How Denis Shapavalov Developed His Explosive Serve

Key Points

• Throwing should be in an upward trajectory to complement the serve
• It's important for the player to find a position with their feet that allows them to explode off one leg
• Begin serving with second serves and focus on maintaining a good rhythm
• Using the box allows you to load and get your inertia going forward and upward
• Your head should be positioned between your feet so you're balanced and can explode off both legs
• Think of your chest moving upward at an angle through the impact from the trophy position
• Work on getting your hips inside the court while holding your left arm up
• Place targets in the service box where you want the player to hit, as well as where you want the ball to end up
• Hit the serves with good clearance so they have a chance to move effectively afterward
• Practice hitting different types of serves with the same toss
• The first serve toss should be placed a foot to a foot and a half inside the court, depending on how tall the player is
• The second serve toss should land on the baseline
• The length of the toss is easier to disguise compared to when the toss is further to the left or right
• Good returners will pick up on the ball toss position, so the more opportunities you give them to guess, the better