This is one of the most frequent errors in the serve, even at very high professional levels.

When serving, we must always remember that the goal is to send the ball over the net and into a specific, limited target area. To achieve this, it’s essential to strike the ball at the highest possible point, increasing our chances of success and allowing us to create more effective angles.

If during the preparation phase we rotate the shoulders excessively (over-rotation) while also trying to hit the ball high, we encounter two potential negative consequences:

🔸 “Statue of Liberty” position: The hitting arm gets too close to the head. This position not only reduces the efficiency and power of the shot but also places extra stress on the shoulder, significantly increasing the risk of injury.

🔸 Torso tilt to the left (for right-handers): To create space for the shoulder and reach the ball, the torso leans laterally. The problem is that this tilt occurs in the opposite direction of the serve trajectory, pulling us away from the ball rather than following its ideal path.

How to fix this error?

Instead, if we create more torso rotation (coil) before the jump—during the so-called “trophy” position—we still generate excellent rotational energy, but with one fundamental difference: at the moment of contact, we’ll be more sideways and able to open naturally during the impact.

This way, when we tilt the torso forward, we do it toward the direction of the serve, increasing precision, power, and stability—rather than being pulled away from the desired trajectory.

For this reason, players who suffer from excessive rotation often struggle to execute wide serves effectively—such as the wide serve from the deuce court (for right-handers).

To summarize: ✅ Avoid over-rotating the shoulders before contact
✅ Increase torso coil before jumping, during the trophy position
✅ Lean forward in the direction of the serve, not sideways in the opposite direction

Small technical adjustments like these can make a huge difference in the quality of your serve, protect your body from potential injuries, and help you perform at your best.

by Federico Coppini
https://www.coppinifedericoacademy.com/