Return of Serve Footwork
By Kyle Mollison, USPTA
The return of serve is one of the most important shots in the game of tennis. A good return of serve will win many matches, and keep you close in matches you wouldn’t otherwise have a shot in. What is interesting is that a good return is almost entirely dependent on good footwork. Follow these steps for perfect return of serve footwork:
Stance
The stance is much more important than it seems on the return of serve, particularly in doubles, where getting the return crosscourt is paramount. Many players will position themselves square to the baseline so that an imaginary line from their navel would be perpendicular to the net and baseline. Instead you should have that imaginary line pointing towards the server. To put it another way, on the deuce side your left foot should be further back than your right, and the opposite on the ad side. By making this slight adjustment when you step forward to hit your return, your body will close to the ball and set up to take the return crosscourt.
Split-Step
The split-step is integral in centering your balance and allowing you to move to the serve to return it. I am a proponent, however, of a 2 split-step return of serve. The first split-step is smaller and should occur when your opponent tosses the ball. This split-step won’t cover much distance forward; the main goal here is to get your weight onto the balls of your feet. The second split-step is larger and will occur when your opponent makes contact with the serve. This split-step should cover anywhere from 3-18 inches forward moving towards the ball.
Always Move Forward
No matter how big of a server you are facing you should always be trying to move forward into the court as you return. After your split-steps regardless of which foot is moving, the first move that should be made is forward. A secondary step with your back foot can be made if needed but if you are in the correct stance you should be able to get away with just making one step.
By working on mastering the footwork for the return of serve you can greatly improve your chances of breaking your opponent and in turn winning matches. Stay tuned next week for another footwork breakdown.