Go for seconds

It’s an old saying, but it’s still true to this day – “you’re only as good as your second serve.” A good first serve is important. A good second serve is crucial. When going for a second serve, too many players tell themselves, ‘I’ve got to get this serve in.’ What they should be telling themselves is that this is another opportunity to hit an effective serve. After swinging with all their might on the first serve, they will let up and spin a soft serve in the box just so they don’t lose the point. It’s a natural progression, but it puts the player at a disadvantage right from the start of the point. Being overly aggressive and regularly double faulting is stupid. But over the course of a match, playing passively on second serves is more destructive than an occasional double fault. That’s why a good player takes a bigger cut at the ball on their second serve than on their first. That’s right, your racquet head should be moving faster on the second serve than the first. That’s what happens in the pros. Here’s why: Look to the Baseline—Watch players with heavy topspin hit their ground strokes and you’ll notice how much faster they swing than players who hit a flatter ball do. That’s because they need greater racquet head speed in order to achieve the same pace and depth on their shots. The player with the flatter shots can be more dangerous, but has much less margin for error. Just like the difference between a first (flat) and second serve (spin). Practical Geometry—Since the first serve has less spin it will cut through the air quicker. It also has a much more acute trajectory than the arc created by a topspin second serve. So the flight path of the ball is shorter. That’s why it is important to use the legs, hips, shoulders, wrists, and entire body in a first serve, because the swing itself should just be a fluid and relaxed motion. Simple Physics—It may seem strange to actually swing harder on a second serve, but it makes sense. The faster you swing, the more topspin you will create. Topspin results in constant rotation of the ball, which reduces velocity and brings the ball down into the service box. Even if you swing harder it’s still a safe and consistent shot. You’re just producing more topspin, which will make your second serve heavier, bounce higher, and much more difficult to return. The next time you’re faced with a second serve, don’t let up. Go after it. Soon it could be as dangerous as your first.