If your serve is slow, inconsistent, or just lacks sting...
chances are you’re ignoring the most important phase of all.

 It’s not the toss.
 It’s not the follow-through.
 The real issue is this:

The loading phase.

Also known as the trophy position, this is the moment when tennis greats — from Federer to Alcaraz — store explosive energy ready to launch.
It’s the true beginning of your serve.
If you mess it up here… everything else collapses.

 Why the Loading Phase Is Your Real Engine
The serve is a kinetic chain: energy travels from your feet, through your core, to your racquet and into the ball.
But to generate that force, you first have to store it properly.

Most players try to fix their contact point, swing arc, or finish…
without realizing the root cause is an ineffective loading phase.

 Golden Rule: To Go “Up and Forward,” You Must First Go “Down and Back”
Top servers don’t just bend their knees.
They build a powerful spring by loading their body the right way.

Here’s what to look for:

  Foot positioning: Rear foot slightly behind and angled.
 Weight distribution: Load ~55–60% on the back leg.
  Hip twist: Rotate the hips to create elastic tension.
  Upper body coil: Chest should face sideways, not the net.
  Sink into the back hip: But don’t overdo it — too much and you lose rhythm.

 Don’t Freeze in the Trophy Position!
One of the biggest mistakes — even at advanced levels — is treating this phase as a pose.

 It’s not a pause. It’s a spring-loaded transition.

Think of it like compressing a spring:
If you hold it too long, you lose all the elastic energy.

 Even a tenth of a second too long kills your power and timing.
The serve is a plyometric action — it needs fluidity and speed.

 Pro Secret: The trophy position isn’t meant to be “held”… it’s meant to launch you.

 Fix the Load, and the Rest Fixes Itself
If your serve isn’t working, stop chasing tweaks in your finish.
Go back to the root: your loading setup.

When the base is solid,
everything — from racquet drop to clean contact — falls into place.

 Want to truly transform your serve?
 Record a side-view video and check:

 Is your weight on your back leg?
 Are your hips loaded and rotated?
 Is your torso facing sideways?
 Are you staying too long in the trophy position?

Fix these fundamentals… and watch your serve turn into a lethal weapon. 

by Federico Coppini
https://coppinitennisacademy.com/