Return of Serve, part 2
by Scott Murphy
Read on to find out how
“making ‘em pay” worked for me.
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At the conclusion of
part one on the return, your opponent
was ready to hit the serve and you were moving forward into a split step.
Now it’s time to swing. But how?
This depends on several variables: whether it’s a first or second serve
(because the speed, spin, and placement will vary accordingly); whether
you’re hitting a forehand or backhand; or whether the server is coming in
or staying back.
But let’s start with one good, age old thought: “When it’s a first serve
you want to make ‘em play. On the second serve you want to make ‘em pay!”
Grips
The grip you use when you
actually hit the return depends on the kind of shot you’re attempting. If
you’re chipping, slicing, or blocking the return on either side, the best
grip is the continental. These returns are more like half volleys so it
makes sense to use the ultimate volley-oriented grip. As always, the big
bonus with the continental - you don’t have to change grips to hit off
either side.
I can chip off either side using the continental without a grip
change.
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You can also use a mild eastern
grip on either side, but unless you start with the one on the side where
you actually hit the return, you’ll have to make a grip change.
Chip returns are generally used to save time, especially on the first
serve. For example, when you’re up against a server hitting with a great
deal of pace and or the ability to keep you off balance by mixing up
placement. Or when you’re chipping and then charging the net. They’re also
effective when trying to put the ball at the feet of a serve and volleyer.
If you want to drive the ball
with more topspin, on the forehand, use the eastern or semi-western
forehand grip. For a one-hander, it’s the eastern backhand.
Two handed backhanders tend to hit the topspin return more often,
regardless of whether it’s a first or second serve. A one-hander will use
topspin more on second serves. The reason, as mentioned in part one, is
that the one hander, unless he guesses right, will have to change grips.
On second serves there’s usually more time to do that.
Coming out of the split step
be upright with your head still.
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Two-handers don’t have to change. Still, if a two hander gets a backhand
and was waiting with a semi-western grip on the forehand side, it’s better
to rotate that semi-western to at least an eastern forehand if not a
continental. The reason? Better leverage and arm extension. But again,
it’s not a pre-requite to make the return.The Constants
What are the constants
regardless of the type of swing? First of all, out of the split step your
posture should be upright with the back and shoulders relatively straight.
This will help you keep your head still so you can better follow the
flight of the ball. Your stance should be wide with your knees bent so you
can generate energy from the ground for a quick first step. Stay down!
Keeping your center of gravity low helps maintain balance throughout.
A short backswing is a must, regardless of the kind of return you’re
hitting. This refers not only to how far back you take the racquet, but
also the overall size of the backswing. Watch a pro who generally hits one
or both of their groundstrokes with a fairly sizeable loop, you’ll notice,
when it comes to returning serve, the size of the loop is much less.
Sometimes the backswing is virtually straight back.
The key to compact preparation, whether forehand or backhand, is a quick
turn of the front shoulder. The non racquet hand virtually "pulls" the
racquet back on the backhand and "pushes" it across on the forehand to
facilitate the turn of
the front shoulder. In addition to the shoulders, this quick move will
pull the trunk and hips into a “loaded” position from which you can handle
and generate power with a short backswing.
To further assist in economizing the backswing, I will often pantomime the
backswing I want just before my opponent serves. As I do this, I keep my
hitting hand on a plane equal to hip pocket level on both sides. This acts
as a quick pre-serve reminder to avoid my natural tendency to loop too
much.
The image of having a wall behind you can be effective in shortening the
backswing. To enhance this have someone hit serves to you while you
literally stand just far enough away from the fence so that if your
backswing is too great you’ll hit the fence.
The server will need to move up
on their side of the court the equivalent distance you’ve moved back to
the fence. In addition, having someone serve to you from their service
line while you stand where you usually would is a great way work on
shortening up your return.
There’s one other drill I do with my students that incorporates all
aspects of the return up until the end of the backswing. As I serve, they
attempt to read where the ball is going as fast as possible, and stop at
what would be their “loaded position.” The emphasis here is on seeing the
ball as early as possible, which prevents guessing, plus, they have to
replicate the loading movement that insures better timing.
Pantomime a compact return backswing before your opponent serves.
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Roll of the Non-racquet Arm
Now let’s take a look at the individual strokes starting with the
forehand. A very important key to early preparation involves the use of
the non-racquet arm. As the upper body turns, the non-racquet arm comes
across the body to facilitate the turn of the front shoulder and helps
store energy in the shoulder and back muscles.
The non-racquet arm also works as a measuring stick to determine your
lateral distance from the ball. When you reach arm’s length across the
body, if you could catch the serve with that hand you’d be in perfect
position to hit the ball, laterally speaking. If the ball gets inside that
outstretched arm you’ll be crowded.
If you’re hitting a chip or what I call a volley-oriented forehand the
distance the arm moves across will be somewhat less, because, as a rule,
the shoulder rotation on a volley is less than on a groundstroke.
Catch the ball with the
non-racquet arm and you’re in perfect position.
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When the non-racquet arm releases to begin the body’s unloading it should
stay on more or less the same plane as the hitting arm. Otherwise there
will be an imbalance and some form of compensation will occur to throw off
the return.
Whether driving or blocking on the forehand, your elbow and wrist should
be bent and locked as your racquet approaches the ball. This, in
combination with using the butt of the handle to lead the racquet head to
contact, will help prevent your “winging” the racquet. There’s no
difference here than on the groundstroke in that excessive use of the
wrist prior to, or during contact will lead to errors.
Click here to go to page 2
 Scott Murphy is from Marin County, California where he started playing
tennis at age 5 in a family of tennis nuts. Both of his parents were major
influences in his development. He also took lessons from Marin legend Hal
Wagner and former top 10, Harry Roach.
He's a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley where he
played baseball and football but continued to work on his tennis game with
the renowned coach Chet Murphy.
Scott Murphy directs the Nike Tahoe Junior and Adult Tennis Camps at the
Granlibakken Resort in Tahoe City, California. |
