Topic: Returning serve: what do you make of this?

[Tennis4you]

I think also, on top of what has been agreed upon, that the deeper out serve kind of forces you to get your eyes down on the ball moreso...........that is, if you want any chance to return it. 

I have a feeling most people probably take their eyes off of the serve once it is hit out more so than the opposite.  Speculation though.

[backhand_finish]

i would think that you actually have great stroke mechanics but you're just too cooncerned about how you're hitting. just relax and let go!

 on the other hand, i feel that it'll be good if one plans how the point is going to go thenjust rush into it.

[dmastous]

This has been by far the worst aspect of my game. Once in awhile I return decently, but most of the time it's really hit and miss. It seems to be even worse now that I'm not playing very often.

[FreeBird]

Babble,
I've got another thought on this.  Do you think that your stroke changes when you're returning those long serves?  When I think about what I do when the serve is well long, it's a different stroke to some degree - I usually just block the ball back, getting down low to the ball and then using a really abbreviated stroke (not much backswing or follow-through).  It's different from my "normal" return, where I usually take a full follow-through.  You mentioned that you stand back because of your elongated strokes, so if you do think that your "long serve" return is different, you might consider trying to incorporate your "long serve" return into your "normal" return game.  If that makes any sense at all 

[Babblelot]

Babble,
I've got another thought on this.  Do you think that your stroke changes when you're returning those long serves?  When I think about what I do when the serve is well long, it's a different stroke to some degree - I usually just block the ball back, getting down low to the ball and then using a really abbreviated stroke (not much backswing or follow-through).  It's different from my "normal" return, where I usually take a full follow-through.  You mentioned that you stand back because of your elongated strokes, so if you do think that your "long serve" return is different, you might consider trying to incorporate your "long serve" return into your "normal" return game.  If that makes any sense at all 

Yeah, all that's true. Even what backhand_finish (welcome bro!) said is true: my "normal" stroke is different and when the serve is good, my entire focus is on my mechanics. Like I said, when I have time to think, I have an exaggerated recoil and attempt to put more spin on the ball, so much so that I either can't catch up to it or hit it so fat I've got nothing on it (if it stays in). This makes me think I have really slow eye-hand reactions. But when the serve is long... I don't block it, I have a nice, simple swing and get good wood. It's a compact swing less the recoil and topspin.

I'm hoping that moving in will force me to react and force me into playing a compact swing.