Return of Serve Summary

Let’s now talk about the return of serve from start to finish. At the beginning of my opponent’s service motion, I’m in the ready position. As he winds up to serve, I take one step forward into the tennis court and then hit my split step. I’m timing the split step so that I am just leaving the ground or already in midair when my opponent makes contact with the tennis ball.

Once I hit my split step, I step out with my outside foot and begin to close diagonally on the serve. At the same time, my shoulders turn sideways and I take my racket back, but not as far as I would on a normal groundstroke. From this position, I’m ready to swing to the tennis ball.

I swing to the ball by stepping across my body with my inside foot. My weight is still coming forward because I am still continuing to close on the ball. At the same time I step into a closed stance, I swing to the tennis ball with my racket and make contact out in front of my body. I then follow through around to the other side of my body, and that is the completion of my service return motion.