A well-placed ball toss is critical for an effective serve. Unless you’re hitting a kick serve, you should put the ball out in front of you and just to the right of your left foot (if you’re right-handed). A good test: Toss the ball and let it drop without hitting it. If the ball bounces in front of the baseline (approximately 6 inches to a foot) and to your right (about 6 inches to a foot from your front foot), you’re in business. A better test: Place a racquet on the ground at your target area. Get in your serving stance at the baseline and see if your toss falls and hits the racquet’s strings. You may have to experi-ment to fi nd the exact spot, but the dividends are more than worth the time. Once you can hit the target consistently, your toss has arrived.

Fred Burdick, USPTA Master Pro, Dalton, Ga.