McEnroe serve (pic sequence)

[armand]

What a great serve, even after all this time

 

[diegaa]

wow, he actually gives his back to the oppnent when starts serving.

 

[str33t]

That is some intense shoulder rotation.

 

[federer envies me]

weird serve

 

[Fedfan4life]

weird serve

Yup but he surely can still ace people.

 

[Mick]

wow his ball toss is a lot higher than mine.

 

[Shashwat]

wow, he actually gives his back to the oppnent when starts serving.

wow seriously.

 

[JohnnyF]

wow, he actually gives his back to the oppnent when starts serving.

Uhhhh Yea.....
Just like he has done for almost 30 years!

 

[Mike Bulgakov]

McEnroe began his odd stance with both feet along the baseline because of shoulder trouble early in his career. The key to his serve is the shoulder and hip rotation. I think guys like Becker managed the same hip and shoulder rotation with feet almost ninety degrees to the baseline, thus increasing the acceleration of the trunk rotation. I would not recommend McEnroe's foot postition at the motion's start to anyone.

 

[Mike Bulgakov]

The two things I love about his serve are the seemingly effortless delivery and how it naturally brings him too the net. What players today have serves that put such momentum towards the net?

 

[lemons]

McEnroe began his odd stance with both feet along the baseline because of shoulder trouble early in his career. The key to his serve is the shoulder and hip rotation. I think guys like Becker managed the same hip and shoulder rotation with feet almost ninety degrees to the baseline, thus increasing the acceleration of the trunk rotation. I would not recommend McEnroe's foot postition at the motion's start to anyone.

Absolutely right. Sampras did the very same thing. He would rotate to turn almost his entire back to the net while serving.

Mac's serve looks so weird because of how he lines up on the baseline.

 

[lakis92]

They both have awesome serve right?

 

[Jack & Coke]

Mac and Pete, my all-time fav service motions to watch.. pure poetry.

Smooth and effortless...

bueatiful & effective = mac/pete

ugly & effective = courier/roddick

 

[AJK1]

I've tried mimicking his serve sometimes and it actually works very well.
It makes you bend your knees and push up, which gives incredible power and spin on the ball. Also, it gives great deception to your opponent, they have commented that they can't see where it's coming from till it's too late.
The side spin you get is awesome because you tend to hit across the ball.
The only downside for me is it's very taxing on your back, you have to be very, very fit and flexible to do this serve all the time.
Just goes to show what a wonderfully naturally talented athlete McEnroe is.
Returning his serve in the ad court must be a nightmare.

 

[superman1]

Mac actually said in his autobiography that once he tried serving with his back to his opponent (I think during one of his early US Opens), his serve became a whole lot better.

 

[Jack & Coke]

A couple animated gif's of McEnroe's serve (from an old instructional video)

(give it some time to load...)

 

[Moves]

(give it some time to load...)

Wow! I just can't stop watching those gifs! Especially the top down one. Mesmerizing!

 

[Jonnyf]

Because of his set-up the racket looks miles away from his head, I know we're not meant to call it "Backscratch" I just can't remember what we are meant to call it.

 

[Fearsome Forehand]

If I lined up like that to serve, the people in the ad side stands would be in grave danger. ;o)

 

[jcstennis]

Uhhhh Yea.....
Just like he has done for almost 30 years!

second that...really. duh!