Return of Serve: The Most Underrated Shot in Tennis
Players spend hours practising serves, forehands, and backhands — then wonder why they keep getting broken. The return of serve is the shot you hit on literally half the points you play, yet almost nobody practises it specifically. A solid return neutralises a good serve. A great return puts immediate pressure on the server. Here's how to build both.
Ready Position and the Split Step
Your return starts before the server tosses the ball. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width, knees bent, weight on the balls of your feet. Hold the racket out in front with a neutral grip (continental or your forehand grip — you'll adjust during the split step).
The split step is non-negotiable. As the server's racket makes contact with the ball, perform a small hop — feet barely leaving the ground — and land with both feet simultaneously, shoulder-width apart. This loads your legs like springs and lets you push off explosively in either direction. Without the split step, you'll be flat-footed and late on every return. For more on perfecting this timing, see our footwork drills guide.
Returning First Serve vs Second Serve
These are fundamentally different situations that require different mindsets and positions. Treating them the same is why most club players struggle with returns.
| Factor | First Serve Return | Second Serve Return |
|---|---|---|
| Position | 1-2 metres behind the baseline | On or inside the baseline |
| Mindset | Survive — get the ball back deep | Attack — take control of the rally |
| Backswing | Compact — shorten by 50% | Full swing — treat it like a groundstroke |
| Target | Deep centre — high percentage, reset the rally | Cross-court deep or down the line — take the initiative |
| Acceptable outcome | Ball lands anywhere in play | Ball lands deep with intent — inside-out forehand or DTL |
| Grip preparation | Start neutral — react to serve direction | Can pre-set to forehand if you're stepping around |
Positioning Against Different Serve Types
| Serve Type | What It Does | Your Adjustment | Best Return Option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat (fast, low bounce) | Skids through low and fast | Stand further back; compact swing; block it back | Deep cross-court block — use the server's pace |
| Slice (curves wide, stays low) | Swings away from you (deuce side for right-handers) | Shift 30 cm wider before the serve; anticipate the pull | Step in and redirect down the line while the server recovers |
| Kick (high, heavy topspin) | Bounces up to shoulder/head height | Move forward to take it on the rise before it climbs | Attack with a full swing — the slower pace gives you time |
| Body serve (aimed at your hip) | Jams you — no room to swing | Move feet sideways to create space BEFORE swinging | Short backswing, open the face slightly, redirect cross-court |
Common Return Errors
Standing flat-footed (no split step)
Result: Late to every serve — scrambling instead of reacting
Fix: Time your split step to land at the moment the server makes contact. Practise this without a racket first — just watch serves and split step. Once the timing is automatic, add the racket back. Every fraction of a second matters.
Full backswing on first serve returns
Result: Ball arrives before your racket is ready — late, cramped contact
Fix: Against fast serves, shorten your backswing by 50%. Think "catch and redirect" — use the server's pace rather than generating your own. The best first-serve returners (Djokovic, Murray) barely take the racket back.
Same position for first and second serves
Result: Too far back on second serves (passive return) or too close on first serves (rushed)
Fix: Move 1-2 metres forward between first and second serves. This is a physical commitment to attacking the weaker delivery. If you stay in the same spot, you're leaving free aggression on the table.
Watching the ball after contact instead of recovering
Result: Stuck admiring your return while the server hits a winner to the open court
Fix: After returning, immediately shuffle back to the centre of the baseline. Especially on wide returns — the more angle you create, the more court you leave open. Recover first, admire later.
Trying to hit a winner on every return
Result: Frequent unforced errors on the return — giving away free service games
Fix: On first serves, a deep return IS the victory. On second serves, be aggressive but aim for targets — cross-court deep or down-the-line. Outright winners come from positioning, not brute force.
Return of Serve Drills
- Block return drill: Have a partner serve first serves only. Your only goal is to block the ball back deep — no winners, no fancy angles, just deep and in play. Track your percentage. 70% in play is club-level solid; 85% is excellent. A sweet spot trainer helps you find the centre of the strings consistently, which is critical when you're shortening your backswing.
- Step-in second serve attack: Partner serves second serves only. Stand on the baseline. After the split step, step forward aggressively and hit a full groundstroke — cross-court or down the line. The goal is to take the ball on the rise, before it reaches its peak height. 20 returns per side.
- Read-and-react drill: Partner serves from the ad and deuce sides alternately. You must call out the serve type ("flat!", "kick!", "slice!") before hitting the return. This forces you to read the toss and the server's motion — the two earliest clues about where the serve is going. If you can identify the serve type before it crosses the net, you're ahead of 90% of club players.
- Return games: Play a set where you only count return games. Server serves normally, but you only track YOUR return games. Can you break serve 3 times in a set? This shifts your mental focus to the return, which is where most matches are actually decided. For more serve technique to understand what you're reading, see our serve tips guide.
Equipment for Better Returns
A secure grip is essential for returns — the racket takes a bigger hit from a fast serve than from a rally ball, and a sweaty or worn grip will twist in your hand. Replace your overgrip before every match, not every month. Serious players go through one overgrip per session. A grip spray adds extra tackiness in humid conditions when your hands are sweating before the match even starts.
For evening matches, reaction time is everything on the return — and LED balls are actually easier to track against a dark sky than standard balls under patchy floodlights. Worth trying if your club plays night comp.
Grip it and return it
Fresh overgrips, grip spray, and training tools — everything you need to break serve more often.