Hi {{first name |there}},
This week, we're responding to Tennisette reader, Maggie B., who replied to our welcome email's question about her biggest on-court challenge with a single word: "Serves!"
As the most complicated shot in tennis, the serve is a reliable source of frustration, so we've gathered 9 practical tips for improving yours. We love reader questions: if you happen to have a pressing skill, strategy, or style issue, hit reply to this email, and we'll find answers!
This week's fashion edit is inspired by a dreamy European summer vacation — golden-hour spritzes, mornings wandering picturesque cobblestone streets, afternoons at a beach club, poolside, or on a boat, and, of course, tennis! Two essentials we'd recommend packing on any trip: the most popular link in last week's newsletter, this elegant scoop neck tennis dress in pool blue, plus a pair of arch-support flip-flops.
🕵️♀️ Finally, here's this week's trivia question: What's the fastest women's tennis serve ever recorded, and who hit it? Scroll down to the link list for the surprising answer…
Welcome to the club, we’re so glad you’re here!
Team Tennisette
P.S.: serve this email to your tennis team(s)!🎾
How to Improve Your Serve: 9 Simple Tricks
The serve is widely considered the most difficult shot in tennis, and for good reason: it's the only stroke where you must coordinate your feet, legs, torso, tossing arm, hitting arm, wrist, and racquet, all in one continuous motion.
Here are 9 pro-approved tips for improving yours:
Start with your grip. The foundation of most effective serves is the continental grip, sometimes called the "chopper grip" because you hold it the way you hold an axe. It's what allows for spin, control, and the ability to disguise where your serve is going. If you’re not using a continental grip, this single change is worth the awkward few weeks it takes to feel natural. To ease the oddness, it can help to practice holding your racket with a continental grip all the time: at your desk and walking around the house.
Take a lesson (or three!). The number one mistake most recreational players make is avoiding the time it takes to practice and perfect their serve in favor of having more fun hitting groundstrokes or playing games. If you want to improve your serve, it goes without saying that professional advice plus practice will make all the difference.
Perfect your toss. Nearly every serving problem can be traced to an inconsistent toss. Here’s a simple fix: stand at the baseline with a basket of balls and practice tossing — without swinging at all. Let the ball drop and watch where it lands. The goal is a toss so repeatable that if you did this ten times in a row, the ball would land in roughly the same spot near your front foot every time. Another important detail: keep your tossing arm extended upward longer than feels natural instead of dropping it the instant you release the ball. Holding it up until you see the ball start to descend typically improves balance and consistency. Finally: never hit a bad toss! Take your time and do it again.
Keep your head up. Many recreational players tuck their chins down mid-serve to see where the ball is going, but keeping your head still helps maintain your balance and gives the ball a better chance of clearing the net. Your head should remain still as your eyes watch the ball make contact with your racket and then move naturally as you track the ball over the net and into the service box.
Practice placement…
Game. Set. Spritz: The Euro Vacation Edit!
A European summer vacation is a glamorous classic: from stunning art and design to mouth-watering meals, a jaunt through picture-perfect beachside towns and sophisticated cities is a dream.
Here’s what to wear for every delightful moment: from a morning tennis game to afternoon sightseeing, leisurely lunches, and a spritz or two on a boat or poolside before dinner. We love tennis gear in crisp white and navy, flowy dresses that show off shoulders, matching sets in Mediterranean-inspired prints, and accessories that stun!
Even if a trip to Europe isn’t on the agenda, you can still embrace la dolce vita…
ON COURT
Scoop neck tennis dress in pale blue: $138. Flattering side pleats and undershorts included. Add a soft, stretchy pullover on chilly mornings, and wear it later with a dress for dinner: $108. Available in 5 colors and machine washable.
Elegant navy racket cover (can be monogrammed): $99 (on sale!) Also comes in ivory.
Navy-and-white striped tank with built-in shelf bra: $68. Racerback. Available in 10 colors. Pair with the matching navy pleated skirt: $78. Built-in shorts. Available in 7 colors.
Scalloped performance shorts: $98. 4 colors. Undershorts included. Perfect for breakfast at the hotel and a hit of tennis afterward! Pair with a cotton performance tank ($78. Available in 6 colors) that can also be worn with linen pants, or a breezy skirt!
A fun all-in-one performance romper: $138. Pleated skirt. Shelf bra, and undershorts included. Navy or white.
Look extra cute on court in these adorable ruffle-top performance socks: $18 for a 3-pack in white, pink, and mauve.
Ensure you’re prepared for any court surface with a pair of all-court performance sneakers: $109.99. 2 colors. From the Coco Gauff x New Balance collection.
OFF COURT
A flowy maxi dress perfect for relaxed dinners or poolside cocktails: $248. 3 colors. Lightweight gauze with a flattering open-back detail.
Linen pants (with pockets): a vacation essential! $178. Available in 4 colors in linen and 10 colors in cotton. Also available in cropped length. Pair with a loose-fit, square-neck linen top for a matching set: $148.
An A-line scoop neck knit midi dress in red with flattering vertical stripes: $174. Packable in uncrushable ribbed knit!
A lemon-grove-inspired floral patterned linen matching set with scalloped hem detail. Midi skirt: $210. Matching sleeveless top: $130.
Show off tennis-toned shoulders in a halter-neck white linen dress: $450. Tie-back with side pockets and embroidery detail on the hem.
A very fun multicolor striped flowy mini dress: $148. Comes with a matching bandana and can be worn as a cover-up!
Stunning antique brass fish-shaped earrings: $228. For pierced ears.
Italian leather sandals you can walk all day in: $72. Platform base. Available in 3 colors. And a multi-colored raffia and leather flat sandal you can wear to dinner: $430.
Camisole-style cover-up top in striped lightweight cotton: $250. With bead detail. Wear over your swimsuit with the matching wrap skirt: $270.
Crossbody woven leather bag: $395. Fits everything, lightweight, perfect for sightseeing!
A patterned silk scarf that doubles as a top: $230. 2 prints available.
SHOP THE STORY (all images are clickable!)
Navy striped tank: $68
Flowy maxi dress: $248
Romper with pleated skirt: $138
Silk scarf: $230. Doubles as a top!
Elegant racket cover: $99
Multi-stripe cover-up: $148 (with bandana!)
White linen matching set. Pants: $178. Top: $148
Scoop neck tennis dress: $138
Lemon-pattern linen midi skirt matching set. Top: $130. Skirt: $210
Sabine Lisicki
In Case You Missed It…
🕵️♀️TRIVIA ANSWER: Spanish player Georgina García Pérez holds the fastest women's serve ever recorded, at 136.7 mph, hit during qualifying at the 2018 Hungarian Ladies Open. It's faster than Serena Williams' fastest recorded serve (128.6 mph) and Aryna Sabalenka's personal best (133 mph). It's never been recognized as the official WTA record, though, because the tournament didn't use the tour's certified tracking technology. That title belongs to Germany's Sabine Lisicki, whose 131 mph serve at the 2014 Stanford Classic remains the fastest officially verified serve in WTA history.
Vacation goals: 8 of the most beautiful tennis courts in the world.
Tournament Calendar
Here’s the scoop on the pro tournaments leading up to the US Open…
20 July to 25 July: Generali Open, ATP 250, Kitzbühel, Austria
20 July to 26 July: Millennium Estoril Open, ATP 250, Estoril, Portugal
27 July to 2 August: Mubadala DC Open, ATP 500, Washington DC, United States
27 July to 1 August: Mifel Tennis Open, APT 250, Los Cabos, Mexico
2 August to 13 August: National Bank Open, ATP 1000, Montreal, Canada
