Drop serve or out of the air serve — which one should you use?
The drop serve versus the out of the air serve. Which one should you use? Is it the right serve for you? The Pros do not use it since it is not allowed in the PPA, only in the APP. Why do they not use it?
Pros are pushing the envelope with the out of the air serve. It is a difficult rule to enforce, and Zane Navratil mentions in this video how several pros get away with illegal serves. https://tinyurl.com/5n7phey2
There is an advantage with the out of the air serve if you want to weaponize your serve, making it an offensive weapon. You can generate more hip rotation and shoulder rotation from a higher point with the out of the air serve.
Three components of the out of the air serve
Must make contact below the waist. Paddle must be in an upward motion as you strike the ball.
The top part of your paddle must be at or below the level of your wrist.
All elements of the out of the air serve rules are subjective. In the video, Zane demonstrates several serves. See if you can tell if they are illegal. Until we make the rules easier to enforce without subjective opinion, pros will push the envelope. Zane states that we should go to the drop serve only, to eliminate players who are on the border of illegal serves with the out of the air technique.
Benefits of the drop serve
The three components listed above do not apply to the drop serve. No worries about keeping your paddle below your waist, etc.
Consistency: If you have issues with getting your serve in regularly, the drop serves hover in your contact area, which makes it easier to get it in regularly.
It is easier for beginners to master the drop serve, since they have more time to coordinate their rotation and follow-through.
Did you know you can let it bounce more than once with the drop serve? Fake out your opponents!
Issues with the drop serve
You cannot propel, spin, or toss the drop serve – you must drop it. Knuckles to the sky, let go of the ball.
Often, I see my students drop the ball even with or behind their body, which puts them on their back foot. It must be dropped out in front! It can be dropped inside the court line, but you cannot step on the line when you contact the serve.
With wind, sun, type of ball, the drop serve brings in extra elements to your consistent ability to execute your serve.
I think you should have many tools in your toolkit. Try many types of serves, to keep your opponent off balance. I use a topspin drive serve, a topspin lob serve, an inside out cut serve, and a drop serve with a cut. I am working on a backhand serve, and a backhand off a drop two handed serve. For all your serves, be sure to contact in front of your body, use hip and shoulder rotation, and follow-through with your paddle to your target.