Patterns and strategy · 4 min read
Serve + 1: the first two shots
Plan the serve and the next shot together. Most amateur points are decided in the first 4 shots.
Basic patterns
- Wide serve → forehand into the open court.
- Body serve → inside-out forehand (from the backhand side) to the opponent’s backhand.
- Serve down the T → ball back to the side the return came from (wrong-foot).
- Kick second serve to the backhand → first shot deep to the middle and build.
Key
Move your serve around: you don’t need power for your opponent not to know where it’s going. Place and mix it.
To review after the match
In the app, when you mark that your opponent was “Great returner”, we ask whether you tried:
- I moved my serve around (wide, body, T)
- I made lots of first serves with spin
- I set up the second shot (serve + 1)
To practice on court
Serve + 1 with targets
Serve to a chosen zone and the first shot must go to the pattern’s zone. Count hits out of 10.
Goal: Automating patterns.
Solo placement
Set 3 targets (cans or cones) in the service box and hit 10 serves at each.
Goal: Serve accuracy.
Fitness that helps
- Ball slamRaise the ball overhead and slam it hard into the floor.
- 90/90 external rotationArm out to the side and elbow at 90°: rotate the forearm from down to up (serve position).
- Half-kneeling shoulder pressOne-arm overhead press with one knee down to stabilize the trunk.
Winning Ugly, introduction: “practice serve placement first”.