The Side-Arm Serve

While most of the world’s experts agree that the overhead serve, with a toss approximately six inches above the tip of an outstretched racquet is the preferred method of serving, top tennis research Vic Braden still contends that his work with biomechanists and physiologists shows that the side-arm serve is the most efficient way to serve.

One of Braden’s biggest arguments for this serve is that a side-arm serve produces just as much, or more, power, but does not place any of the stresses on the rotator cuff that an overhead serve does.

This serve may also be more natural for girls, who may not have developed a mature throwing motion.

Additionally, if you have players with shoulder injuries or pain, this serve may be the answer to their problem.

Whether your coach boys or girls, you might want to let them try a sidearm serve to experiment with the timing, rhythm and mechanics, and let them determine whether or not this might be a better serve for them.

The Motion
With any serve, a tennis player uses the throwing motion. With the side-arm serve, players do not use a true, side-arm serve (even with the hips), but more of a motion where the racquet path travels more to the left than straight up (for a right-handed server), but still slightly above the shoulder.

The key here is the word “slightly.”

With an overhead serve the elbow eventually points straight up to the sky, as the racquet path eventually going as high as the player can reach.

With a side-arm serve, the elbow point more away from the body, perpendicular to the ground, rather than the exaggerated, straight up motion.

This fall is a good time to watch major league baseball to look at the motion of pitchers, and to compare the overhand pitchers to those with a more side-arm motion.

The Toss
The toss for a side-arm serve is more outside the body (to the right for a right-handed player) and lower. Braden recommends that the toss be no higher than the tip of the outstretched racquet.

This lower toss is extremely difficult for receivers to read, and almost appears as if the ball is being hit out of the hand.

The Practice Routine

Step #1 — Have players practice their normal, overhead serve. Have them notice the racquet path and height of the toss of their ball.

Step #2 — Have players practice tossing and hitting a lower ball, which goes no higher than the tip of the racquet. This will give them a feel for the new timing. Remember, they should still be stretching as high as they can go, but just not tossing the ball as high.

Step #3 — Have players move their tosses out slightly farther to the left (for right-handed players), a the new, lower height, while serving at half- or three-quarter speed. This should not be an exaggerated toss, just slightly left of what they’re used to. This serve may actually remind them of the slice serve they used as beginners.

Step #4 — Once players begin to get the ball in, have them practice direction and depth with their serves.

Step #5 — Have players begin using this service motion at full speed. The timing of this serve will be new to them, especially if they are used to an extremely high serve.

Remember the keys to this serve are a toss no higher than the tip of the racquet, and a bit more out to the side.

Whenever you work on a new mechanic, make sure players are able to do it correctly before they decide the don’t like it. New strokes feel odd, and players often decide that the stroke is not for them before they learn it. Make sure your players can properly execute this serve to determine whether or not this may be the best serve for them.