That may seem intelligent, but after two serves, any competent opponent won't fall for it. They'll just react to your serve, not to where you look, and in most cases, trying to be deceptive weakens the serve. I find it most effective to always look the same - same stance, same places I look [first at the opponent, then the shuttle, then at the net as I serve]. Flicks get very effective this way, if you can resist the urge to move backwards as you serve [most tend to do that and give away their intentions before striking the shuttle]. Always having the same position also helps your consistency tremendously. I know some players who try to serve decpetively - it may be effective the first 2 serves, but any good opponent knows what they're doing after that and is either not hindered by it or even more effective (as they never serve where they 'show' it). They are all weaker on serve than me, even though I always look the same and serve to the T or just slightly wide 90-95% of the time. Getting the serve very tight is much more helpful, and if you spend the time you practice deceptive serves on getting tighter and more consistent, you'll be much stronger on serve.
Couldn't agree more but always prepare the same way for each serve is quite deceptive as well. I tend to mix it up at the beginning but at the end i almost serve every time next to the T.
If its a serious match I hold the gaze for 10-15 seconds then proceed to serve, otherwise i just look at the shuttle.
Peripheral vision registers movement more quickly than direct vision. So an opponents movement of body will be detected. So it may be a better idea to look at the shuttle when serving. When I am serving I am looking downwards slanting, so I wonder how can anyone read my eyeballs? Reading the eye is possible only in certain shots, what we read is the posture of an opponent, to anticipate the stroke.
1. feet 2. opponent and decide where to serve 3. shuttle and I randomly count in my head 1-3 secs before I serve. I can serve anywhere I want and tight to the net just by looking at the shuttle. 4. I immediately put my racquet up and be ready even before the shuttle goes over the net.
Sometimes I look at the tape, sometimes I look past it to my opponent. Depends on how serious I'm playing.
For me, i oni look at the floor (dunno if anyone here does that) and flick....caught my opponents quite a few times flat footed...also alternating between flicks and normal short serve...
I don't think it matters. Here's my story telling you why. I may not be a good doubles player. (Like I'm always told, thanks to my defensive playstyle), but when it comes to serving... I think I might very well be one of the best. (In my region, not world standard) Serving is easily my strongest "weapon" in doubles. I'm not afraid of people charging my serves... Or should I say, I'm not very successful with feeling pressured during serves, not anymore. It all started with my brother telling me that I need to serve well enough to not be afraid of getting charge, even if my opponents are obviously dead set on charging it. So, I banned myself from ever flick serving. (It's been 6 years, I haven't lifted my own ban *I do flick if I'm playing with much weaker players, only to play around*) For several months, I practice my short serves... ALOT. Constantly trying to find a perfect form for myself, my own mindset, my own technique. After I find my own form, my pre-serve rituals, and my focus point... I keep practicing it... I remember serving for roughly 2 and a half hours straight(Boxes of shuttles, easily over 700 serves *modest estimation*), pick up shuttle, pre-serve ritual, focus, serve the shuttle, complain about the height in my head, (*If I can see the space between the shuttle and net cord, it's a failure, if I can't, then it's bad because the tail didn't touch the net cord... There are no perfect serve) complain about the where the shuttle land, (*If it didn't touch the service line, it's a failure, if it did, then I complain about the arc of the serve, it didn't go down steep enough to trick my opponent into thinking it's a "short". There are no perfect serves) pick up another shuttle, Repeat; When I stopped, I got very light headed and almost puked. Nowadays Getting my opponent to watch the shuttle until it drop very low before they decide to hit it, or press it down the net occur frequently, especially the former. (Getting more than 2 aces are normal when playing with members of other clubs.) I stopped practicing serving that obsessive now, however, I have done enough for my body to remember the form. I get bad slicing days, I get bad dropping days, I get bad defense day, heck, I have bad clearing days... But... I don't get bad serving days at all. What I'm trying to say is.... I believe, everyone have their own serves that they may find comfortable, and with enough practice, it doesn't really matter where you look.(As long as your form make sense, such as... Not standing 3 feet away from the net... Or... serving below your waist)
I always get a problem serving when I stand too long at the service line waiting. Whenever my opponent takes his time to be ready I simply take a step backwards and wait there. For some reason I get cramped when waiting in my serve position. I guess feeling comfortable is the most important part when serving.
I look at the shuttle first. Fix the feathers. Look at the opponent, and then the service line, and then the tape, and then release.
I stare into my opponents eyes with no emotion! Seems to put them off and I'm able to execute a near perfect serve right on the line tehe
I believe the question shouldn't be so much where you are looking when you serve, but what to look for when you are serving. Also my response is based on doubles service/return. Look to see where the receiver is standing. Is he standing too close to one side? Is he standing so he is biased to hit with his forehand? Is his stance positioned for him to quickly move forward or backwards? Is his racquet positioned to quickly return your serve with his backhand or with his forehand? All these (and much more) should be assessed before you serve. Even with national level players (players who are willing to play National tournaments) in Canada, it is very easy to see, just by assessing their ready position, which shot they are most likely wanting to hit. By practicing your serve to be quick, flat, and accurate, you can make your opponent hit a shot that 1) they do not want to hit, and 2) you are expecting.
First I look at the shuttle and my racket to get ready to serve. After that I look at the opponent, then after serving at the shuttle obviously...
LOL, it's of no importance when you have consistently calculated serves like it came out from the factory ISO prepared and churned out like Christinna Pedersen's serves and not like Taiwan's Chen Wen Hsing's. I personally don't think there are players whose binocular eyes who can even really tell where your eye balls are staring unless you are really turning your whole head to a particular direction which would be too fake or not normal. You can do it once or twice, but you can't fool everybody all the time rite? I would say generally they look at their own postures, check their execution technique, and then look in front or whatever. Neither are there players who just immediately serve without even checking their own position or body posture or preparation.
1. Check he position of my feet if I stand in the right place; 2. I placed my hand at the back holding the shuttle cock and giving my partner a sign if I will serve "SHORT or LONG"; 3. I just look at my opponent when I serve.
