The server settles behind the baseline. Same calm routine. Same familiar stance. The receiver drifts a step toward the back fence, bracing for a booming serve—and then the ball floats softly into the front corner of the service box. Suddenly, they’re sprinting forward, reaching wide, and trying to hit a winner while off balance. That’s the underhand serve: a small, surprising shot that can turn a receiver’s confidence into a scramble.
It isn’t a magic trick, and it won’t rescue a weak serve every time. But with a disguised setup, a relaxed racket drop, and clever short-angle placement, it can become a sharp tactical option—especially against a receiver who stands deep. Here’s how to learn it, make it look like a believable part of your service routine, and use it without turning every point into a gamble.
What Makes an Underhand Serve Work?
The underhand serve succeeds by changing the receiver’s timing and distance. A player expecting a fast serve often sets up well behind the baseline, shifts their weight backward, and prepares for a quick reaction. A short serve asks for the opposite: a fast move forward, a low contact point, and enough control to guide the ball back while running.
Placement matters more than disguise alone. A predictable underhand serve hit straight to a receiver who is already near the baseline is an invitation to attack. A well-placed one lands short and wide in the diagonal service box, making the receiver cover ground and hit from an awkward position.
There’s a famous example from the 1989 French Open: Michael Chang used an underhand serve against Ivan Lendl during their fourth-round match. It became one of tennis’s most talked-about tactical surprises. The lesson isn’t that you should copy a famous moment on every big point. It’s that a change of pace can make an opponent reconsider their position—and that surprise is most effective when it fits the situation.
Start With a Legal, Comfortable Motion
An underhand serve is still a serve, so the standard rules apply. Start behind the baseline, within the correct serving area, and send the ball diagonally into the opposite service box. Under the standard service rule, release the ball from your hand and strike it with your racket before it hits the ground. You don’t need a towering toss: a small, controlled release is enough for this motion.
Don’t rush the serve while your opponent is clearly not ready. You can vary your tactic, but you still need to give the receiver a fair chance to prepare. And keep an eye on your feet: if a foot touches the baseline or the court inside it before you strike the ball, you can be called for a foot fault.
Build a Disguised Setup
Disguise doesn’t mean putting on a performance. It means avoiding a huge, obvious signal that tells your opponent, “Watch for the underhand serve.” Keep your pre-serve routine calm and reasonably consistent. Set your feet, take your usual breath, and look toward the target as you normally would.
Keep the early routine familiar
If you use the same preparation for your regular serve, keep its basic rhythm. Don’t suddenly crouch, stare at the front of the box, or cradle the ball as if you’re about to drop it straight onto your strings. Those clues can send the receiver forward before the ball leaves your hand.
You don’t have to copy every detail of your full serving motion, either. A relaxed version of your normal stance is enough. The goal is to make your choice less obvious until the last comfortable moment—not to create a complicated acting job that makes you tense.
Pick your moment, not just your target
Look for a receiver who is standing well behind the baseline, especially if they keep retreating to handle your first serve. Notice their habits over several points. Do they shuffle backward before you start your motion? Do they lean toward your usual serve direction? Are they slow to move forward after a long rally?
Those details can help you choose a sensible moment. You might try the underhand serve when the receiver is deep and expecting pace, or after you’ve established a reliable conventional serve. Avoid treating it as a guaranteed winner. If your opponent has moved inside the baseline, is already leaning forward, or reads your preparation early, a standard serve may be the better call.
Let the Racket Drop Without Forcing It
The racket drop is the quiet engine of the shot. You want the racket head to fall into a comfortable hitting position so you can swing smoothly up and through the ball. Think loose and compact, not floppy. A tense shoulder or a sudden wrist flick makes the contact harder to control and often turns a gentle serve into a floaty, attackable one.
A simple motion to practise
- Hold the racket comfortably. Use a grip that lets you guide the racket face without squeezing the handle. Your hand should feel secure, not clenched.
- Release the ball gently. Let it rise only a little, or release it on a shallow path that suits your timing. Keep the ball close enough to your hitting shoulder to avoid reaching across your body.
- Allow a small racket drop. Let the racket head fall behind and below the ball. Keep your arm relaxed and your motion compact; you don’t need the big loop of a powerful first serve.
- Brush and guide. Swing through the lower outside part of the ball to create a little sidespin, while guiding the face toward the intended crosscourt angle. Start with control rather than trying to produce dramatic spin.
- Finish balanced. Let the racket continue naturally across your body. Stay stable enough to recover for the next shot.
Be careful with the word “relaxed.” It doesn’t mean letting your wrist collapse or twisting your arm sharply. Keep the joint comfortable and the movement smooth. If you feel pain—not ordinary effort or mild muscle fatigue—stop and reassess your technique. A qualified coach can check your grip, contact point, and serving motion in person.
Find the Short Angle
For a right-handed server, a crosscourt underhand serve generally travels into the receiver’s deuce-side service box from the deuce court, or the ad-side box from the ad court. A left-handed server’s angles mirror those directions. The useful target is not simply “short.” It’s short and wide enough to pull the receiver away from the middle, while still landing safely inside the service box.
Picture a triangle: you, the receiver, and the front outside corner of the opposite service box. The shorter you send the ball across that diagonal, the more sharply the receiver has to change direction. But aim too close to the sideline and your margin shrinks. Begin with a target several feet inside the lines, then adjust as you find your control.
There’s also a trade-off between shortness and height. A ball that barely clears the net but clips it is no help. A high, slow ball gives the receiver extra time to sprint forward and set up. Look for a comfortable arc that clears the net with room while still landing in the front part of the box. Add spin only after you can land the basic serve consistently.
Practise It Before You Use It in a Match
Start with a service box and a handful of balls—not a full-speed match point. First, stand close to the service line and practise the release, racket drop, and contact. This removes the pressure of covering a full-court distance and helps you feel the motion. Once you can make clean contact, move back to the baseline and aim for the front third of the opposite service box.
Try this progression:
- Contact drill: From inside the service line, make ten gentle underhand contacts. Focus on a relaxed hand and stable balance.
- Landing drill: From the baseline, aim for a broad target in the front half of the diagonal service box. Count how many of ten land legally.
- Angle drill: Put a cone or other safe target near the outer part of the box—well inside the lines—and aim to pull the ball wide.
- Decision drill: Have a partner stand at different distances behind the baseline. Serve underhand only when they start deep; use your normal serve when they move in.
Keep the target safe: use a cone placed well away from the net and the players’ running paths, and retrieve balls only when it’s safe. If a partner is practising returns, agree on the drill beforehand. A surprise serve is a match tactic, not a reason to put someone at risk in a practice rally.
Use the Serve to Create the Next Shot
Don’t admire the serve after contact. A receiver who reaches the ball may still float back a weak reply, so move forward under control and prepare for the next shot. If the serve pulls them wide, expect a crosscourt return or a hurried attempt down the line. Your job is to split-step, read the reply, and attack the opening—not charge blindly toward the net.
Also, vary the pattern. If you use the underhand serve too often, the receiver will creep forward and take away its main advantage. Once they do, you’ve still learned something useful: your regular serve may have more room behind them. The best result may not be an ace. It may be making your opponent unsure whether to defend the baseline or protect the service box.
One practical match rule: choose the shot because the receiver’s position makes it sensible, not because you feel you need to surprise them. Against a fast player who already stands near the baseline, it may be a poor option. Against someone repeatedly backing up, it can be a clever change of pace. Watch the response, then decide whether to use it again.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Making the disguise too obvious: Staring at the short target or changing your entire routine can give away the plan.
- Trying to hit too hard: Extra force often sends the ball long or wide. Start with a smooth, controlled swing.
- Serving short but not wide: If the ball lands near the centre of the box, a receiver with good footwork may reach it comfortably.
- Forgetting the follow-up: The serve can create an opportunity, but you still need to be ready for the return.
- Using it as a prank: A point is a point, but constant surprise attempts can frustrate opponents and cost you tactical credibility. Use the shot with purpose and good sportsmanship.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an underhand serve legal in tennis?
Yes. The serving rules do not require an overhand motion. You must serve from behind the baseline, release the ball by hand, hit it before it touches the ground, and land it in the correct diagonal service box. As with any serve, observe the receiver’s readiness and avoid foot faults.
Can I serve the ball after letting it bounce?
No. For a serve, you must hit the released ball before it touches the ground. Practise a small release and compact contact so the timing feels natural rather than rushed.
How do I stop the receiver from reading the serve?
Keep your early routine and posture calm, and don’t telegraph your target. More importantly, choose the serve when the receiver’s position makes it difficult to cover. Disguise helps, but it cannot replace good timing and placement.
Should beginners use an underhand serve?
Beginners can practise it as a coordination and placement skill, but it shouldn’t replace learning a dependable conventional serve. Start slowly, aim for a generous target, and use it in matches only when you’re comfortable with both the motion and the rules.
Final Thoughts
A good underhand serve is simple in motion and clever in purpose. Keep the setup relaxed, let the racket drop naturally, and guide the ball toward a short crosscourt angle that makes the receiver move. Practise the serve until you can land it without rushing, then use it selectively against someone who is giving you space behind the baseline. The surprise is fun—but the real payoff is making your opponent guess what comes next.
