Manner of execution and efficacy of the serve in men’s beach volleyball

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of the manner of execution on serve efficacy of the in men’s beach volleyball. Material and methods: A total of 5,132 serves, corresponding to 84 matches (179 sets) of the Men's Beach Volleyball World Tour were studied (179 sets). The variables studied were: a) manner of execution; b) zone of execution; c) serve distance; d) zone of destination; e) serve efficacy; and f) rally result. Results: Differences were found in the different serve techniques regarding origin, destination, and efficacy. The jump serve involved a higher efficacy coefficient, and it was the most used serve. The floating jump serve limited the opponent´s actions more and was the second most used serve. The standing serve and power jump serve were more effective when directed toward the bottom corners or the interference zone between receptors, and the floating jump serve was more effective when it went directly at the receptors (to limit opponent attack options). Conclusion: The paper discusses the possible reasons for the results and their applicability.