Imagine this situation. Your first serve didn’t go quite like you’d planned. You hit the ball a bit out of bounds. You get your second chance. The ball hits the net. It’s yet another double fault, and it just cost you a point. If this is a common issue for you, know this first – you’re not alone. Double faults aren’t that uncommon among novice and even experienced players, but there are things you can do to end the issue. 

Start by Shifting Your Strategy

Sometimes, the best approach is to simply get the ball in play. Instead of relying on a powerful first serve, consider opting for two-second serves. This increases your chances of winning the point compared to missing both serves completely. Especially at the club or recreational level, your opponent may prefer faster-paced shots.

Requesting your opponent to apply pressure with their return can be difficult, but it’s important to set aside your ego. It’s always better to have two-second serves than constantly surrendering points to your opponent. Surprisingly, even seemingly “easy” serve returns can trip up players more often than you’d expect.

Shift the Way You Serve

Some coaches will advise you to hit down on every serve. Advice like that will always result in a double fault because you’re essentially aiming your serve toward the net. Instead, focus on hitting up. It will give your serve a bit of topspin and help ensure it progresses over the net, which gives you a bit more space to find the service box. 

Lower The Toss in Practice

In the long term, you need to work on that serve! Consider lowering your ball toss as you practice. Most pros try to throw higher because it makes for a faster serve overall. It also makes it harder to hit, particularly more difficult to hit up! Let the racquet catch the ball just as it hits the highest point. 

Give Us a Call

Need a bit of extra work on that serve? In a private lesson, we’ll focus just on your needs. Give us a call today to learn more about how to book private lessons with our pros.