STL All Sports

The Service. There are a number of variations in the service but one should develop a technique of starting all of them in a similar way. A slow back swing, followed by a quick, snappy long service or a short, soft shot is deceptive. Occasionally one should feint a hard service and follow with an easy one.

If one wins the toss it is advisable to choose to serve, as oftentimes a number of points are scored before one loses the service.

The several corners of the receiver's court are the vulnerable spots and the following services should be directed at an imaginary quarter circle in one of the corners.

The Long Lob. This service, sometimes called the toss, should be very high and directed over the opponent's head to the left or right corner of the back court. The backhand stroke of most players is usually not so strong as the forehand shot so that it is preferable to make this service to your opponent's left side.

The Short Service. The bird is lifted just over the net, so as to land just inside the service line at one of the corners. One of the things that makes this serve effective is that the receiver often thinks it is short and will allow it to fall for an ace. The return of the shot is quite often one that can be smashed.

The Fast Service. In this serve the bird is hit about waist high and should skim the net, being directed at the opponent's left shoulder. This shot must necessarily be hit fairly close to the maximum height of the legal stroke, or nearly waist high, so that it crosses the net very quickly.

Strategic Service Position. The service in the doubles game should be made from fairly close to the front and near the outside boundary line. This position enables one to take advantage of the opponent's backhand area and if the opponent moves to receive this shot there is an opening for a short service.

The singles service should ordinarily be made from a position about the middle of the service court and fairly close to the front service line. In singles one should not serve from near the outside boundary line as he has the entire court to cover alone and may not have time to get into a good receiving position before the return is made.

Immediately after serving one should take a defensive position in the center of the court, slightly back of the short service line. From this position a player, if he is alert, has an opportunity to counter all shots.