Tennis Serve Video

Stance

A player starts the serve in beginning position holding down the racquet (with right hand) with the tennis ball (with left hand) out in front of the body and leaning towards the net. The body is relaxed and turned almost perpendicular to the baseline with the left foot pointing out to the net (but is not touching the baseline) and both knees slightly flexed. Player looks ahead to view the whole court and the position of the opponent.

Shoulder Girdle:

Right shoulder girdle is abducted with isometric contraction of serratus anterior and pectoralis minor.

Left shoulder girdle is in upward rotation with isometric contraction of middle and lower fibers of trapezius and serratus anterior.

Shoulder Joint:

Right shoulder joint is diagonally adducted with isometric contraction of pectoralis major, coracobrachialis, and anterior fibers of deltoid.

Left shoulder joint is abducted with isometric contraction of upper fibers of pectoralis major, deltoid, and supraspinatus.

Elbow Joint:

Right elbow is in slight flexion with isometric contraction of biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis.

Left elbow joint is in extension with isometric contraction of triceps brachii and aconeus.

Hip Joint:

Hips are abducted with isometric contraction of sartorius, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae.

Knee Joint:

Right and left knees are slightly flexed with isometric contraction of biceps femoris, popliteus, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus.

Preparation

The player then tosses up ball (with left hand) out in front and simultaneously brings back racquet (in right hand) behind the head. Also at the same time the right foot is stepped in closer to the left foot and knees are fully extended to make the player stand fully erect.

Shoulder Girdle:

Right shoulder girldle is adducted with concentric contraction of middle and lower fibers of rhomboids and trapezius. This is then followed by upward rotation with concentric contraction of middle and lower fibers of trapezius and serratus anterior.

Left shoulder girdle undergoes upward rotation with concentric contraction of middle and lower fibers of trapezius and serratus anterior.

Shoulder Joint:

Right shoulder joint is diagonally abducted with concentric contraction of posterior fibers of deltoid, infraspinatus, and teres minor.

Left shoulder joint is abducted with concentric contraction of supraspinatus, deltoid, and upper fibers of pectoralis major.

Elbow Joint:

Right elbow joint is flexed with concentric contraction of biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis.

Left elbow joint remains in extension with isometric contraction of triceps brachii and aconeus.

Hip Joint:

Hips are adducted through concentric contraction of pectineus, adductor brevis, adductor longus, adductor magnus, and gracilis.

Knee Joint:
Right and left knees are fully extended with concentric contraction of rectus fermoris, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis.

Acceleration

The racquet (in right hand) is swung upward where it makes contact with the ball out in front (contact point: where the ball begins to drop after being tossed), which results in full extension of the right arm. Simultaneously, the body is rotated to face the net, the left arm is immediately brought down after tossing the ball, and the left foot is stepped out towards the net (but not touching the baseline). As a result, the left knee is flexed with the right knee remaining in extension. During the entire phase, the body weight is transferred forward.

Shoulder Girdle:

Right shoulder girdle undergoes upward rotation with concentric contraction of middle and lower fibers of trapezius and serratus anterior.

Left shoulder girdle goes through downward rotation with concentric contraction rhomboids and pectoralis minor.

Shoulder Joint:

Right shoulder joint is abducted with concentric contraction of supraspinatus, deltoid, and upper fibers of pectoralis major.

Left shoulder joint is adducted with concentric contraction of latissimus dorsi, teres major, and lower fibers of pectoralis major.

Elbow Joint:

Right elbow joint is extended with concentric contraction of triceps brachii and aconeus.

Left elbow joint remains in extension with isometric contraction of triceps brachii and aconeus.

Hip Joint:
Right hip is extended with concentric contraction of adductor magnus, semitendinosus, semimembranosus, biceps femoris, and gluteus maximus.

Left hip is abducted with concentric contraction of sartorius, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae. This is then followed by flexion through concentric contraction of iliacus, psoas major and minor, rectus femoris, sartorius, pectineus, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae.

Knee Joint:
Right knees remains in full extension with isometric contraction of rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis.

Left knee is flexed through concentric contraction of biceps femoris, popliteus, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus.

Follow Through

The player follows through after making contact with the ball by swinging down the racquet out in front. The body weight is still being pushed forward in this phase.

Shoulder Girdle:

Right shoulder girdle undergoes downward rotation with eccentric contraction of middle and lower fibers of trapezius and serratus anterior.

Shoulder Joint:

Right shoulder joint is diagonally adducted with eccentric contraction of posterior fibers of deltoid, infraspinatus, and teres minor.

Elbow joint:
Elbow joints remain in extension with isometric contraction of triceps brachii and aconeus.

Hip joint:

Right hip remains in extension with isometric contraction of adductor magnus, semitendinosus, semimembranosus, biceps femoris, and gluteus maximus.

Left hip remains in flexion with isometric contraction of iliacus, psoas major and minor, rectus femoris, sartorius, pectineus, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae.

Knee joint:
Right knee remains in full extension with isometric contraction of rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis.

Left knee remains flexed with isometric contraction of biceps femoris, popliteus, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus.

Recovery Phase

Finally, the player moves to ready position behind the baseline in order to prepare for following shot. The racquet is held out front with both hands, feet are spread shoulder-width apart, and knees are slightly flexed. The player looks ahead to view the ball, court, and opponent.

Shoulder Girdle:

Right and left shoulder girdles are abducted through concentric contraction of serratus anterior and pectoralis minor.

Shoulder Joint:

Right and left shoulder joints are internally rotated with concentric contraction of latissimus dorsi, teres major, pectoralis major, and subscapularis.

Elbow Joint:

Right and left elbow joints are flexed with concentric contraction of biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis.

Hip Joint:
Right hip is flexed back to neutral position through concentric contraction of iliacus, psoas major and minor, rectus femoris, sartorius, pectineus, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae.

Left hip is extened back to neutral position with concentric contraction of adductor magnus, semitendinosus, semimembranosus, biceps femoris, and gluteus maximus.

Knee Joint:
Right and left knees are flexed by concentric contraction of biceps femoris, popliteus, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus.

EXERCISE 1: Back Squats

A very important physical element for tennis in both movement around the court and the serve is leg strength. The force in powerful shots and serves is initiated by driving the legs and feet into the ground. The harder the legs and feet are driven, the more force that can be generated and potentially transferred to the racquet. However, it is very essential to have high leg strength in order to generate and increase force and power.

An exercise that effectively helps in building strength and power in the legs is the back squat (pictured above). Lighter weights can be used for beginners in order to develop proper form first, especially in stabilization. Joints that are heavily worked on throughout this exercise include the hips (abduction, flexion, and extension) and knees (flexion and extension). Those that are more advanced should be able to move on to heavier weights to further stimulate the fast twitch muscle fibers that are used in serving and movement around the court.

EXERCISE 2: Bicep Curls

Another important physical element in developing a powerful serve is arm strength, particularly in the elbow joint. During a serve or stroke the arm works as a second-class lever where the elbow joint acts as an axis of rotation. Along with the shoulder joint, it contributes to the movement and control of the racquet (resistance) through force that is generated and applied (mainly by the elbow flexor muscles). It is therefore very essential to strengthen and maintain full range of motion (ROM) of the arm and elbow joint in order to efficiently apply force and generate velocity, especially during a serve.

Bicep curls are very effective in strengthening the arm and elbow joint, while also incorporating ROM. This exercise targets the elbow flexor muscles: biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis. These muscles undergo concentric contraction during the lifting phase of the weights (elbow flexion) and eccentric contraction during the lowering phase (elbow extension). Different grips can be used to target certain muscles: supinated (biceps brachii, brachialis), pronated (brachialis), and neutral (brachioradialis, brachialis). The workout can be performed either standing or sitting in a chair or physioball for balance.

EXERCISE 3: Shoulder Extensions

Strengthening of the shoulder is perhaps the most crucial in developing and maintaining a strong serve. Shoulder injuries and other related issues occur frequently among tennis players and can be very damaging. Shoulder extensions with a strengthening band, weights, or on a cable column are very productive in working the shoulder joint.

Bringing back the racquet through movement of the shoulder in the preparation phase greatly contributes to the build up of force and energy required for the acceleration and follow through phases. Making a powerful and effective serve requires high levels of strength and flexibility and a complete range of motion of the shoulder joint. Therefore, it is also very important to incorporate a thorough workout of the shoulder joint that includes flexion, abduction, adduction, external and internal rotation, diagonal abduction, and diagonal adduction.