The forehand high serve: from drop to long swing
What the forehand high serve is for, how to swing it, and a progression that starts with dropping the shuttle into a tube.
What it is for
The high serve sends the shuttle up very high and brings it down almost vertically at the back of the opponent's service box. In the BWF Level 1 Coaches' Manual (2nd edition, 2017, module 7) it is used in singles to start the rally from a neutral or defensive position, in women's singles and sometimes in men's singles. It tends to go towards the centre of the court, which limits the angles the receiver can use for the return.
Why serve it? The manual gives two reasons: it is a variation, a different challenge from the low and flick serves, and it makes the receiver look up more, so they may be less aware of where the server is. The three serves compared are in three serves: short, flick and high; the rules every serve must respect are in the serve: what makes it legal.
Step by step
- Preparation. Stand sideways in your service box with a basic grip. Hold the racket and the shuttle up, with your weight on the rear leg.
- Backswing. Start to move your weight forwards. Drop the shuttle to the side and in front of you. Lower the racket, bend the wrist and turn the forearm outwards (supinate).
- Forward swing. Keep moving your weight onto the front foot and swing the racket forwards. Speed up the racket head by turning the forearm inwards (pronating) and straightening the wrist. Strike under the shuttle, hard, in front of and to the side of your body.
- Follow-through. The momentum carries the racket through, high and long.
The manual recommends learning a flick serve first, then making the swing longer and hitting more underneath the shuttle. It is slightly harder than a backhand serve, because you strike a shuttle that is falling.
A progression
- Shuttle on the strings. For quick success, use a basic grip, bend forward slightly and rest the shuttle on the strings. Make a short backswing by cocking the wrist, hold that position and flick the shuttle.
- Drop into a tube. In groups of three, each player holds a shuttle in the non-racket hand and waits behind the back line. In turn, each runs forward to a shuttle tube placed on the court and, from an upright standing position, tries to drop the shuttle into it. A miss: pick it up and go to the back of the queue. When all shuttles are in the tube, empty it and try to improve the team score, until an agreed time.
- Put them together. Gradually drop the shuttle from further, lengthen the swing and add more weight transfer.
- Set targets in the rearcourt, larger for weaker players and smaller for better ones.
- Game. Only forehand high serves are allowed. You may give two attempts, alternate servers so that everyone serves equally, and fix a minimum height, judged by a "height umpire" or against a mark on the hall wall: below it, the point is lost.
Hints
- Some players do not need to carry the racket so high at the start. They prefer to begin with the racket well back, the wrist bent and the forearm turned outwards.
- Make your low, flick and high serves look the same, to confuse the opponent.
Limits
The manual gives no height, speed or distance to aim for: use a target and watch where the shuttle lands. The laws govern the serve (contact point, feet, the diagonal service box), and the official text is the reference. If your shoulder, elbow or wrist hurts, stop and ask a qualified coach.
General practice advice: play within your limits and stop if something hurts.