the advantage of not being a big server - Page 2

arche3 · 03-26-2011, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dozu

well, it's Princeton home game so those gotta be Prince balls.

ok, I am holding my breath for your 100 mph serve video.

I can do 85... I hope I can do 100.

TenFanLA · 03-26-2011, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dozu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kpelRORbGk

if she can play Wimbledon with this serve..... (fill in the blank)

I didn't realize there was a white female tennis version of Charles Barkley's golf swing.

dozu · 03-26-2011, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TenFanLA

I didn't realize there was a white female tennis version of Charles Barkley's golf swing.

could never understand Bark.... guy used to be a decent amateur, something like a 3 handicap.

enishi1357 · 03-26-2011, 03:56 PM

there's a common element in all my strokes. now that i figure it out, all my serve start hitting the spots consistently.

SuperDuy · 03-26-2011, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dozu

granitechief, you are the expert, how do you edit videos?

seems like a lot of work, to cut out all the periods between points.

I use a program called pinnacle studio, works well.

Steady Eddy · 03-26-2011, 04:29 PM

100 miles per hour is not a big serve? I know it's not big on the tour, but isn't it in other places?

A mall in the Minneapolis area had a fast serve contest. Anyone could serve, no fee, they just time your serve with a radar gun. Few could go over 100 mph, I saw a guy who worked in a pro shop go over 130 mph, but they didn't have to be placed, it was only about speed.

They listed the fastest serve by gender, and the fastest female serve was in the 80s. So no female went as fast as 90 mph or 100 mph. Myself, I can only hit it 80 mph, with is pretty sorry, but I'm not that different from many weekend players. Have these speeds been verified with a radar gun, or do folks just figure that if pros can generate 130, then they MUST be at least 100?

dozu · 03-26-2011, 04:30 PM

speaking of the underhand serve that arche3 mentioned..

the Philadelphia Cricket Club hosts annually a top junior event on their grass courts... (Graf won it when she was a junior)..

I have seen quite a few juniors using underhands from the ad court... they'd cut under and across the ball from right to left, so the ball has both underspin to skid, as well as side spin to bounce away from righties backhand... quite effective on grass, because the bounce is so low, the receiver only has the option to chip it back and go to the net... then it becomes a battle between a passing shot and a volley.

nCode747 · 03-26-2011, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dozu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kpelRORbGk

if she can play Wimbledon with this serve..... (fill in the blank)

Hard to learn a good serve when you're just practicing with a spatula in the kitchen

Fuji · 03-26-2011, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dozu

speaking of the underhand serve that arche3 mentioned..

the Philadelphia Cricket Club hosts annually a top junior event on their grass courts... (Graf won it when she was a junior)..

I have seen quite a few juniors using underhands from the ad court... they'd cut under and across the ball from right to left, so the ball has both underspin to skid, as well as side spin to bounce away from righties backhand... quite effective on grass, because the bounce is so low, the receiver only has the option to chip it back and go to the net... then it becomes a battle between a passing shot and a volley.

I learned that serve too! I think it's called a cut serve or a chop serve. Either of them work. It's a pretty nifty shot to own! It only takes a weekend to learn too!

-Fuji

NLBwell · 03-26-2011, 07:14 PM

The other thing about not being a big server is that you get a lot more practice when you play a match. I've had more than a few matches where the average length of point was less than 2 shots (including the serve) - more than 1/2 the serves were not returned by either player.

Blake0 · 03-26-2011, 07:19 PM

A big serve (not necessarily with power) is a must. Anyone that can hit a huge heavy kick to my backhand side consistently will give me tons of trouble in doubles. Aren't the serve and return the 2 most important shots in tennis?

Personally i find a SMART server is harder to play against then a BIG server. Smart servers have to have a good amount of pace as well though.

Fuji · 03-26-2011, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blake0

A big serve (not necessarily with power) is a must. Anyone that can hit a huge heavy kick to my backhand side consistently will give me tons of trouble in doubles. Aren't the serve and return the 2 most important shots in tennis?

Personally i find a SMART server is harder to play against then a BIG server. Smart servers have to have a good amount of pace as well though.

I totally agree with you on this one! I can get back peoples bomb's, but a slice serve that really stretches me out I sometimes have issues with.

I Believe the OP meant for "big server" was someone with a really heavy and fast serve!

-Fuji

Manus Domini · 03-27-2011, 09:25 AM

Two words:

Ken Rosewall

The GOAT's serve was slower than a lot of woman's serves, and he still won lol

I think I max out at 60

Netspirit · 03-27-2011, 10:50 AM

At the 3.5 level even a 70 mph serve causes a lot of damage, if placed well. 3.5 players rarely (if ever) practice ROS.

mightyrick · 03-27-2011, 11:08 AM

I'm a pretty big server. The advantage it has given me is that it allows the rest of my game to completely suck and I still have a chance to win if I can steal a couple of breaks.

Having a good serve allows me to play longer matches, get into more rallies, get a great workout, work on my forehand/backhand.

Thank goodness for my serve. Or else some days, I'd be losing 6-2, 6-1 after one hour.

Manus Domini · 03-27-2011, 12:24 PM

I'm NOT a big server, I am better at return of service than service. But my serve and the variations I have on it give me a ton of free points on a lot of my team mates if I get it in (I often DF

). If they return it, though, when I go all out (again, I max out at 60 if I am right about it and not underestimating myself) I am kinda stuck in no man's land.

But ROS is easier for me.

Steady Eddy · 03-27-2011, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manus Domini

Two words:

Ken Rosewall

The GOAT's serve was slower than a lot of woman's serves, and he still won lol

I think I max out at 60

There's some good news about a 60 mph serve, though. A 60 mph serve travels at about 90 feet per second, since the service line is 60 feet away, it gets there in 2/3 of a second. That means your ball drops vertically over 7 feet! You can get your serve in without spin, and still have a comfortable margin for error. Don't hit your second serve any softer, that just complicates things with new trajectories to figure out. Learn to place it near each side of the service court and you'll be able to keep many players off balance on your serve.

Like you pointed out, Ken Rosewall didn't have a monster serve. And he was one of the all time greats. With good placement and consistency, a 60 mph serve can be plenty effective in 3.5 tennis, IMO.

FedExpress 333 · 03-27-2011, 01:25 PM

Another thing is that idk why, but if i serve/volley, big flat serves arent as good, as i dont have much time to get to net and end up in no mans land. I usually use slower, more varied and spinny serves, but thats just me.

Manus Domini · 03-27-2011, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steady Eddy

There's some good news about a 60 mph serve, though. A 60 mph serve travels at about 90 feet per second, since the service line is 60 feet away, it gets there in 2/3 of a second. That means your ball drops vertically over 7 feet! You can get your serve in without spin, and still have a comfortable margin for error. Don't hit your second serve any softer, that just complicates things with new trajectories to figure out. Learn to place it near each side of the service court and you'll be able to keep many players off balance on your serve.

Like you pointed out, Ken Rosewall didn't have a monster serve. And he was one of the all time greats. With good placement and consistency, a 60 mph serve can be plenty effective in 3.5 tennis, IMO.

I think I do. I am not sure. But I use spin more than flat serves, so it's more like a 40 mph serve I think. I dunno, haven't measured.

03-26-2011, 03:56 PM	#24
enishi1357 Rookie Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 138	there's a common element in all my strokes. now that i figure it out, all my serve start hitting the spots consistently. __________________ it is easy hitting hard. it is not easy hitting soft

03-26-2011, 04:29 PM	#26
Steady Eddy Hall Of Fame Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 2,127	100 miles per hour is not a big serve? I know it's not big on the tour, but isn't it in other places? A mall in the Minneapolis area had a fast serve contest. Anyone could serve, no fee, they just time your serve with a radar gun. Few could go over 100 mph, I saw a guy who worked in a pro shop go over 130 mph, but they didn't have to be placed, it was only about speed. They listed the fastest serve by gender, and the fastest female serve was in the 80s. So no female went as fast as 90 mph or 100 mph. Myself, I can only hit it 80 mph, with is pretty sorry, but I'm not that different from many weekend players. Have these speeds been verified with a radar gun, or do folks just figure that if pros can generate 130, then they MUST be at least 100? __________________ I strive not to laugh at human actions, not to weep at them or to hate them, but to understand them. - Spinoza

03-27-2011, 10:50 AM	#34
Netspirit Hall Of Fame Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Bellevue, WA Posts: 2,847	At the 3.5 level even a 70 mph serve causes a lot of damage, if placed well. 3.5 players rarely (if ever) practice ROS. Last edited by Netspirit : 03-27-2011 at 10:53 AM.

03-27-2011, 11:08 AM	#35
mightyrick Hall Of Fame Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2,306	I'm a pretty big server. The advantage it has given me is that it allows the rest of my game to completely suck and I still have a chance to win if I can steal a couple of breaks. Having a good serve allows me to play longer matches, get into more rallies, get a great workout, work on my forehand/backhand. Thank goodness for my serve. Or else some days, I'd be losing 6-2, 6-1 after one hour. __________________ Head Youtek Graphene Speed Pro VS Gut Mains 16g @ 52lbs / RPM Blast Crosses 17g @ 50lbs

03-27-2011, 01:25 PM	#38
FedExpress 333 Professional Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: New York Posts: 1,198	Another thing is that idk why, but if i serve/volley, big flat serves arent as good, as i dont have much time to get to net and end up in no mans land. I usually use slower, more varied and spinny serves, but thats just me. __________________ Rafa 2005 RG:Dogs would be way more humble ruling the world than humans. Dogs are best for the world.