Hold of Service

Hold of service is a service game which is won by the server. Being able to hold the service and maintain the starting shot can give players more confidence and more control over the game. There are many reasons why hold of service is important.

First and foremost, the server of a tennis game is at the advantage that they have the first opportunity to strike. This means that the server can be a bit strategic and have offensive control over the shots. In turn, the server can essential dictate the rhythm of the point they are serving on. When holding the serve through the game, the server therefore has more of a say over each point.

The ultimate intention of the server in tennis is to ensure their opponent remains neutral. When serving, you are really setting your opponent up for a weaker return so that they have less decision on what happens for your returning serve. The more services that you hold throughout a game, the more force and strength you have here.

Hold of service, even for just half the game, is a great way for players to boost their confidence and feel more strength in breaking back to get the serve on their side again if the opponent takes it away. If a player manages to hold the service well enough, they can even win a whole set on their own serve.

All in all, the serve in tennis offers a major advantage that brings with it a lot of momentum. This momentum can be a very useful driving force in playing the game well and winning more points. The longer the serve is in your court, the more confidence you should have to dictate the points and let your opponent know what type of game is being played. This is plenty of reason to keep practicing service shots and making sure they are a key element of your tennis game.

Hold of service in the modern game of tennis has become more and more difficult. Players can now return service more often and even use the speed of the service to add to the offensive nature of their return.

Hold of service now requires a one two punch on most points-a good serve and a good first shot. Even then, some players have become so adept at playing defense and turning that defense into offense, that it can take even more than two very good shots to win most of the points on your serve.

It has also become much more difficult to back up good serving by moving forward and using volleys to end the point. Again, the master defenders are great at passing the net player, making most of them indecisive and not able to cover the net as well as they have in the past.

Practice the transition game and your volleying technique as well as serving and first shot, to improve the number of games that you hold service in your matches.