The return of serve is one of the most important shots in tennis, yet I believe it is one of the least trained in junior development.
At the 12-and-under level, many players do not have a powerful or consistent serve. Because of that, coaches often place more emphasis on serving than returning, assuming the return is less important. I believe this is a missed opportunity.
While watching Wimbledon 2026, I paid close attention to the return of serve rather than the winners or rallies. What fascinated me was how consistently deep the returns landed. Many returns dropped right around the server’s ankles, immediately putting the server in an uncomfortable position after the serve. Instead of starting the point with an advantage, the server was immediately under pressure.
This is something we rarely see in junior tennis.
Coaches often tell young players to “attack the second serve,” but many juniors simply hit the return into the net or long. The intention is correct, but the execution is often poor because the skill has not been trained enough.
Ironically, returning a slower serve can sometimes be more difficult than returning a fast one. During a baseline rally, players can use the pace already on the ball. Against a slow second serve, however, they must create their own pace while maintaining balance, timing, and control. Without specific practice, this becomes one of the biggest sources of unforced errors.
I believe every junior player should spend time practising returns against slower, no-pace serves. The goal is not to hit harder, but to learn how to generate controlled pace, direct the ball deep, and immediately take control of the point.
A good return of serve does more than simply start the rally. It can win easy points, neutralize the server’s advantage, and prevent players from giving away free errors. Over the course of a match, those few extra quality returns can make the difference between winning and losing.
The return of serve deserves far more attention in junior training. It should not be treated as an afterthought. It should be developed as a weapon from an early age.
