The trophy position in the tennis serve
Checkpoint 3 of 9 Measured by Serve Scan
The trophy position is the moment before the swing when your hitting elbow sets up the throw: level with or just below your shoulder, racket tip up, edge facing the side fence.
At the trophy your hitting elbow sets up the throw. Level with or slightly below your shoulder, it lets the racket drop behind you and accelerate up to the ball. Too low, and you push the ball with a flat racket. Too high, and your shoulder locks.
What good looks like
- Elbow about shoulder height, racket tip pointing up
- Forearm roughly upright, hitting hand relaxed
- Racket edge facing the side fence, not the sky
Common faults
- Elbow hanging low by your side
- Racket face pointing at the sky, like a waiter carrying a tray
- Elbow jammed up above your head
Drills to fix your trophy position
- 1
Trophy freeze
Go into your trophy position and freeze for 2 seconds in front of a mirror or window. Check your hitting elbow is level with your shoulder and the racket edge faces the side fence.
3 sets of 8, then 5 slow serves with the same pause
- 2
Start from the trophy
Set up already in the trophy position: elbow at shoulder height, racket tip up. Toss from there and serve. Skipping the take-back lets you feel the right position every time.
3 sets of 8 serves
- 3
Overhead throw
From the trophy position, throw an old ball high over the net or a high fence, like a pitcher throwing upward. Your elbow should lead up from shoulder height.
3 sets of 8
What your body is doing
Deltoid and rotator cuff set the hitting arm, with the elbow about shoulder height.
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.
Is your trophy position right?
Film one serve on your phone. Serve Scan tracks your body, scores your trophy position and the rest of your serve out of 100, and shows where it leaks power. Free, and your video stays on your phone.
Questions
What is the trophy position in a tennis serve?
The trophy position is the moment before the swing when your hitting elbow sets up the throw: level with or just below your shoulder, racket tip up, edge facing the side fence.
What are the most common trophy position mistakes?
Elbow hanging low by your side. Racket face pointing at the sky, like a waiter carrying a tray. Elbow jammed up above your head.
How can I check my trophy position?
Film one serve side-on with your phone at hip height and your whole body in frame, then run it through Serve Scan. It measures your trophy position with body tracking and scores it, free.
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.