Service return stroke: Techniques to improve your return

The return shot immediately puts you in an offensive or defensive position, depending on your ability to manage the opponent’s serve. A good return shot can :

• Break your opponent’s rhythm: A powerful, well-placed return disrupts the server’s strategy.
• Put your opponent under pressure: By returning a good serve quickly, you force your opponent to play defensively from the start of the rally.
• Regain control of the point: A good return can immediately reverse the advantage your opponent is trying to gain with his serve.

Back to a lifted serve

The lifted serve produces a ball that bounces high. Here’s how to counter it effectively:

• Grip: To respond to a lifted serve, use a more closed grip (semi-open or closed) to hit the ball on the way up.
• Timing: Hit the ball at the top of the bounce to avoid being thrown off balance by the height. This allows you to take the initiative by hitting the ball with control and power.
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Return on a slice serve

The slice serve deflects the ball sideways and can be surprising if you don’t anticipate the curved trajectory:

• Anticipatory positioning: Stand slightly closer to the side where you expect the serve to be sliced.
• Cross-hitting: Use the sliced trajectory of the ball to hit a cross-court return. This allows you to destabilise your opponent by exploiting the angles of the court.
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Returning a flat serve

The flat serve is often the quickest and requires an immediate reaction:

• More open grip: A continental or semi-open grip allows you to better control returns on a fast serve.
• Quick game: Against a flat serve, you need to keep your return simple and quick, relying on the speed of the serve to redirect the ball effectively.

Waiting too long before hitting the ball

One of the most common mistakes when returning a serve is not hitting the ball early enough:

• Mistake: Waiting for the ball to come too close to your body, which limits the power and control of the return.
• Solution: Hit the ball in front of you as soon as possible to maximise accuracy and speed.

Lack of physical preparation

Not being physically ready when you serve can greatly affect your return:

• Mistake: Remaining too static or poorly positioned before your opponent’s serve.
• Solution: Always keep an active posture and be ready to move with small steps before the serve is hit.

Attempting returns that are too risky

Trying to hit winning shots on every return can lead to mistakes:

• Mistake: Taking too many risks by trying to hit winning returns on every serve.
• Solution: Concentrate on consistency and precision, especially on the first few returns. Only try to go on the offensive when you’re in a good position.