SERENA WILLIAMS dominates the WTA Tour with power. At will she rips forehands, backhands, overhead smashes, and swinging volleys. But, according to those who know her game best, circuit rivals, Serena delivers her most fierce stroke standing behind the baseline when she is serving.

“She's a strong girl. She has very powerful shots. You don't see many girls serving 200 kilometers [125 miles per hour] in the third set,” said Victoria Azarenka, after a third-set loss to the World No. 1 at the Australian Open.

“When Serena wants to win a point, she just hits an ace... I think I have to practice much, much more on my serve,” said Li Na of China.

Veteran Sam Stosur is impressed with Serena’s powerful serve and variety. “When she's on, she's able to hit it within ten centimeters of whatever line she wants. When she's got that trajectory and it’s so close to the lines, it's not easy to return… I can't see too many players being able to stop her.”

BETWEEN THE EARS - 3 points of acknowledgement

1. FEARLESS.
Serena isn’t afraid to go for a big serve when needed. When she was down two break points in the third set of the Australian Open final she served her way out of trouble and put the balance of momentum back in her court. Serving for the match against Justine Henin, she had confidence in her serving target and the courage to swing at full speed. “It was definitely a tough match mentally and
physically. I felt like we both were out there trying to kind of prove something. I think we both did at the end of the day,” said Serena after her victory.

2. IMPOSING DISPOSITION.
Opponents feel Serena’s determination and her attitude and body language send a strong message to her opponent. For instance, Victoria Azarenka met Serena in the quar terfinals where Azarenka won the first set 6-4 and then had a strong 4-0 lead in the second. Azarenka ultimately let the match slip away. Azarenka was asked if she was surprised that Serena came back from behind to win the
match. “Not really. I know she's gonna fight until the last point. She star ted playing unbelievable, I think, from 4 Love in the second set. ”

3. PATTERN OF SUCCESS.
Serena has proven over time that she can win when a match turns challenging. Serena hasn’t lost a match when she takes a first set lead. That 40-0 record turns into a “Monster in the Mind” of her opponents. After winning the first set against Justine Henin in the Australian Open final, Serena lost the second set, but entered the third set with a successful frame-of-mind. “I just definitely stayed positive. I had so many chances in the second that I didn't capitalize on. So in the third, I knew I would have chances again just to capitalize on that one chance in that one moment,” said Serena. The greatest champions hate to lose more than they enjoy winning.

The serve is arguably the most important stroke in the game and Serena holds the record for the fastest in the businesses, 128 miles per hour. She uses it to not only put the ball into play, but to dictate play. She forces the receiver to either return from their weak side or move the opponent out of position. As Serena has proven, owning a strong serve can be the foundation for winning in tennis.

The serve is as important to the recreational player’s game as it is to the pros. If you want to build a stronger foundation to your game that results in more match victories, then emulate the best in women’s tennis – Serena. Here are key elements to get you started.

1. CONTINENTAL GRIP
At the Australian Open, Serena Williams used her wide slice serve into the deuce court to open the court and received easy points with aces up the middle. The new five-time Australian Open champion predominately uses a continental grip while serving, and you should, as well. This grip style allows her to add spin to her serves, which adds more control to her stroke. When attempting to hit more of a flat serve, she sometimes adjusts her grip between eastern and continental. As a recreational player, if you have not used the continental grip, it could [and often] take you time to perfect, but it is well worth the early frustrations.

2. BALL TOSS
As Serena takes back her racquet and tosses the ball she bends her knees deep to help propel her body into the ball. For advanced players, this is an important link to the kinetic chain of the entire service motion. Recreational players should not attempt to bend the knees before or during the tossing motion. The knee bend takes place once the tossing arm is fully extended and the ball is reaching its apex. At this point, bend the knees and push upward and forward to meet the ball
higher above the ground. As you begin to add the knee bend, toss the ball slightly higher than usual and more in front of the body towards the net.

3. SHOULDER ROTATION
The next key element of her serve is her shoulder rotation. Serena has a great shoulder turn that
“corks” her upper body to allow for a greater rotation up and into the ball. Accomplish this by keeping
your racquet close to your body in the racquet takeback, or backswing. As the racquet travels
backwards rotate from your core, which forces the big shoulder rotation and the storing of energy.

4. TOSSING ARM
As Serena rotates her shoulders and tosses the ball her tossing arm is fully extended towards the ball above her head. This is important and is an element of the serve that all great players possess. Most recreational players don’t extend the tossing arm upward enough and the result is an inconsistent toss.

5. RACQUET LAG
The next element is common place with pros: the racquet arm lags behind the tossing arm. It is still very much a fluid motion but the racquet lags just enough to keep the momentum continuous without slowing the racquet or hitching the swing. The racquet arm is also loose as it swings up and out towards the ball. It is freely swinging through the swing path as opposed to “musceling” the ball and forcing power. The smooth, relaxed swing allows the power to build and provides a much more forceful serve. The racquet lag, although an advanced motion and challenging for some players, is a beneficial motion when performed correctly.

6. REACH UP AND OUT
An important characteristic of all great servers is that they fully extend up and out to reach the ball at contact. With all the links to our chain intact, Serena propels herself up and out towards the ball and her target. She completely extends and allows for maximum power and control for one of the all time great servers.

7. FOLLOW THROUGH
Lastly, we should consider the follow through. With an abundance of energy and power in her serve, Serena completes the swing with a follow through that continues across her body. The follow through allows the racquet to travel at a high rate of speed up and into the ball and THROUGH the point of contact. The racquet head does not slow after the point of contact. Many recreational players, in comparison, tend to decelerate after ball contact. A racquet that travels at a high rate of speed from start to finish will have more control and velocity than the one that slows following the point of contact.