100 mph serve with a kiddy racquet (ATP fanfest)

[OrangeOne]

OK - so today I went to the Medibank International (Sydney / NSW Open - the main leadup to the AO). I've been every year for the last 13? 15? years, but this is the first year I've gone at daytime for quite a few, and so I actually got to go into the 'ATP Fanfest' and have a go at a serve radar again. I'd done this before, but I won't post that speed because for sure some will question it, and sure, you do serve into a wall, not a court.

Anyways - I was rather disappointed to see it this year. Almost no room to serve, and then there were the racquets.... - Head "guga" young-kids racquets - maybe 24/25inch long, next-to-zero-weight, tiny grip. I expected bad racquets weighing nothing - but maybe full size would have been nice

Still had a go tho - and I did manage to (just) crack the 100mph mark, with a very-bent-up (see pic) kiddy racquet no less. Would it have gone in? I'll never know, but probably not given the lower attack-angle from a short frame. It was a proper service motion....

NB: Pic is terrible quality sorry - I'd got a mate to take the pics and I'd forgotten to flick it out of shutter-priority mode when walking indoors from taking proper tennis photos outdoors. I handed camera to my mate to take the pics & only checked them as we walked out of fanfest, I've PS'd the brightness as much as possible.

Pic is the radar screen and my hand with the racquet to show how truly tiny (check my hand size vs. the grip) and how warped it was too

 

[Duzza]

161 Miles!! No way!!

jk. But still 100 mph with that racquet, is downright scary. The one at the AO had like Wilson Tour 90 and all it was sweet . Those things are so hard to hit hard with though....that's weird :|

 

[OrangeOne]

161 Miles!! No way!!

LOL....I was soooo glad that it was in kph (I mean, obviously here it would be), but still.... would have never got over the questions if it was in mph....

jk. But still 100 mph with that racquet, is downright scary.

Thanks! . My last time at one of these was significantly faster, I really hope someone buys a radar at my club so I can have a go for real!

The one at the AO had like Wilson Tour 90 and all it was sweet . Those things are so hard to hit hard with though....that's weird :|

I wish, I wish they had tour 90s. One little girl had brought her own n-code-something-or-other, and was cracking away with that. Wanted to steal it off her and have a go

 

[Duzza]

Those fan club radars are a bit annoying to me actually.

Basically because - Any bozo can get like 180-190 kmh on them. I go up and do my normal serve, with good technique, getting 150-160 and then a massive 30 year old jumps in and a clear fault goes for 190 kmh!

Also, what standard are you OO? I don't think I've ever asked, but 160kmh with that racquet, must be pretty sound.

 

[Jonnyf]

I hit 4 89mph serves in a row with a prince shark db junior 5 or 6 months ago.

 

[OrangeOne]

Those fan club radars are a bit annoying to me actually.

Basically because - Any bozo can get like 180-190 kmh on them. I go up and do my normal serve, with good technique, getting 150-160 and then a massive 30 year old jumps in and a clear fault goes for 190 kmh!

Also, what standard are you OO? I don't think I've ever asked, but 160kmh with that racquet, must be pretty sound.

Probably 4.5ish and hopefully improving on that througout this year - I came back into the game last year after a semi-break. My game's built around a big serve (preferably when not using a kiddy racquet!) and a big forehand. That said, I'm slowly convincing myself to play more all-court, as it's easier to beat many guys your age with variety instead of strength . .

Oh - and I know what you mean about the 'bozo' serve speed. Let's leave aside the fact that I am actually 30 and tall - but I actually can play .

I have seen plenty of those guys in years gone by (including in the days when I was shorter, with a slower but still 'correct' serve). They walk up and whack away a big speed with a 'serve' that belongs in the 'hit & giggle' group, and if it were hit on a court it would hit the ground 5 metres in front of the server .

 

[Duzza]

Haha sounds good. I'd say I'm 4.5 too, but only serving 160 with a real racquet!

 

[the new new york]

they had one of those kids racquets at the usopen smashzone, im guessing they are similar. i clocked 98mph with it. i still never got a serve clocke with my actual racquet.

 

[ProStaffTour90]

I hit 4 89mph serves in a row with a prince shark db junior 5 or 6 months ago.

i think the radar was stuck :|









... and upside down.

 

[FedTard]

... and upside down.

rofl.

I like you, ProStaff.

 

[ShcMad]

OK - so today I went to the Medibank International (Sydney / NSW Open - the main leadup to the AO). I've been every year for the last 13? 15? years, but this is the first year I've gone at daytime for quite a few, and so I actually got to go into the 'ATP Fanfest' and have a go at a serve radar again. I'd done this before, but I won't post that speed because for sure some will question it, and sure, you do serve into a wall, not a court.

Anyways - I was rather disappointed to see it this year. Almost no room to serve, and then there were the racquets.... - Head "guga" young-kids racquets - maybe 24/25inch long, next-to-zero-weight, tiny grip. I expected bad racquets weighing nothing - but maybe full size would have been nice

Still had a go tho - and I did manage to (just) crack the 100mph mark, with a very-bent-up (see pic) kiddy racquet no less. Would it have gone in? I'll never know, but probably not given the lower attack-angle from a short frame. It was a proper service motion....

NB: Pic is terrible quality sorry - I'd got a mate to take the pics and I'd forgotten to flick it out of shutter-priority mode when walking indoors from taking proper tennis photos outdoors. I handed camera to my mate to take the pics & only checked them as we walked out of fanfest, I've PS'd the brightness as much as possible.

Pic is the radar screen and my hand with the racquet to show how truly tiny (check my hand size vs. the grip) and how warped it was too

Is that Andre on the picture?

 

[xtremerunnerars]

I thought so too to the andre thing. It's gotta be, his stance is pretty unique.

 

[ProStaffTour90]

rofl.

I like you, ProStaff.

:shock: cheers

 

[OrangeOne]

Is that Andre on the picture?

I thought so too to the andre thing. It's gotta be, his stance is pretty unique.

It certainly is - hard to mistake him really, even in a photo that bad. Now that I think about it, probably weird amazing serves at his head . Some of the fanfest pics & games seem to not have been updated for years, still fun for the kids (and the occasional 'big kid' though....

 

[Duzza]

OO I did it today. Got 173 km/h with the nPro Open.

 

[OrangeOne]

OO I did it today. Got 173 km/h with the nPro Open.

Yup, I noticed in the other thread....well done! Especially as, judging from your previous comments, I bet that it was a real serve that hopefully would go in!

I saw it on TV today where they showed the Rado serving booths and I saw people with proper racquets....I was heartbroken when I saw the full-size racquets and booths....

 

[Duzza]

Yup, I noticed in the other thread....well done! Especially as, judging from your previous comments, I bet that it was a real serve that hopefully would go in!

I saw it on TV today where they showed the Rado serving booths and I saw people with proper racquets....I was heartbroken when I saw the full-size racquets and booths....

Yeah I did my normal serves, I wasn't going for records I wanted to have a rough estimate. I averaged about 165-170 all up.

 

[luke_1983uk]

OK - so today I went to the Medibank International (Sydney / NSW Open - the main leadup to the AO). I've been every year for the last 13? 15? years, but this is the first year I've gone at daytime for quite a few, and so I actually got to go into the 'ATP Fanfest' and have a go at a serve radar again. I'd done this before, but I won't post that speed because for sure some will question it, and sure, you do serve into a wall, not a court.

Anyways - I was rather disappointed to see it this year. Almost no room to serve, and then there were the racquets.... - Head "guga" young-kids racquets - maybe 24/25inch long, next-to-zero-weight, tiny grip. I expected bad racquets weighing nothing - but maybe full size would have been nice

Still had a go tho - and I did manage to (just) crack the 100mph mark, with a very-bent-up (see pic) kiddy racquet no less. Would it have gone in? I'll never know, but probably not given the lower attack-angle from a short frame. It was a proper service motion....

NB: Pic is terrible quality sorry - I'd got a mate to take the pics and I'd forgotten to flick it out of shutter-priority mode when walking indoors from taking proper tennis photos outdoors. I handed camera to my mate to take the pics & only checked them as we walked out of fanfest, I've PS'd the brightness as much as possible.

Pic is the radar screen and my hand with the racquet to show how truly tiny (check my hand size vs. the grip) and how warped it was too

so where is the rest of your photos?
would love to see them!

 

[emo5]

hey I seemed to have missed this thread..

yeah I tried that too.. I reckon its garbage, the closer you serve to the radar (speedgun etc..) the faster its displayed..
Its also not acurate because the distance is shorter.

 

[OrangeOne]

so where is the rest of your photos?
would love to see them!

They're all in the below thread luke_1983-

Medibank International (Sydney / NSW Open) Pics

....well, when I say all, I mean the 30 or so that I liked most out of the 300+ I took.

 

[Tennis_Gnat]

Nice job on the speed there! I'd be so tempted not to serve in a proper motion. But I would love to see my serve clocked. I don't know what speed I go up to in mph's.

 

[GRANITECHIEF]

I'm guessing that if you ever served to me, you would see your serve clocked.

 

[Tennis_Gnat]

I'm guessing that if you ever served to me, you would see your serve clocked.

what? is that an insult? If so then it doesn't dignify a response.

 

[OrangeOne]

Nice job on the speed there! I'd be so tempted not to serve in a proper motion. But I would love to see my serve clocked. I don't know what speed I go up to in mph's.

Hey thanks Tennis_Gnat - it was a bunch of fun, and I can't wait to try it on a real court with a proper racquet one day!

I'm guessing that if you ever served to me, you would see your serve clocked.

Errrr...ok

 

[Tennis_Gnat]

Hey thanks Tennis_Gnat - it was a bunch of fun, and I can't wait to try it on a real court with a proper racquet one day!



Errrr...ok

You're welcome...sounds like you had a blast

I think he's saying that I'd have such a weak serve that he'd clock the return. Thus, "clocking my serve". However, a comment such as that doesn't dignify a response. And he's really lucky that I'm being nice to him. I could say so much more, but I'll hold myself back

 

[Lakoste]

I think he's saying that I'd have such a weak serve that he'd clock the return. Thus, "clocking my serve". However, a comment such as that doesn't dignify a response. And he's really lucky that I'm being nice to him. I could say so much more, but I'll hold myself back

It sounded like GC is kidding around, at least thats what I thought when I read it. "you would see your serve clocked" It's kind of like a play on words.

 

[Tennis_Gnat]

It sounded like GC is kidding around, at least thats what I thought when I read it. "you would see your serve clocked" It's kind of like a play on words.

plays on words...ya gotta love 'em I just don't have my sharp wits on the computer today haha.

 

[Duzza]

It sounded like GC is kidding around, at least thats what I thought when I read it. "you would see your serve clocked" It's kind of like a play on words.

Hahaha too smart.

 

[Omar Riad]

Awesome l was at the Medibank too what match did you watch?Ive never served against a radar l so wanna have a try

 

[Tpro]

OO I did it today. Got 173 km/h with the nPro Open.

I did it on the first Sunday when entry was free and there were pretty much only qualifying matches except for centre court. I managed to get an average of about 160 km/h with the terrible junior rackets but I saw this guy with a dunlop 200g and he was nice enough to let me borrow it and I maxed out at 182 km/h. The rest of the interactive tent was also pretty shocking with the ball machines and stuff and how they expect you to use junior rackets plus the ball machines on one of the target practice things aiming directly at your head. The whole thing is a good concept but its not worth it if they cant supply half decent equipment and actually set stuff up correctly.