Essential Tennis

The Serve + 1 is one of the most talked-about concepts in recreational tennis. Pick a target, set up the next ball, and attack. It's a real strategy and it works.

It only works if the serve holds up its end of the deal.

If you can't control where your serve goes, you don't have a plan. You're not setting up shot two but hoping to survive shot one. Your opponent reads the same ball every time and dictates the point before you even get started.

Serve placement is the prerequisite, and everything else gets built on top of it.

The server starts every point with an advantage. That's just how the game works.

Your job on the return isn't to flip that advantage in one shot. It's to get to neutral and start the rally on even ground.

Most players try to do too much on the return: big swing, early attack, aggressive angle. Those attempts give the point right back before the rally even begins.

A high, deep ball back in play is a successful return. Build from there.