Waiter's Tray Serve
Also known as: waiter serve, waiter's tray, pancake serve, frying pan serve, forehand grip serve, pushing the serve, serve feels like a push, pushed serve
A waiter's tray serve is hit with a forehand grip and the palm under the racquet, like a waiter carrying a tray. The racquet face points at the target the whole time, and the ball gets pushed with little power or spin. The fix is a continental grip and a forearm that turns over through contact.
Many beginners serve with the forehand grip they already know. With that grip the palm faces up behind the head and the racquet sits flat, like a tray. From there the only way to hit is to push the face straight at the ball. The serve has little racquet speed and almost no spin. Getting a reliable second serve in becomes very hard.
The continental grip changes the motion. The racquet edge leads toward the ball. The forearm then turns over, called pronation, just before contact. That turn squares the face at impact and adds racquet-head speed. It also makes slice and kick serves possible. The new grip usually feels awkward at first, and the ball may go off line while the timing develops.
Learning the change takes patience. Many coaches start with a slow, edge-first motion from the service line. Swing as if to hit the ball with the racquet edge, then let the forearm turn over at the last moment. Overhand throwing builds the same arm action. Accept a softer serve for a while instead of switching back to the old grip under pressure.
Tips by skill level
Hold the racquet like a hammer, in the continental grip, and practice slow serves from the service line. Focus on swinging up edge-first, not on power.
Once the continental grip feels natural, work on the forearm turn at contact. It is the base for slice and kick serves and for a dependable second serve.
Example
A league player's serve lands in but sits up with no spin. Her coach moves her to a continental grip and has her swing edge-first at half speed. Over several sessions the serve gains pace, and she starts adding slice.
Why it matters
The waiter's tray serve limits how fast and how much spin a serve can have. Moving to a continental grip opens up a dependable second serve and every serve variation.
Common mistakes
- Serving with an eastern or western forehand grip because it feels comfortable
- Facing the palm and strings to the sky in the trophy position
- Pushing the racquet face at the ball instead of swinging edge-first
- Switching back to the forehand grip as soon as a match gets tight
Frequently asked questions
Why does my serve feel like a push?
It is usually the waiter's tray serve. A forehand grip leaves the palm and racquet face pointing up behind your head, and you push the face at the ball. A continental grip fixes the root cause.
How do I switch to a continental grip on my serve?
Hold the racquet like a hammer. Swing slowly from the service line, lead with the racquet edge, and let the forearm turn over just before contact. Expect it to feel odd for a while.
What is a pancake serve?
It is another name for the waiter's tray serve. The racquet face stays flat and faces the target the whole way, and the ball is pushed. It usually comes from serving with a forehand grip.
Related terms
- Continental GripThe continental grip positions the base knuckle of the index finger on bevel 2 of the handle, the universal grip for volleys, serves, overheads, slices, and drop shots.
- Pronation on ServePronation on serve is the forearm's natural inward turn around contact. It squares the face and adds speed, but shoulder internal rotation adds the most.
- Trophy PositionThe trophy position is the serve checkpoint at the toss's peak: hitting arm up, body arched, tossing arm raised. The kinetic chain is fully loaded to fire.
- Racquet DropThe racquet drop is the racquet head falling passively below the wrist after the unit turn. From there, a low-to-high swing whips topspin onto the ball.
- Second Serve SpinSecond serve spin is the extra rotation a player adds to the follow-up delivery after a miss. It raises net clearance and margin for error.
- Serve Misses (Net or Long)Serves into the net usually come from a low or drifting toss, hitting down on the ball, or dropping the head before contact. Serves that fly long often come from a toss behind the head, an open racquet face or too little spin. Fix the toss first, reach up to the ball, and add spin to bring the ball down into the box.
Related guides & benchmarks
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