Tennis Instruction - How to attack weak second serves - Tennis Tip

Heres a situation too many tennis players are familiar with. Youre returning serve. Your opponent has a weak second serve that you know you can attack. But you dont. You just hit it back and the rally begins. Sounds like a wasted opportunity, doesnt it? You bet it is. Winning tennis means exploiting weaknesses and looking for opportunities to strike first. A great way to attack a second serve is by chipping and charging. First, decide ahead of time when you will chip and charge. Second, dont plant your feet when chipping. Move through the shot to set up quickly at the net for the volley. Third, chip up the line to most quickly get into the correct volley position on the same side of the center service line as the opponent. And, finally, time the split well based on when the opponent contacts the ball. That said, attacking a slower serve and getting to the net has historically meant chipping and charging. The benefits are that the chip shot usually has more dwell time in the air, giving the attacker more time to get into position at the net. However, there is also something to be said for simply attacking with a driving topspin return to give your opponent less time to react. You may have to hustle more quickly to get into the net, but you should also get easier volleys to put away.
www.oncourtoffcourt.com

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• fast lane tennis
• tennis serve
• second serve
• joe dinoffer
• oncourt offcourt
• tennis lesson

[OncourtOffcourt]

@childy8 - Thank you for your comment. I mostly agree with you. The point here was to try and develop variety of spins and tactics. This is explained in the entire DVD from which this clip was taken. Although seldom used on the women's side of the pro tour, occasionally chipping the service return can set a player up to disguise a dropshot on the return as well. The benefit of this is that the server moves in a bit and this makes solid returns that much more effective. Hope this helps. Thanks.

[childy8]

@OncourtOffcourt i understand the need to move into the net

but why would you teach someone to chip when the ball is coming at you slowly?

i would never chip when its slow on the other hand if the ball was low and fast or when they have a reasonable serve and you try and catch them of guard.... its a great shot when put in place well

[OncourtOffcourt]

@childy8 - good question. It's an option only when working with developing players if you want to try and develop a player to be able to play with full variety (i.e. chip and charge, fake a chip and charge and dropshot, etc.) as they get older. On the flip side, especially in women's tennis these days, play is mostly one dimensional --- relatively flat and hard. It should be interesting in years to come if some players with variety emerge and compete at the highest levels.

[childy8]

why would you chip that?!

spank it down the line its shoulder height !