Skill tough to master but yields big returns - #lakewoodnews

There isn't much debate about the serve being the most important part of tennis.

The importance of the return of a serve, however, can't be overlooked.

"Service return in general is one of the two most important assets of match play," Cherry Creek boys tennis coach Art Quinn said. "The service is the first shot of the point and the return is the second shot of the point.

"Maybe a generation ago, the biggest servers in the pro game dominated the rankings and dominated portions of the game. Nowdays, it's not the biggest servers, it's the most effective returning percentage of games won. So the return game has really taken a forefront --; not to say that big servers can't win."

It's the same in high school tennis, where service return is tough to master.

"One of the key factors about returning service is there is less time to react, there is less time to read the factors that will help determine where the ball is going," Quinn said. "Read, process and execution are very compressed."

And, there's a difference between service returns in singles and doubles.

"For high school tennis, it is really important for a doubles team to have a great service return," Castle View coach Joel Justice said. "If a team cannot keep it away from the 'net' guy they will not be in the point.

"The opportunity to hit a cross-court return will get a team into the position of attack, and younger players struggle with that type of pressure."

Mountain Vista senior Hunter Hostelley was a state qualifier at No. 3 singles in 2015 but had to adjust his service returns after playing doubles the year before.

"Normally, if you watch the toss, you can tell where the server is going to hit the ball," Hostelley said. "The players are really good at our level. They could go out wide or down the middle. Sometimes you don't know.

"It's definitely a lot tougher to return in singles. In doubles they usually hit more of a spin serve. In singles, it is more of a flat serve and it's coming a lot harder. You have to get ready a lot quicker. I always tell myself to do the same thing every time, split step and move forward."

Grant Smith, a Mountain Vista senior, was a state qualifier last season in No. 4 doubles.

"In doubles, service return is a little different because you have to make sure you get it cross court and not float it where it can be cut off," he said. "Just kind of a low cross-court ball is what's good.

"In singles, you can get away with just blocking it back. In doubles you kind of have to learn to stay in front and just get a low ball, maybe a little harder. Cross court is really the biggest thing. In singles you don't have to worry so much about where to place it."

Teams started practice Aug. 15 with many ladder matches to determine the varsity lineup. Matches start Aug. 18, with the regional state-qualifying tournaments scheduled for Oct. 5-8.

Cherry Creek, the five-time defending Class 5A state champion, has to rebuild this season, especially since two of last season's state finalists decided not to play this season.

The 5A state tournament will be played Oct. 13-15 at the Gates Tennis Center in Denver, with the 4A tourney held the same days in Pueblo.

from Lakewood Sentinel - Latest Stories http://lakewoodsentinel.com/stories/Skill-tough-to-master-but-yields-big-returns,233840