In contrast to the slow pace and high trajectory of the lob serves, the drive serve is hit very low and hard. For a basic drive serve the first bounce should be just past the short line. The ball should bounce twice before hitting the back wall.
The drive serve combines a few moving parts that work simultaneously. There is also a fairly significant difference in the first few steps of the drive serve mechanics when compared to the lob serve. However, after these few steps the rest of the mechanics are nearly identical to the basic forehand stroke.
To begin a drive serve you have to be facing the same way as you would to hit a forehand (toward the right wall if you’re right-handed). The difference with the drive serve is in the placement of your feet and the way they begin the motion. Place your left foot on the back line of the service box (the short line) and point it toward the right side wall (lefties do the opposite). Your foot is now parallel to the short line and perpendicular to the side wall. Now place your right foot on the short line, as well, but a few feet away from your left foot further away from the side wall. It should also be parallel to the short line and perpendicular to the side wall.
You should now have both feet pointing toward the side wall, your left foot in front of your right foot and a few feet apart looking somewhat similar to a freeze-frame of someone in the act of walking a tight-rope with their left foot forward.
This is the point where the mechanics of many top level players varies. For the purpose of this tutorial we will keep it basic.
Bend your knees a fairly good amount and lean your torso forward so that you are nearly parallel with the floor. Hang your arms down in front of you and toward the floor. The ball should be in your left hand and held against the racquet string which is in your right. You are now in the ready position to begin a drive serve.
To set yourself in motion your right foot must begin. Take a small step with it toward the front wall. Then your left leg follows. Take a much larger step with it toward the front wall to propel your momentum forward. As you are taking these steps your racquet now comes up into the hitting position similar to the forehand mechanics. While in stride you must now drop the ball to your desired location. For a basic drive serve to the deep left side of the court (your right-handed opponent’s backhand) you should drop the ball further in front of you and more toward the front wall.
As your motion takes you forward, and as the ball bounces once into the proper hitting zone you will begin your swing, which is exactly the same as the Forehand Stroke. Remember to lead with your elbow, rotate your hips and follow through. The proper height to hit a drive serve depends on how hard you hit it. If you are a hard-hitter you will find that you are able to contact the ball lower in your hitting zone, thus hitting the ball lower on the front wall. Other players who don’t hit as hard will have to aim a little higher in order to hit a legal serve that takes its first bounce past the short line.