Return of Serve Part 3

The return battle begins with rituals–and strategies. The battle between the server and the returner begins long before the serve is ever hit. As the players take their positions, both players begin their rituals and plan their strategy. The server establishes his starting stance, usually bounces the ball several times, then takes one last look at the returner before sending the toss into the air. Meanwhile, the returner readies himself with his own set of rituals–ready steps, swaying back and forth, or possibly taking steps forward and then backwards like the great Andre Agassi. But I’m here to tell you, you need a lot more than rituals to develop a successful return game. We’ve looked at the right mental attitude. (Click Here.) We’ve looked at the fundamentals of technique. (Click Here.) Now let’s look at the third part of developing a great return game: your return plan. Is the return a forehand or a backhand? The Need for the Plan The fact is that you need a solid plan for your return before the start of each point. You need to know in advance what you intend to do on the return. This will eliminate split second decision-making, take some…