At a loss with your serve toss? I’ve been teaching people of all skill levels and ages how to serve for a few years now and the number 1 reason for a bad serve is a poor toss. Players go to great lengths to not catch a bad toss at the expense of a missed serve or even an injury. There are so many incorrect variations to the toss I’ve started to name them. There is the wrist flick, the throw, the throw back…my least favorite the elbow bend! I once had a guy chase his toss so far that he fell flat on his face trying to hit it. (i had to work very hard not to laugh).
You have heard coaches say that the best toss placement is just to the right of your left shoe. If I were to draw a semi circle clock in front of your serve stance, placing the ball so it would land at 2pm would be an ideal toss. When so much depends on a proper start, why not focus on making sure its correct. The toss is the 1 time you will get to place the ball exactly where you want to hit it in tennis. Let us use this opportunity, not waste it!
First let us admit that tossing the ball in the correct spot repeatedly is no easy feat. Young players have the advantage of having more years to practice and hone this skill. Being persistent about a good toss will dramatically improve your serve.
Second, the ball must be held with just your fingers. Your palm should never touch the ball when tossing. Think of a toss like placing an ornament on a Christmas tree. Think of how gently your hand puts that glass object on that just out of reach part of the tree.
Third, elbow and wrist stay straight and out in front of you. DO NOT BEND YOUR ELBOW at any time during the toss or release. Yes there will be a miniscule wrist bend.
Fourth, following the ball with your eyes release it when your hand is just about to pass your face. Somewhere around eye level. A graceful release of the ball with the placement at 2 pm. It often helps to rock forward when releasing the ball.
Fifth, if your toss did not go at 2 pm CATCH IT. Do not hit a bad toss. Be disciplined for a week or two with catching a bad toss and see what a difference it makes in your accuracy and serve.
Let us recap: Hold the ball with just your fingers, keeping elbow and wrist straight, keep your eyes on the ball and release when your hand passes your hip.
Do you see me smiling? Get out there and practice your toss!
20 Comments
hello neha, ur article really caught my eye as i’m working (read: struggling ☺) to reign in my kick toss which was used from the very start b/c of a shoulder issue. now that i can go flat, i want to move toward a more neutral toss. anyway, after reading this, should i understand that tossing when “just about to pass your hip” allows for more control than the oft taught way of releasing when ur hand is at eye level? (is this one of the tour tips we rec players like to get? ☺)
thx!
mike
btw, gr8 articles and pics.
Thanks Mike! So you want to have a more neutral toss for your first serve, is that correct? Yes, in my opinion tossing at eye level would be very difficult. Releasing at hip level allows for a more slow, controlled motion and when you body is rocking forward, it will allow the ball to go just in front of you with ease. I hope this helps. Happy to clarify.
-Neha
hi neha! thank u for ur prompt reply. could u pls indulge me for two more questions? ☺ so when releasing at hip level, should the ball already be out of my hand b4 my arm/hand reaches my chest? Is there a vid on the net showing ur toss?
i appreciate it, neha.
mike
Mike, I will actually be making a quick video this weekend and post it on my youtube channle thenehauberoi Please look for it on Sunday.
Yes, realease the ball at hip level not at your chest. it would be very hard to throw the ball from your chest with good height and control…
thx, neha! i’m on the look-out for it. love reading ur 10is advice b/c u’ve been there and done that
MIKE! I am so sorry, I was wrong. I do not release the ball at hip height, I release at eye level! I guess, its so natural I had to actuallyw atch myself to see exactly where I release. Check out my youtube link called Toss at Loss up shortly!
hehehe, it’s OK, Neha. and i really appreciate ur admittance, and ur posting to show me/us how.
oh yeah, ur toss does looks natural and ur motion is smoooooooth.
thx again
mike
hello neha, ur article really caught my eye as i’m working (read: struggling ☺) to reign in my kick toss which was used from the very start b/c of a shoulder issue. now that i can go flat, i want to move toward a more neutral toss. anyway, after reading this, should i understand that tossing when “just about to pass your hip” allows for more control than the oft taught way of releasing when ur hand is at eye level? (is this one of the tour tips we rec players like to get? ☺)
thx!
mike
btw, gr8 articles and pics.
Thanks Mike! So you want to have a more neutral toss for your first serve, is that correct? Yes, in my opinion tossing at eye level would be very difficult. Releasing at hip level allows for a more slow, controlled motion and when you body is rocking forward, it will allow the ball to go just in front of you with ease. I hope this helps. Happy to clarify.
-Neha
hi neha! thank u for ur prompt reply. could u pls indulge me for two more questions? ☺ so when releasing at hip level, should the ball already be out of my hand b4 my arm/hand reaches my chest? Is there a vid on the net showing ur toss?
i appreciate it, neha.
mike
Mike, I will actually be making a quick video this weekend and post it on my youtube channle thenehauberoi Please look for it on Sunday.
Yes, realease the ball at hip level not at your chest. it would be very hard to throw the ball from your chest with good height and control…
thx, neha! i’m on the look-out for it. love reading ur 10is advice b/c u’ve been there and done that
MIKE! I am so sorry, I was wrong. I do not release the ball at hip height, I release at eye level! I guess, its so natural I had to actuallyw atch myself to see exactly where I release. Check out my youtube link called Toss at Loss up shortly!
hehehe, it’s OK, Neha. and i really appreciate ur admittance, and ur posting to show me/us how.
oh yeah, ur toss does looks natural and ur motion is smoooooooth.
thx again
mike
hey coach Neha,
question: considering what you’ve experienced and learned as a player, what do you think is the main thing that attributes to unforced errors from high level players, to include the ATP/WTA, given that they own great strokes and technique?
thank you
mike
btw, great job on your sister’s suprise b-day party *_*
Hey Mike,
Well, unforced errors can come from a number of things. Firstly, we are human and thus we err. Secondly, there are so many factors to hitting the ball correctly and at such high speeds one wrong thing, a mental hesitation, physical fatigue, a slip, a wet grip, the sun, the wind, a funny bounce can effect the accuracy of the shot. Lastly, sometimes what we see on tv as an unforced error can really be a forced error, a tough shot from the opponent right in to the players weakness etc. hope I answered.
Haha yeah she was so surprised! I really got her. muahahhaa!
Neha, my goodness, now THAT’s an answer
thank u for the insight as that frames it
well. as a beginner and lover of the
game, “understanding” these things gives me/us a greater appreciation for what elite
players (you) do, and in varying ways, helps us reconcile our rec level skills
and expectations. it’s cool that we can
count on coach for str8 tennis talk. til
next time, stay blessed.
btw, was that a Dracula/Halloween laugh??
hey coach Neha,
question: considering what you’ve experienced and learned as a player, what do you think is the main thing that attributes to unforced errors from high level players, to include the ATP/WTA, given that they own great strokes and technique?
thank you
mike
btw, great job on your sister’s suprise b-day party *_*
Hey Mike,
Well, unforced errors can come from a number of things. Firstly, we are human and thus we err. Secondly, there are so many factors to hitting the ball correctly and at such high speeds one wrong thing, a mental hesitation, physical fatigue, a slip, a wet grip, the sun, the wind, a funny bounce can effect the accuracy of the shot. Lastly, sometimes what we see on tv as an unforced error can really be a forced error, a tough shot from the opponent right in to the players weakness etc. hope I answered.
Haha yeah she was so surprised! I really got her. muahahhaa!
Neha, my goodness, now THAT’s an answer
thank u for the insight as that frames it
well. as a beginner and lover of the
game, “understanding” these things gives me/us a greater appreciation for what elite
players (you) do, and in varying ways, helps us reconcile our rec level skills
and expectations. it’s cool that we can
count on coach for str8 tennis talk. til
next time, stay blessed.
btw, was that a Dracula/Halloween laugh??