Fed Serve Analysis - Yandell
If you look at his serve you'll see an economy of motion absent use of physical strength but rather timing to get the job done. It is precision clockwork on a biological level.
Strategy Making Accuracy
Think first about what appears to be his greatest serve strength and that is his precision. He can aim the ball and put it where he wants it to go. The ability to do this allows for a strategy of keeping your opponent off balance and forcing them to return the ball to a predetermined location. Well placed, his serve can often set him up for the follow on shot mid-court or as a volley if he chooses to slip into the net. One very useful benefit of accuracy in a serve is that it rarely falls off even as your energy flags and velocity and spin abate when the arms and legs tire. He can still find his targets and this makes him dangerous on first and second serves.
Moderate Toss Height
By keeping his toss apogee (maximum height) close to the contact point of his serve is compact enough to avoid a slow delivery that is often the bane of big servers. The longer the ball hangs in the air the more speed it picks up on the fall from it's high toss position and the more likely there will be a timing error especially if the legs tire and the serve rhythm slows. Additionally, the more drop in the toss after the ball reaches maximum height the more vulnerable it is to lateral movement from the wind. Simply, Fed's serve is wind resistant more than most. Though he doesn't have a high speed rushed delivery that can confuse and hurry an opponent, neither does he hang around with it. If you want an abbreviated delivery that goes straight to the trophy pose then check out Rafa as an example.
Rhythm and Fluidity
This of course is where it becomes obvious that the Fed serve is something special since it appears effortless and almost disappears into the mundane. He makes it look easy to the point of it seeming no different than a person walking might appear. Rarely do you comment on a normal walking gait but only when it has some movements and pace that are outliers. The advantage of having perfect rhythm and fluidity is that you gain free energy that translates into racket speed since there is little energy loss and some actual gain to be found in continuity of motion that the abbreviated motions miss. One more thing too is that it is aesthetically more pleasing to watch so you'll impress spectators with your grace. That's not something to work toward but it explains the fascination with the actual beauty of Fed's game overall that includes his serve.
Copy Fed
If you want a Fed like serve then you should begin by regular practice that includes going out daily to hit two buckets of serves. Practice your targeting skills more than how hard you hit the ball. Watch the Fed serve on video and see if you can mimic the timing and motion. Look for initially just the toss height and location, and the down-up-down timing of his arms as they work in unison. As for the grip, I'd at a minimum go with a continental grip and over time see if you can edge toward an Eastern Backhand grip when you hit slice or kick serves.
