Hit all Tosses on the Serve if you have a great toss.

I don't teach this method and instead have told players over the years that unless they swing at it they can catch it and not count it as a fault.

Apparently that rule doesn't apply everywhere.

Here is an example of a lost match for not hitting the toss.  

This only confirms the need to perfect your toss.  Here is a gold standard rule that I have come to apply to myself.  You should be able to hit your serve however imperfectly with your eyes closed.  I learned that I could do that once when serving into the sun on a poorly designed tennis court that always had you either eyes in the sun or back to the sun depending on the time of day.

Try it.  Close your eyes after the toss and see if you can hit it.

Now here is my secret.  I have an abbreviated toss relative to the skyscraper tosses you see among many very good players.  Yet, you all can see that some of the best servers toss the ball to their max reach with a racket and then hit it.  If you can hit the ball at the apex you have a ball that is essentially stationary for a moment before it begins the downward drop.

Now for some terminology.

This is not used in tennis but rather in baseball and other sports.

Delivery - That is the time between the start and finish of the serve motion that is independent of the ball speed.  There are many servers that have a time delayed delivery that seems to go on forever yet others who seem to get the job done in the blink of an eye.

Dolgopolov is a great example of a fast delivery.    Roscoe Tanner is an earlier example.

Meanwhile, look at Federer facing Dolgopolov and how his midrange delivery speed dominates Dolgopolov with his supreme placement, spin, and deceptive speed.

It appears that the actual difference between the toss and the strike of the ball is not much different between the two players, but it is enough be visually apparent.  What does seem common is that the toss height is about the same but I suspect Dolgopolov might even catch the ball on the rise though his toss is very far forward so it may on balance be about the same as Federer.

I would suggest emulating the Federer serve for your most accurate and reliable serve versus some of the fastest motions.

Another example at the other end of the timeline for delivery is Pete Sampras.  His motion seems so delayed and so long that I wonder if it mesmerized his opponents.  He puts the ball up very high.

What is the common thread among the best servers?  I suggest the first thing is a very consistent toss.

Work on your toss by going to the fence and practicing your contact point.

Work on your toss by setting a target on the court where the toss should land if you toss it to the right place.  A racket on the court out in front is a good target.  Put the butt of the racket at the top of your front foot and send it out to 1 O'clock.  That should be approximately where the ball should land.

Tennis Player Feet: Double Socks To Save Your Feet, Wide Platform Shoes for Stability, and Gel Cushion Inserts for Shock

I got in the habit many years ago of wearing two pairs of socks for the long days of teaching or for matches.  Hard courts are hard on the feet and and joints so any cushioning your can add to your feet will help you in the long run.

The first step is the right shoes.  Get a good platform and in particular a wide platform.  If you have wide feet then take a look at some shoes that fit the bill.



Next is the insert.  As good as shoes might be the addition of get insoles is another add on I've found very useful.  I buy a shoe size larger so I can add these along with my two pairs of socks.


gel inserts for shoes


Finally, here  at the socks.  I use a black interior sock that is low cut so it doesn't reduce circulation on my legs but still gives me the cushioning,

Play Racket Sports - Live Longer

Tennis and Badminton at Top of Life Chart

It's nice to see this but I see it as a confirmation that mostly what happens is that active people choose sports that are conducive to long term participation.  I've known many players still on the court well into their 90's.

It seems the main benefit of Tennis is cardiovascular health so other risks may not be reduced.  Since cardiovascular disease is the biggest killer this study makes perfect sense.

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How To Eat Tennis Healthy

Dr. Mercola on fraudulent foods and real foods.

Try sardines.  They're good for you and one nice thing about them is that you'll be eating safe seafood.,
Try Kippers.  Same thing  (Both contain Omega 3)

(Omega 3 fatty acids are good for anti-inflammation.)


Hint:  Never eat seafood in a restaurant before a match, even a few days before a match or you're asking for a unplanned default.  Stay away from clam dip or shrimp during the the week you want to play unless you cook the shrimp yourself.  I don't eat clams period, but if you do just know that you can get really, really sick for a few days if it's bad.  I'm telling you this from experience.

Eat Cheese - Live Longer

Eat Cheese and Live Longer

The changing recommendations go from it's bad to it's good.  I say just eat what you like and do so in some level of moderation.

I like Blue Cheese but don't eat it as often I used to.    I'll have to find some organic version.

Robot Tennis Pros

When will we see robot tennis pros teaching at clubs.

I just came across an article on Lowe's putting customer assistance robots into use in the aisles.

I often wondered when this might happen where teaching pros get replaced by robots.  Can teaching be programmed into a machine?

We're part of the way there with ball machines and they've been around for a long time.  Add in an intelligent analyst of the game and technique and you might have something.  Still, for now I'm not worried.  It just seems that it will be a while before the smiling face on the other side of the net can be replaced with some blinking lights.

I hope I'm right on this.