The Australian Frank Sedgman was one of the great serve-and-volleyers

A serve (or, more formally, a service) in tennis is a shot to start a point. The serve is usually initiated by tossing the ball into the air and hitting it (usually near the apex of its trajectory) into the diagonally opposite service box without touching the net. It may be performed underhand or overhead. The serve is the only shot where a player can take his time to set up, instead of having to react to an opponent's shot. A competent tennis player has eight basic shots in his or her repertoire: the serve, forehand, backhand, volley, half-volley or pick-up ball, overhead smash, drop shot, and lob. ... Former US Open champion Gabriela Sabatini hits a forehand. ... Justine Henin-Hardenne has one of the best one-handed backhands in todays tennis The backhand in tennis is a stroke hit by swinging the racquet away from ones body in the direction of where the player wants the ball to go. ... Arguably the best volleyer in the game now, Tim Henman is well-known around the tennis community for his exellent touch. A volley in tennis is a shot that is hit before the ball bounces on the ground. ... A half volley in tennis is a shot that is hit immediately after the ball bounces. ... A lob in tennis is hitting the ball high and deep into the opponents court. ... An overhead smash in tennis is a shot that is hit above the head with a serve-like motion. ... A drop shot in tennis is tapping the ball just over the net so that the opponent is unable to run in fast enough to retrieve it. ... Image File history File links Sedgman_Serving. ... Image File history File links Sedgman_Serving. ... Frank Allan Sedgman, born October 29, 1927, in Mt. ... Serve and volley is a strategy used in lawn tennis (and rarely in real tennis) where a player serves and immediately moves forward to make the next shot a volley and hopefully a winner. ... A tennis net Tennis is a game played between either two players (singles) or two teams of two players (doubles). Players use a stringed racquet to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponents court. ... A point is the smallest unit of scoring in tennis. ...

The serve is one of the more difficult shots for a novice, but once mastered it can be a considerable advantage. Advanced players can hit the serve in many different ways and often use it as an offensive weapon to gain an advantage in the point or to win it outright. Because of this, professional players win most of their service games, and breaking serve plays a crucial role in a match. The following is a list of tennis terms, sorted alphabetically. ...

A legal serve

A serve is termed legal when the ball travels over the net (without touching it) and into the diagonally opposite service court. The server is given two chances per point to make a legal serve, called first serve and second serve. A serve that is not legal is termed a fault. If the first serve is a fault in any way, the server has a second attempt at serve. If the second serve is also a fault, this is called a double fault and the receiver wins the point.

If the ball hits the net cord but lands in the service court, this is a let service, which is void and the serve is replayed. A ball that hits the net cord but lands out is a fault.

The server is required to keep his or her feet in nearly the same position during the serve. The server's feet may be raised off the ground, but walking or running is not permitted. This prevents the opponent from being misled as to where the serve will originate. Breaching this rule or exceeding the permitted part of the court constitutes a foot fault.

A player unsatisfied with his or her toss can let the ball fall to the ground and try again. If the server swings the racquet and misses the ball, it is called a fault. If the server does make contact with the ball (as with a body part or the racket) on an errant toss, it is only a fault if the server attempted a swing.

Types of serve

There are different types of serves. Leaving the more complicated unorthodoxed 'reverse' serves aside, here are the more common ones that professional tennis players use: a Flat serve, an American Twist serve, a Topspin serve, a Slice serve and a Topspin-Slice serve. Each type has its tactical advantages. The different types of serve, not to mention the placement of the serve, allows the server to have many varieties and thus a major advantage. Some widely used tactics are to hit a hard Flat serve on the first serve, a Slice serve on the first serve, a Topspin serve on the second serve and an American Twist/Twist serve on the second serve. A twist serve (or American twist) is a type of serve in tennis. ...

Flat serve

In the days of wooden racquets, Pancho Gonzales's 180-km/h (112-mph) serve was the fastest ever recorded

A Flat serve (in the old days sometimes called a cannonball serve) is hit very hard and with relatively little spin. Since it generally is hit quite close to the top of the net, it has a smaller margin for error than spin serves. A Flat serve is generally used as a first serve, when the server can afford the greater risk of hitting a fault, in an attempt to win the point outright, possibly by an ace. It is executed by hitting the ball squarely with the racquet held in an Eastern or Continental grip. Since it has very little clearance over the net, it is most often hit straight down the centerline, where the net is lowest, either to a righthander's backhand in the deuce court or to his forehand in the advantage court. Good male servers in the ATP can hit a Flat serve at a speed of 200 km/h (124 mph) or more and a few of the very best females are in this range also. Image File history File links Gonzales_Serving. ... Image File history File links Gonzales_Serving. ... Ricardo Alonso González (May 9, 1928 – July 3, 1995), who was generally known as Pancho Gonzales, was the World No. ... Squash racquet and ball Racquetball racquet and ball Real tennis racquets and balls A tennis racquet A racquet (or racket) is a sports implement consisting of a handled frame with an open hoop across which a network of cord is stretched. ... The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) was formed in 1972 to protect the interests of male professional Tennis players. ...

Topspin serve

A Topspin serve is hit with forward spin and travels at a lesser pace than the flat serve. The ball travels in a higher arc over the net and bounces higher than a flat serve. The Topspin serve in general is safer to hit and is often employed for the second serve due to the safety margin the looping ball creates over the net. A Topspin serve, however, may be harder to learn because it is hit somewhat behind the head of the server and requires slightly more complex mechanics. It is hit with a Continental grip or an Eastern Backhand grip; however, for the Eastern Backhand grip, the forehand side of the face is used to make ball contact. The Topspin serve is useful for second serves, serve and volley tactics and many other circumstances. Serve and volley is a strategy used in lawn tennis (and rarely in real tennis) where a player serves and immediately moves forward to make the next shot a volley and hopefully a winner. ...

American Twist/Twist/Kick serve

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Twist serve. (Discuss)

An American twist serve (or kick serve) is hit with topspin and travels at a lesser pace than the flat serve. The ball travels in a higher arc over the net than a flat serve. It then dips quicker and bounces higher, generally away from the receiving player's backhand. The kick serve in general is safer to hit and is often employed for the second serve. A twist serve is harder to learn, however, because it is hit somewhat behind the head of the server and requires slightly more complex mechanics. It is hit with a Continental grip. The American twist serve is useful for second serves, serve and volley tactics and many other circumstances. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... A twist serve (or American twist) is a type of serve in tennis. ... A twist serve (or American twist) is a type of serve in tennis. ... Serve and volley is a strategy used in lawn tennis (and rarely in real tennis) where a player serves and immediately moves forward to make the next shot a volley and hopefully a winner. ...

It is hit with topspin, but topspin that rotates out-of-line with the flight path of the ball, which causes the ball to curve one way through the air and then twist the other way after the bounce. This type of serve is often confused with the Topspin-Slice serve, since the swing path towards the ball is similar but the ball rotations however are different.

The difference between a Kick or Twist serve and a Topspin serve is mainly the direction of the spin. A Topspin serve spins forewards and bounces high and in the same direction from which it was hit. A Kick serve is hit with forewards/sideways spin (right-way spin for right-handers, left-way spin for left-handers). It generally bounces higher than a Topspin serve and changes direction once it hits the ground. The Kick serve is used by many professionals as their second serve. A Topspin serve is less difficult to execute since it requires a less efficient throwing motion and less wrist pronation.

Slice/slider/sidespin serve

A Slice serve is hit with sidespin, which causes the ball to curve and skip sideways. A right-handed player hitting a slice serve would cause the ball to curve to the left. The Slice serve can be used to either draw the receiving player away from his initial stationary position or to "jam" him with the serve as the ball curves directly into his body. In either case, it is generally more difficult for the serve to be returned. The Slice serve is made by bringing the racquet around the side of the ball and can be hit with various grips including the Continental and the Eastern backhand. A severely sliced serve is sometimes called a "Sidespin" serve or a "Slider" serve.

Topspin-slice serve

A Topspin-Slice serve is hit with a combination of both sidespin and topspin, which causes the ball to curve sideways and dive downwards steeply. A right-handed player hitting a Topspin-Slice serve would cause the ball to curve to the left, but not as much as a Slice serve. This is a safer serve than the Slice, since the ball dives more; it can therefore be hit higher above the net while still landing inside the service box.

Great servers

In his 1979 autobiography Jack Kramer, who had a great serve himself, devotes a page to the best tennis strokes he had ever seen. He writes: "FIRST SERVE—Vines had the finest serve I ever saw, but Gonzales, the great competitor, was more consistent with his in the tightest spots. Tilden, too, must be ranked, for speed and deception. SECOND SERVE—Newcombe by far. Then Vines, von Cramm and Gonzales." For the Smashing Pumpkins song, see 1979 (song). ... Jack Kramer as an amateur in 1947 John Albert Kramer (b. ... Ellsworth Vines as an amateur in 1933 Ellsworth Vines (September 28, 1911 – March 17, 1994) was an American tennis champion of the 1930s, the World No. ... Ricardo Alonso González (May 9, 1928 – July 3, 1995), who was generally known as Pancho Gonzales, was the World No. ... Bill Tilden running for a backhand in the 1920s William Tatem Tilden II (February 10, 1893 – June 5, 1953), often called Big Bill, was an American tennis player who was the World No. ... John Newcombe. ... Gottfried von Cramm hitting a volley in 1937. ...

Great servers, particularly known for the power of their serves, include (amongst many others) on the men's side:

• Boris Becker, who earned the name "Boom Boom"
• Don Budge
• Ray Casey, a California left-hander
• Taylor Dent, one of the fastest servers in history, behind only Roddick.
• Pancho Gonzales, whose powerful serve caused a brief change in the rules of professional tennis
• Goran Ivanišević, won Wimbledon largely with his serve
• Joachim Johansson, record of most aces in match (51) (shared with Ivo Karlović)
• Ivo Karlović, record of most aces in match (51) (shared with Joachim Johansson)
• Jack Kramer, the first great player to consistently play serve and volley
• Maurice McLoughlin, "the California Comet", who was the first well-known player to use the "cannonball serve"
• Mark Philippoussis
• Andy Roddick, the fastest serve in history (measured with modern equipment) at 251 km/h (156 mph).^[1]
• Greg Rusedski
• Marat Safin
• Stefan Edberg, who had one of the most effective "kick serves" in the game
• Pete Sampras, who had one of the best all-around second serves in the game
• Frank Sedgman
• Roscoe Tanner
• Bill Tilden, who popularized the "cannonball serve"
• Ellsworth Vines

And great servers on the women's side: Boris Franz Becker (b. ... Don Budge hitting a backhand as an amateur in 1935 John Donald (Don) Budge (June 13, 1915 – January 26, 2000) was an American tennis champion who was a World No. ... Raymond J. Casey (born San Francisco, California, 1900, died Palo Alto, California, 1986) was a top-ranked tennis player and coach. ... Taylor Dent (b. ... Ricardo Alonso González (May 9, 1928 – July 3, 1995), who was generally known as Pancho Gonzales, was the World No. ... Goran Å imun IvaniÅ¡evic [] (born in Split, September 13, 1971) is a former professional tennis player from Croatia. ... The Championships, Wimbledon, commonly referred to as simply Wimbledon, is the oldest and arguably the most prestigious event in the sport of tennis. ... Joachim Johansson (born January 7, 1982) is a professional male tennis player from Sweden. ... Ivo Karlović (born February 28, 1979) is a Croatian tennis player. ... Jack Kramer can refer to: Jack Kramer: a Major League Baseball player Jack Kramer: a tennis player This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Serve and volley is a strategy used in lawn tennis (and rarely in real tennis) where a player serves and immediately moves forward to make the next shot a volley and hopefully a winner. ... Maurice McLoughlin (January 7, 1890 in Carson City, NV, – December 10, 1957 in Hermosa Beach, CA) was an American tennis player known for his powerful serve and overhead volley. ... Mark Anthony Philippoussis (born November 7, 1976 in Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian tennis player. ... Andrew Stephen (Andy) Roddick (born August 30, 1982) is an American professional tennis player and a former World No. ... Gregory Greg Rusedski (born September 6, 1973, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada) is a British tennis player who turned professional in 1991. ... Marat Safin (Марат Михайлович Сафин) ; b. ... Country: Sweden Residence: Växjö, SWE Height: 187 cm (6 ft 2 in) Weight: 77 kg (170 lb) Plays: Right Turned pro: 1983 Retired: 1996 Highest singles ranking: 1 (Aug 13th, 1990) Singles titles: 42 Career Prize Money: US$20,630,941 Grand Slam Record Titles: 6 Australian Open W... Peter Pete Sampras (b. ... Frank Allan Sedgman, born October 29, 1927, in Mt. ... Roscoe Tanner (born October 15, 1951) was a professional American male tennis player and World No. ... Bill Tilden running for a backhand in the 1920s William Tatem Tilden II (February 10, 1893 – June 5, 1953), often called Big Bill, was an American tennis player who was the World No. ... Ellsworth Vines as an amateur in 1933 Ellsworth Vines (September 28, 1911 – March 17, 1994) was an American tennis champion of the 1930s, the World No. ...

• Lindsay Davenport
• Serena Williams, first serve can reach up to 125 mph
• Venus Williams, her 127 mph serve is second only to Brenda Schultz-McCarthy
• Alice Marble, one of the first women to use the serve-and-volley successfully
• Althea Gibson, used the power serve to win consistently
• Margaret Court, known as the best server of her time
• Billie Jean King, was feared for her serve-and-volley game
• Ana Ivanović, served at 123 mph.
• Maria Sharapova
• Martina Navratilova, great set-up for her serve and volley game
• Brenda Schultz-McCarthy, who hit the fastest serve in women's tennis history, clocked at 130 mph
• Alicia Molik

Lindsay Ann Davenport (born June 8, 1976 in Palos Verdes, California) is a former World No. ... Serena Jameka Williams (born September 26, 1981) is a professional womens tennis player who has won eight Grand Slam singles titles (and one olympic medal) and is a former World No. ... Venus Ebone Starr Williams (born June 17, 1980 in Lynwood, California, United States) is a former World No. ... Alice Marble on the cover of LIFE magazine in 1939 Alice Marble (September 13, 1913–December 13, 1990) was an early American tennis champion. ... ... Margaret Smith Court (pre-marital name: Margaret Jean Smith) (born July 16, 1942) is a retired Australian professional tennis player. ... Billie Jean Moffitt King (born November 22, 1943 in Long Beach, California) is a retired tennis player from the United States. ... Ana Ivanović (Serbian Cyrillic: Ана Ивановић) (born November 6, 1987 in Belgrade) is a Serbian professional tennis player. ... Maria Yuryevna Sharapova (Russian:  ) (born 19 April 1987) is a Russian professional tennis player. ... Martina Navratilova (born October 18, 1956, in Prague, Czechoslovakia) is a former World No. ... Serve and volley is a strategy used in lawn tennis (and rarely in real tennis) where a player serves and immediately moves forward to make the next shot a volley and hopefully a winner. ... Brenda Anne Marie Schultz-McCarthy (born in December 28, 1970 in Haarlem) is a former Dutch tennis player. ... Alicia Molik (born January 27, 1981) is a professional female tennis player from Australia. ...

Serve terminology

• Ace – a good serve (not a fault) that is untouched by the opponent.
• Break – server losing the game.
• Break point – one point away from a break.
• Double fault – hitting a fault on the second service. The server loses the point.
• Fault – an unsuccessful serve that does not start the point because of not hitting the ball into the opponent's designated service box.
• Foot fault – a fault caused by the server stepping across his base line before striking the ball with his racquet.
• Hold – Server winning the game.
• Let – when the ball touches the net but lands within the opponent's designated service box. The serve is replayed.
• Service Winner – an unreturnable serve that is still touched by the opponent.

An ace in tennis is a single-stroke point won by the server who produces a legal service that his opponent does not touch with his racket and thus fails to return. ...

References

1. ^ http://news.bbc.co.ukBBC News website. Retrieved July 1, 2006.