Being able to hold ones serve is very ingredient to becoming a great tennis player. There are a few factors that will increase your chances of holding serve even without a powerful serve.
First off, we would like to get at least 60% of our 1st serves in. When we continue to put the 1st serve into play we are putting pressure on our opponents. If we are constantly having to hit 2nd serves in or lose the point we are putting that same pressure on ourselves. So a consistent 1st serve with good pace and placement is a must.
Second, we would like to place the ball in the service court. This means we consistently hit serves that land in one of three (3) places. In the deuce court we can serve the ball out wide, pulling our opponent off the court and opening up the court for our return. We can also serve down the middle at the T. This serve is good because it is hit at most opponents weaker side, the backhand for right-handers. This area is also good because it doesnt allow for much angle to hit winners with. The last serve is into the body. A serve that is placed down the middle of the service box will hopefully to produce a weak return that will allow us to end the point with a winner.
The third and final element is ball speed. Ball speed in this case refers to spin. The amount of spin a ball has directly affects its speed. Hitting a serve with spin will help keep the ball in place and allow for a faster swing. Hitting a ball flat with no spin should be used for the most power but it also creates more faults. Although spin slows a ball down, it allows us to hit a hard serve and use the spin to control the placement.
Using these three elements of a serve at the proper time is important. Changing up the spin and placement on our serves will keep your opponent off balanced. Try hitting a 1st serve with 2nd serve power & spin or try hitting your 2nd serve with more power than your 1st. That should throw your opponent off guard. So when you're trying to win those close matches, having a reliable serve thats well place should allow you to hold serve more.
Doug Hofer, USPTA October 14, 2005
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