Pro Tip: Return of Serve
We’re delighted to “serve up” this pro tip from former National Women’s Team Coach, Melanie Jans!
Pro Tip: Return of Serve
We’ve all been there. Our opponent hits a really nice, high, wide serve and moves confidently towards the T. Many of us have a tendency to go into panic mode: “Oh crap, I hate these kinds of serves!” Fear takes over and suddenly our brains turn into mush. Badly wanting the moment to be over, we raise our racquets up high in a desperate attempt to swat at the ball (some of us may even close our eyes). Hard to imagine a little black ball can have that effect on us. Fear no more!Here are some simple steps to practice, along with a video of a quick demo courtesy of former T&D player, 4-time National Champ, Pan Am Gold Medallist, former National Women’s Team Coach, and current High Performance and Competitive Stream Coach at Club Meadowvale, Melanie Jans.
Goal: Return of Serve
Return of a high, wide, deep serve, straight down the wall to the back of the court on the backhand side.
- Step 1. Stay calm!
- Step 2. Turn the body to face the side wall and have your racquet back and low.
- Step 3. WAIT for the ball to hit the side wall and come out, away from the wall.
- Step 4. Swing from low to high, making contact with the ball around chest or belly height.
Result: High, Tight Drive
A high, tight drive that lands at the back of the court, allowing you to take the T and move your opponent deep into the backhand corner, right from the get go. It won’t happen overnight though. It takes practice and your progress can be accelerated with lessons from your Club Pro!