AcademyBeginner path

The serve: deep and in

7 min

A legal underhand serve you can land deep 9 times out of 10.

Key takeaways

  • Contact below the waist, paddle head below the wrist.
  • Depth beats pace — aim 3 feet inside the baseline.
  • One routine, every time: bounce, breathe, swing.

Practice goal

Serve 20 balls crosscourt; count how many land beyond the kitchen line by 10+ feet.

Next lesson

The return: deep, then get to the line