The tennis serve toss: placement and height
Checkpoint 1 of 9 Rated by Pavel
A good serve toss peaks in the same place every time: slightly in front of you and to your hitting side, just above your full reach.
A toss that peaks in the same place every time, slightly in front and to your hitting side, just above your full reach, lets you swing freely. A toss that drifts makes you chase it.
Drills to fix your toss placement and height
- 1
Racket target
Lay your racket on the ground in front of your front foot, toward your hitting side. Toss without swinging and let the ball drop: it should land on the strings.
3 sets of 10 tosses
- 2
Hit at the peak
Toss just above your full reach and hit the ball as it stops at the top. If you wait for it to fall, the toss is too high; if you are rushing, it is too low.
3 sets of 8 serves
What your body is doing
The shoulder (deltoid) lifts the arm smoothly. The wrist stays firm and the rest of the body stays quiet.
Watch Pavel explain it
Plays from YouTube.
How to practise it
- Watch the video first. Then copy the drills slowly, without a ball.
- Practise little and often. Five to ten minutes before each session, for two weeks.
- Add the ball at half pace. Keep the feeling for 10 to 20 serves before you build up speed.
- Check your progress. After two weeks, film one serve side-on and scan it again to compare.
Check the rest of your serve
Film one serve on your phone. Serve Scan tracks your body, scores your serve out of 100 and shows where it leaks power. Your toss placement and height is one Pavel judges by eye, and your report shows how to get it checked on the same video. Free, and your video stays on your phone.
Questions
What is a good serve toss?
A good serve toss peaks in the same place every time: slightly in front of you and to your hitting side, just above your full reach.
How can I check my toss placement and height?
This one is hard for a camera to judge, so it isn’t in the automatic score. Film one serve side-on and run it through the free Serve Scan: your report shows how to get it checked by Pavel on the same video.
How long does it take to improve?
Practise little and often. Five to ten minutes before each session, for two weeks. Check your progress. After two weeks, film one serve side-on and scan it again to compare.