UNEXPECTED SERVE
Fabiano Caputo
Welcome to Unexpected Serve
I’m Fabiano Caputo, and this is where the game of tennis meets my life. What began with a borrowed racquet and a quiet park in Los Angeles became a journey that changed everything. Unexpected Serve is my story, a blend of tennis, mindfulness, and discovery.
Following you’ll find a series of video lessons, each paired with a short caption summarizing the techniques and insights explored in depth throughout the book. These videos are meant to inspire, guide, and help you visualize the principles that transformed my game and my life.
Take a breath.
Find your rhythm.
And join me on this unexpected journey, one point at a time.
SERVE FOUNDAMENTALS
The serve is the heartbeat of tennis, the only shot that begins entirely in your hands. It sets the tone, demands balance, and reveals confidence. A good serve is not about power but rhythm, patience, and precision.
True power comes from connection: legs, core, shoulders, and breath moving as one. Inhale before the toss, exhale through contact, and let the motion flow. The serve rewards calm, not force.
Key principles:
- Toss slightly in front of your hitting shoulder.
- Keep your head still and your eyes up.
- Use your legs to drive upward.
- Breathe through the motion.
- Finish balanced and ready for the next shot.
Every point begins with belief. The serve is not just the start of play, it is your first act of trust.
THE RETURN OF SERVE
The return is the moment of truth, pure reaction, no time to think, only to trust. It’s not about speed but timing, not about power but presence. The best returners don’t fight the serve; they absorb it and redirect its energy.
Stay balanced, stay low, stay calm. Read the toss, watch the ball, and move your feet before your mind interferes. The return teaches you to meet pressure with clarity.
Key principles:
- Split-step as the server makes contact.
- Keep your swing compact and steady.
- Redirect pace, don’t force it.
- Exhale through contact to stay relaxed.
- Recover quickly to neutral position.
You can’t control what comes at you, only how you respond. The return is a lesson in readiness and trust.
THE FOOTWORK
Footwork is the rhythm of tennis, the silent foundation beneath every shot. Power, control, and timing all begin from the ground. When your feet move with balance and purpose, everything else follows.
Good movement is not about speed, but efficiency. Arrive early, stay low, and let small steps create big control. Footwork turns effort into flow and chaos into rhythm.
Key principles:
- Stay on the balls of your feet, light, ready, alert.
- Time your split step with your opponent’s contact.
- Use small adjustment steps to find perfect balance.
- Recover to center after every shot.
- Stay low — stability creates precision.
Your legs are your engine, your balance the steering. When your feet find rhythm, your game finds harmony.
THE FOREHAND
The forehand is the soul of rhythm, the shot where instinct meets expression. It’s not about muscle or force, but timing, flow, and trust. When your body moves as one, the ball becomes an extension of your breath.
Power begins from the ground, rises through your hips, and releases through relaxed motion. A great forehand feels effortless, alive, and honest — a reflection of who you are in that moment.
Key principles:
- Prepare early and turn your shoulders.
- Keep your eyes on the ball until contact.
- Let the racquet drop below the ball for natural lift.
- Exhale as you strike — breath is rhythm.
- Finish your swing fully and stay balanced.
The forehand is confidence made visible. It’s not just a shot, it’s your voice on the court.
THE BACKHAND
The backhand is discipline in motion, quiet, deliberate, precise. It doesn’t rely on force but on structure, timing, and trust. Where the forehand feels like freedom, the backhand feels like focus.
It teaches patience. It rewards preparation. When executed well, it’s effortless, a clean line drawn through space, balanced and calm.
Key principles:
- Turn early and lead with your shoulder.
- Stay low and centered through contact.
- Keep your swing compact and steady.
- Shift your weight forward, never lean back.
- Follow through fully with control, not tension.
The backhand reminds you that strength can be quiet and mastery begins with simplicity.
THE VOLLEY
The volley is courage made visible. It’s the moment you leave the comfort of distance and move forward with conviction. At the net, there’s no time to think, only to trust. Precision replaces power, and instinct takes the lead.
The best volleys are quiet. No swing, no hesitation — just balance, awareness, and flow. It’s about feeling the ball, not forcing it.
Key principles:
- Keep the racquet in front, preparation is everything.
- Move through the ball, not at it.
- Use your legs for balance and control.
- Soft hands, firm wrist, guide, don’t hit.
- Recover forward, ready for the next shot.
The net teaches you to act without fear. Step in, stay calm, and meet the moment.
THE overhead
The overhead is confidence in flight, a moment when everything rises, and you meet it without hesitation. It demands balance, timing, and trust. One second of focus, one perfect motion.
It’s not about power but clarity. You track, align, and strike with full commitment. The ball falls, and you answer with precision and presence.
Key principles:
- Turn early and point with your non-dominant hand.
- Move your feet — stay under the ball.
- Keep your body sideways and your eyes steady.
- Strike at the highest point and exhale through contact.
- Land balanced, ready to move forward.
The overhead reminds you that belief comes before contact, you don’t wait for certainty, you create it.