Everyone knows the serve is one of the most important shots in tennis. You want to keep your opponent on his or her toes by changing the speed, placement and spin on your serve. After all, the serve is the only time in tennis when you control when you hit the ball.

Take your time, slow down and visualize. Think about the placement, speed and spin. The more variation you can use on your serve, the more you’re going to be able to cause your opponent to hit unforced errors. Make it work for you.

Placement: Where in the service box are you serving?

Spin: What spin are you hitting your serve with?

Speed: Are you adding speed or taking some off?