The body serve on grass: the two feet that have to move first

What the serve is attacking

A serve into either corner can be reached by extending the arms, since the returner's reach adds a substantial distance to whatever his feet can cover. A serve arriving at the body removes that extension, because the returner cannot straighten his arms without first moving the trunk out of the way. The decision is therefore made with the feet rather than the racket, and it has to be made before the returner knows which wing he will use.

That double requirement is what makes the serve awkward, since it converts a single reaction into a sequence of two decisions. The returner also has to select between the forehand and the backhand at the moment the ball is closest to him, which is the least comfortable point to choose.

Why grass amplifies the difficulty

A body serve on a high-bouncing surface climbs into the returner's chest, which is uncomfortable but at least offers a consistent reference. On grass the same serve skids and stays low, arriving near the hips or the thighs where neither the forehand nor the backhand has a natural swing. The reduced time compounds the problem, since the returner has less opportunity to complete the sideways movement that would create space.

The result is a contact made with the arms close to the body, which produces a reply with very little pace and almost no direction. A server who follows the serve forward is therefore facing the easiest possible first volley, which is why the two tactics are frequently paired.

Which side the returner should choose

The conventional answer is to take a body serve on the backhand, because the backhand contact point sits closer to the body than the forehand does. A forehand played from a crowded position requires the elbow to move behind the trunk, which is mechanically awkward and slow to organise. The instruction changes for players with a one-handed backhand, since the extension required is greater and the crowding is more severe.

What matters most is that the choice is habitual rather than deliberate, since a player who decides in the moment will be late whichever side he picks. Returners therefore rehearse one answer to the body serve and accept that it will occasionally be the wrong one.

Moving before the serve is struck

A returner cannot cover the corners and the body equally well, so the return position is already a partial commitment before the ball is hit. Standing further back gives more time to move out of the way, which is the main reason deep return positions survive against powerful servers. Standing closer removes that time entirely and turns the body serve into the most effective ball in the server's repertoire.

A returner who has been stepping in to attack second serves is therefore inviting the body serve specifically, and good servers use it for that reason. The exchange is a genuine tactical loop, since each adjustment by the returner opens a different serve for the server to use.

Why servers underuse it

The body serve produces fewer outright aces than a well-placed corner serve, which makes it look less effective by the measure most readily available. Its value lies in the quality of the reply rather than in the absence of one, and that value is only realised if the server is positioned to use it. A server who stays deep behind the baseline gives the returner time to recover from an awkward contact, which wastes the advantage entirely.

The serve therefore belongs to a pattern rather than standing alone, and servers who think in terms of single shots rarely choose it. It is also harder to aim than it appears, since the returner is a moving target and the margin between crowding him and giving him room is small.