The Frenchman’s booming delivery kick-starts his acrobatic game.
1. Before Tsonga tosses the ball, he keeps his weight on his front foot, which is at a 45-degree angle to the baseline. You can tell that Tsonga knows tension is the enemy of a good serve: His hands and shoulders are relaxed.
2. Tsonga shifts his weight to his back foot as he begins his tossing motion. He holds the ball in his fingers, not his palm, and his hand remains free of tension. He keeps the elbow of his tossing arm straight. These are essential components of a consistent toss.
3. As Tsonga’s hands separate, his tossing arm is ahead of his racquet arm. This technique is an improvement on the traditional “down together, up together” method because it keeps the hitting shoulder loose and helps prevent hitches in the swing. Net result: You get more racquet-head speed.
4. Tsonga shifts his weight to his front foot and deeply bends his knees. He releases the ball, but his tossing arm continues to follow it upward, ensuring an accurate toss and a strong upper-body turn. Tsonga’s racquet face is pointed down, which relaxes the shoulder muscles.
5. At this point, Tsonga is loaded and ready to uncoil. He slides his right foot forward to aid in his drive toward the ball. Notice the almost 90-degree flex in his knees. Top players generally bend this much on their serves, but it’s a lot to ask of club players. Tsonga extends his tossing arm and keeps his racquet head facing down.
6. Tsonga drives up toward the ball with his legs and begins his forward swing. His legs extend fully and his hips open up, followed by his upper body. He drops the racquet head, and the frame remains a good distance from his body. Forget the old “scratch your back” method. It’s not as efficient and may lead to injuries. Tsonga concentrates on the ball and keeps his head up.
7. At contact, Tsonga is airborne and his hips and shoulders face his target in the deuce court. Club players take note: He doesn’t jump. His lift is the result of strong leg drive and a well-timed swing. Tsonga’s left arm tucks under his ribs and blocks the trunk from rotating past the ball before contact. He hits the ball just below its peak height.
8. Tsonga lands on his left foot, and his right foot kicks backwards to counterbalance his forceful forward swing. Tsonga keeps his head up and tracks the ball. He’ll be ready for whatever return his opponent sends his way.
E. Paul Roetert, Ph.D., is a USPTA Master Pro and former managing director of USTA Player Development.
Originally published in the July/August 2010 issue of TENNIS.
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