Slice Second Serve to the Body: Never Flat
The Situation
You double-fault too often under pressure and need a reliable second serve.
What To Do
Hit your second serve with sidespin aimed at the body. Prioritize spin over pace, a flat second serve is the leading cause of double faults at amateur level.
Why It Works
Spin gives you net clearance margin without requiring perfect placement. A sliced serve that stays low and moves into the body is harder to attack than a tentative flat serve. Professional coaches emphasize this: spin first, placement second, pace last.
Court Positioning
Server applies sidespin → ball curves into returner's body at hip height. Lower arc than flat serve means more margin over net. Returner jammed for swing room.
Court View
Bird's-eye view: attacking net position
Skill Level
Serve to the Body to Jam the Returner
You are serving and want a reliable, high-percentage target that makes the return difficult.
Return Low at the Net Player's Feet
You are returning serve and the server's partner stands at the net ready to intercept.
Both Returners Advance After the Return
You have returned serve and your partner is already at the net. You are standing on the baseline.