Go to header Skip to main content Go to footer
Tennis technique
tennis cote d'azur adult training course service

Tennis serve: the “armed” position

The “armed” position for the serve is a very important moment in the overall movement of the serve. Depending on the technical quality developed at this moment, the conditions for the effectiveness of the strike and the shot will be influenced to a greater or lesser extent.
Below, we will describe the main elements that give the serve an effective base. However, this is only a basis. The perceptive aspects that influence the quality of the timing and the activation of the various muscular forces and actions belong to the knowledge, training and individual expertise of each player. Take advantage of tailor-made training at the Mouratoglou Academy.

First service clay tennis

Factors to be taken into account

  • The position of the throwing arm (left in the case of right-handed analysis, right in the case of left-handed analysis).
  • The position of the head
  • Elbow position
  • Shoulder and hip alignment
  • The position of the forearm and racket
  • Initiation of flexion
  • Support relay

  • Left arm extended and bent forward

    To guide the ball forward and inside the court, the left arm must be extended to the fingertips. This action should provide adequate height. It should also be angled forward to give sufficient depth to the shot. This will put the player in a position to impact with his body weight, while also transferring the power generated by the extension and thrust of the legs.

  • The head looks towards the future point of impact

    As the arm rises to deposit the ball at the right height and in the right direction, the head tilts backwards. This allows the eyes to focus on the future impact. This head position is maintained until the moment when, at the end of the stroke, the shoulder pivots forward to accompany the ball towards the chosen target and then drops back to look forward. In this way, the player prepares to take information from the opponent’s return.

  • A straight elbow position in line with the shoulder line

    As the left arm is raised and stretched forward, the shoulders naturally tilt (at an angle of around 40-45° to the ground). The elbow should then be positioned at a height that allows it to align with the shoulders. The elbow can be pulled back slightly to open the right pectoral more. This will increase the plyometric return and increase the speed of the release, optimising the acceleration phase of the strike.

  • Shoulder and hip alignment

    In addition to the alignment of the elbow with the shoulders, we also observe that the hip line (pelvis) is also aligned with the shoulders. Depending on the flexibility of the player’s joints, the shoulders may rotate even more in relation to the hip line. This additional dissociation will increase power by increasing the momentum of the arm/racket pair.

  • A vertical position of the forearm and racket

    In preparation for the back loop, which we know increases the dynamic acceleration (momentum), the racquet must be lowered to its full height and weight. The position at the start of this loop is the end of the army, so the forearm, and therefore the snowshoe in its extension, should be vertical to optimise the effect of gravity. The racket can be tilted slightly forward.

  • Triggering bending of the legs

    In the army, the flexion of the legs has just been triggered. This flexion tilts the whole body forward. So, when the strike is launched, the whole body is propelled by the legs. It will then move upwards and forwards, allowing the racket to impact the ball forwards with all its speed, and will simultaneously accompany it with its weight and the inertia generated by the extension of the legs.

  • The support relay

    To make bending easier, the back support is brought closer to the front support so that it can take over the bending effort. Depending on the player, it supports the weight of the body to a greater or lesser extent in the double action of bending and stretching.

Conclusion

To conclude, after a detailed description of the various elements involved in this “armed” position. We can certainly point out that this position requires a great deal of complex intersegmental coordination. Being able to perform some or all of these elements can only be acquired through years of practice. Reaching such a high level of expertise at this point in the game should enable you to finish the move efficiently. However, at this other moment in the movement, many other difficulties and technical constraints could affect the final result. The armed position is only one piece of the jigsaw.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

  • To serve well in tennis when you’re small:

    • Exploit your legs: Use explosiveness to compensate for height, generating power with a good jump at the moment of hitting.
    • Throw the ball forward: This maximises contact height for a deeper, more powerful serve.
    • Add spin: A slice or kick serve disturbs the opponent and compensates for the raw power.
    • Aim for precision: Target the corners of the service box to limit the return options.

    These adjustments will help make your serve more effective.

  • The main types of serve in tennis include :

    1. The flat serve: A spinless serve where the ball is hit in a direct manner. It is powerful and fast, ideal for surprising the opponent with a direct and fast trajectory, but less precise.
    2. Lifts (or kicks): This serve uses a lifted spin, giving the ball a higher trajectory and a high bounce. It’s very effective at unsettling your opponent, especially on clay courts.
    3. The slice: By hitting the ball in such a way as to create sideways spin, this serve creates a curved trajectory that deflects outwards. It’s ideal for unsettling opponents by pulling them away from the court.
    4. Spoon: Although less common, this serve involves hitting the ball from underneath. It is often used in surprise situations to destabilise an opponent who stays too far back on the return.
       

    Each type of serve is used according to the strategy, surface and strengths of each player.

Discover our courses

Where would you like to go?

France

Mouratoglou Academy, Biot, French Riviera, France

académie de tennis mouratoglou infrastructure vue aerienne drone

  • USA

  • EUROPE

  • ASIA

  • MIDDLE-EAST

Who would you like to contact?

FRANCE

Mouratoglou Academy, Biot, French Riviera, FRANCE

académie de tennis mouratoglou infrastructure vue aerienne drone

  • USA

  • EUROPE

  • ASIA

  • MIDDLE EAST