Hi Nick: How far should my ball toss land in the court and where should it be in relation to my body for a flat first serve?

—Mike, England

Hi Mike: The toss and rhythm of your entire serve motion must work together. Keep in mind that if you toss the ball too far in front of the baseline you cannot hit up and your serves will go short and often land in the net. Everyone is different when it comes to the height of the toss but here are two tips:

1) If you are serve and volleying, you can toss the ball further out into the court because you are going to the net.

2) If you stay back, the toss should be closer to the baseline, in front and slightly to the right of your front foot.

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