Return of Serve – Focus Long, Focus Short

Monty Basnyat

Return of serve is the second most important shot in tennis. Its the only shot the returner gets to hit on every point and it's imperative that you get it in play. But what do you do when your facing a huge server and your reaction time can be measured in nanoseconds?

Pick it Up Earlier

Though there are many things a player can do to return big serves like staying low and repositioning yourself, learning to focus on the ball and seeing it come off your opponents racquet is a key element.
Half the time receivers cannot deal with the big bombs is because they don’t see the ball coming at them quickly enough so they are forced to guess the timing of their contact point. As a result they are constantly reaching or getting jammed - hoping something will connect with their racquet.

Click photo to hear Monty Basnyat talk about the service return.

Focusing long and short is a great tip to help you see the ball sooner. As the server is going through his ritual; bouncing the ball, positioning his stance, etc., get ready to receive. Most receivers during this period tend to lose focus. They enter a state I call “dead time.” They seem to focus but with out really concentrating. So when the big one comes, they fall into hoping, praying, and guessing with out even realizing it.

Follow this simple procedure and I guarantee it will improve your concentration and your return. As the server is goes through his ritual, the receiver should get into the ready position and focus his eyes on his own service box then quickly glance up and focus long on where the ball toss might be going up towards. Repeat this ritual of focusing long and focusing short a few times. Then, when the ball toss goes up follow it with your eyes, see the ball peak and watch it come DOWN (most players toss the ball, wait for it to peak and hit it a few inches to a foot after the apex). Try to see the contact. This will help you to pick up the ball earlier. After the contact, follow the ball to your side of the service box. The key component is to watch the ball come up after the bounce into your hitting area.

By focusing long you will see the ball early, you will see the type of spin and where the placement of the serve is going to. It will also help you time your splints. By focusing short, your eyes will be used to seeing the ball pop up after it bounces in the service box and give you a better chance to see where the possible hitting area will be for a solid connection.

How to Make it Happen

It's a fact that the return of serve, along with the overhead are practiced less than any other strokes in the game. So, you think that may be part of the problem?

Have your buddy serve a bucket of balls to you. As he practices his serve practice the concept of focusing short on your side of the service box then focus long on where the ball toss might be. Do this several times and soon enough you will have it down. Focusing long and focusing short is not going to guarantee you will return every ball but you will see a dramatic improvement in consistency. When you miss a return go over what happened. See if you didn't fall back into that "dead zone" I mentioned earlier.

So regroup, go back to focusing long and short and soon you will be getting that big bomb of a serve back at your opponents feet. And remember mastering any technique, form or a strategy always starts on the practice courts. Good luck!

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