Quick Tip: Like a quarterback preparing to throw, create more width in your service motion

There are numerous elements that go into having a dominant serve. The right grip, consistent ball toss, upper-body rotation and smooth motion are just a few of the necessary ingredients. One of the finer points is getting the hitting elbow in the ideal position during the backswing. This naturally creates more width in the swing, which adds racquet speed and power to the delivery without adding any effort. It can turn a good serve into a great one.

A few years ago, I tagged along with the director of a southern Florida tennis academy as he watched matches during the US Open juniors. We came across a court with a top-ranked player who seemingly had a formidable serve. The coach watched a couple of points and concluded that the player was ever-so-slightly dropping his elbow too close to his body during his backswing. It wasn’t harpooning his serve, but unless this inefficiency was addressed, it would hamper his chances of making the tour.

Aryna Sabalenka suffers from no such problem. Her serve is in the conversation for best in the women’s game. She combines her raw power with some pretty textbook technique. Take a look at the photo above—it’s an exemplary demonstration of where the hitting elbow should be prior to dropping the racquet, to start the forward swing. Her arm essentially forms a right angle, with a 90-degree bend at the elbow. If not for a slight knee bend, hip shift and upper body tilt, her upper arm would be parallel to the court.

This is a classic power position for throwing mechanics. It creates width in the motion to help naturally build speed and power. Watch an NFL quarterback launch a football, and his elbow will closely mirror this posture. Exhibit A: the Chargers’ Justin Herbert (below). In this picture, his elbow is extended from his body during his “backswing” and forms a 90-degree angle. If not for the hip tilt to create a downfield trajectory, his upper arm would be parallel to the turf. It’s no wonder many tennis coaches have their students throw footballs to improve their serves.

Many recreational players struggle with this element of the serve. During the coiling stage, their elbows don’t extend, staying almost tucked into their ribs. This occurs more frequently in beginners. Advanced players may actually achieve the position, but their elbows drop when uncoiling and transferring their weight forward, compromising the width and speed of the swing. This was the affliction of that top-ranked junior at the Open.

One of the best ways to learn and adopt this technique is to break the motion down into three parts:

• First, get ready to serve, but start with your hitting arm and elbow already in the 90-degree position, and upper arm parallel to the court. Mimic Sabalenka, only stand up straight and don’t involve your knees and hips. Then toss the ball and hit it. You’ll be surprised at the pace you can generate just with this abbreviated swing.
• After several serves like that, start your serve with your regular motion, only focus on getting your elbow back in that 90-degree position. You can use more of an upper body tilt, but still keep your legs and lower body out of the equation.
• Finally, put everything together by incorporating the knee bend and hip shift. Pay particular attention to not drop the elbow. Try to establish a smooth rhythm that uses the added width of the swing to gradually and effortlessly build racquet speed.

Add this facet to your motion, and watch the level of your serve go from good to great.