It’s tennis' equivalent of the body blow – the serve that comes right at you, handcuffing you on the return. How do you handle it most effectively? There are several things you can do to keep from getting burned by the serve into the body.
Conventional wisdom says to make sure you move your feet and perform your split step when the server tosses the ball. That’s certainly sound advice, but keeping the backswing short and attacking the ball—rather than letting it attack you—is another way to tackle the situation.
If you're regularly getting hurt by the serve that’s directed at your body, also consider adjusting your position left or right to give the server a different look at the court. Remember, even though the server is doing the delivery, you don’t have to accept the package.