Tennis · Serve

Flat and slice first serves

Hit flat first serves down the T and slice first serves wide, calling the target before every serve.

P1
Start / 5
Time
15 min
Players
1–4
Age
U12+
Area
Full court
Equipment
20 balls4 cones

Setup

  1. Cones at the T and wide corners of each service box on the far side.
  2. Server starts near the centre mark on the deuce side, feet behind the baseline.

How it runs

  1. Serve diagonally into the box opposite: deuce side first, then ad side.
  2. Call 'flat T' or 'slice wide' before each serve.
  3. 10 serves per side; score 2 for the called target, 1 for any ball in the box.
  4. Feet stay behind the baseline until contact; a foot fault scores 0.

Coaching points

  • Continental grip for both serves.
  • Flat: toss slightly in front and to the right, hit straight through the back of the ball.
  • Slice: toss a little further right, brush round the outside of the ball.
  • Same routine and rhythm each time so the returner can't read it.

Common mistakes

  • Changing to a forehand grip for the flat serve.
  • Moving the toss so far for slice that the serve gives itself away.
  • Hitting flat serves at full pace before the toss is consistent.

Say it: “Call it, toss it, hit it.”

Make it harder

  • Only the called target scores.
  • Add a returner; the server wins 1 extra point for an unreturned serve.

Make it easier

  • Serve from a step inside the baseline.
  • Score any ball in the box, flat serves only to start.

Reviewed by the Sportdify coaching team.