Level Up Your Serve: Leg Drive

Want to improve your serve? Of course you do, we all do. A good serve wins points, but a great serve turns matches in your favor. There are many important factors for a quality serve, and much like the other strokes in tennis, it comes from the ground up. 

Leg drive directly impacts the speed at which the racket can accelerate through contact. The quicker the leg drive, the quicker the racket moves because the arm and racket act as whip by lagging behind as the body moves and rotates. A deeper knee bend or higher jump do not necessarily result in a faster serve. 

Instead, think about your legs working in two distinct ways. Your back leg (dominant leg) will push you forward into the court. Your front leg (non-dominant leg) will push you up. When utilizing these in combination, you will result in explosiveness up to the point of contact and through contact by driving up and into the court. It does not matter if you are in pinpoint stance or platform, the legs can work together while doing separate tasks. 

Practice this to level up your serve and boost your game!