An understanding of how every serve is more likely to returned
- Your ideally suited restoration place after the serve
- The flexibility to execute robust third ball assaults
Once you develop these abilities, the aim of your serves will begin to change. As an alternative of serving with the purpose of successful the purpose outright, you serve with the aim of getting a predictable return of serve, so you possibly can dominate with a powerful third ball assault. In case your opponent occurs to overlook your serve anyway, that’s a bonus.
This doesn’t imply that it’s best to do extra easy serves. Do the very best quality serves you are able to do, simply anticipate your opponent to have the ability to return them. This forces you to make a fast restoration after the serve, observe your opponent’s shot and transfer to play a constructive third ball.
Then you should have a extra full service sport. You continue to have robust serves, however you may as well dominate when your opponent is ready to return your serves. You’ll now not suffer from the curse of the robust server.
Right here’s three movies of this subject, which you will discover helpful…