100 MPH serve

[atp2015]

My tennis sensor tells me I have hit a few 100 MPH serves! I have been working on serve and average speed is low 70s with max at low 80s. Yesterday for the first time, apparently I hit couple that reached 100+ MPH while playing a practice set (sensor reading). Not sure how I would replicate it on a constant basis without negative side effects. A huge knee bend, leg drive and jump all topped off with a chance perfect timing of body part movement must have made it possible.
Any advice on how to keep it up? frankly, I would be happy if I can make low 80s my new avg serve speed...

 

[Nostradamus]

My tennis sensor tells me I have hit a few 100 MPH serves! I have been working on serve and average speed is low 70s with max at low 80s. Yesterday for the first time, apparently I hit couple that reached 100+ MPH while playing a practice set (sensor reading). Not sure how I would replicate it on a constant basis without negative side effects. A huge knee bend, leg drive and jump all topped off with a chance perfect timing of body part movement must have made it possible.
Any advice on how to keep it up? frankly, I would be happy if I can make low 80s my new avg serve speed...

if you are 4.5 level, most of the time you would be serving 85-93 MPH range. That is best you can do without hurting yourself..... 4.0 guys are in 75-85 mph range. That is guys that have very good serves at those respective levels. You have to understand something about hitting Big all the time........ YOU don't want to do that.... you are not a pro so you don't consistently train everyday to keep your body at 100 % flexiblility and strongest possible state....... So what you ask ??

So what happens is if you consistently hit HUGE serves and hit Huge groundies, you will get injured. I have a technique that I can use to hit Big Big forehand like in 80-85 mph range forehand all the time, but I won't use it because if I do I get injured especially in my wrist. and Same thing for my serves, if consistently hit around 95 mph which I can,,, I know I will risk injury, my back, my knee, my shoulder.

 

[Nostradamus]

My tennis sensor tells me I have hit a few 100 MPH serves! I have been working on serve and average speed is low 70s with max at low 80s. Yesterday for the first time, apparently I hit couple that reached 100+ MPH while playing a practice set (sensor reading). Not sure how I would replicate it on a constant basis without negative side effects. A huge knee bend, leg drive and jump all topped off with a chance perfect timing of body part movement must have made it possible.
Any advice on how to keep it up? frankly, I would be happy if I can make low 80s my new avg serve speed...

To answer your question though,,,,, I get Max power on my serves when I use my leg drive to explode up into the ball, and wrist snap at contact and use Technique to get 100 % of weight transferred into the serve, into the ball.

 

[sureshs]

To answer your question though,,,,, I get Max power on my serves when I use my leg drive to explode up into the ball, and wrist snap at contact and use Technique to get 100 % of weight transferred into the serve, into the ball.

Can you post of video of yourself to illustrate this?

 

[atp2015]

if you are 4.5 level, most of the time you would be serving 85-93 MPH range. That is best you can do without hurting yourself..... 4.0 guys are in 75-85 mph range. That is guys that have very good serves at those respective levels. You have to understand something about hitting Big all the time........ YOU don't want to do that.... you are not a pro so you don't consistently train everyday to keep your body at 100 % flexiblility and strongest possible state....... So what you ask ??

So what happens is if you consistently hit HUGE serves and hit Huge groundies, you will get injured. I have a technique that I can use to hit Big Big forehand like in 80-85 mph range forehand all the time, but I won't use it because if I do I get injured especially in my wrist. and Same thing for my serves, if consistently hit around 95 mph which I can,,, I know I will risk injury, my back, my knee, my shoulder.

Good advice - definitely injury and longevity are the top most concerns. I'm not aiming for 100+ at all. I'm a 4 player with a par serve for the level (1st serve is my primary point earner) and the idea is to hit healthy enough serve while getting the best possible exercise. I think knee bend and jump are good exercises - we do it in cross fit and why not when playing tennis.

 

[Nostradamus]

I have a question for you guys............ what I want to know is how does Pro tennis players serve Just as hard in 3 hour match in 5th set as they did in the 1st set. it seems like they don't lose any power as the match goes on longer and longer. If I play a grueling long 3 set match ,,,by the time 3rd set comes around, my leg is very tired and I lose about 10-20 mph on my serve and I also lose accuracy big time. What is the best way to prevent this and serve just as hard and accurate as you did in 1st set ??

 

[TennisCJC]

I have a question for you guys............ what I want to know is how does Pro tennis players serve Just as hard in 3 hour match in 5th set as they did in the 1st set. it seems like they don't lose any power as the match goes on longer and longer. If I play a grueling long 3 set match ,,,by the time 3rd set comes around, my leg is very tired and I lose about 10-20 mph on my serve and I also lose accuracy big time. What is the best way to prevent this and serve just as hard and accurate as you did in 1st set ??

Pros are much fitter, pros have optimal mechanics where power is coming from near perfect weight transfer in the legs and core and even pros get fatigued and have serve performance drop. Their MPH may or may not drop when fatigued but you also want to watch their 1st service percentage as this may drop when they become fatigued too.

At times when Djokovic and Federer had back issues in a match, they still can hit serves in the 100-110 mph range. Remember when Djokovic defeated Nadal in US Open final a few years ago and Djokovic had an injury (back?). Djokovic lost a lot of mph but he was still serving many serves in the 100-110 mph range. That's perfect mechanics when you can have an injury and still locate the ball over 100 mph.

 

[atp2015]

I have a question for you guys............ what I want to know is how does Pro tennis players serve Just as hard in 3 hour match in 5th set as they did in the 1st set. it seems like they don't lose any power as the match goes on longer and longer. If I play a grueling long 3 set match ,,,by the time 3rd set comes around, my leg is very tired and I lose about 10-20 mph on my serve and I also lose accuracy big time. What is the best way to prevent this and serve just as hard and accurate as you did in 1st set ??

Pros know how to preserve energy. Have you not seen them giving away games so that they can stay fresh for their service games or the next set if they are down a break or two in the middle of the match? A lot of 3 setters or 5 setters are played because one of them decided to take some rest after winning a set or two.

A few things - 1 better overall fitness 2 keep stuffing some nutritious stuff like they do in between change overs. 3 stay younger physically not just in your heart (if you can)

 

[Doc Hollidae]

My tennis sensor tells me I have hit a few 100 MPH serves! I have been working on serve and average speed is low 70s with max at low 80s. Yesterday for the first time, apparently I hit couple that reached 100+ MPH while playing a practice set (sensor reading). Not sure how I would replicate it on a constant basis without negative side effects. A huge knee bend, leg drive and jump all topped off with a chance perfect timing of body part movement must have made it possible.
Any advice on how to keep it up? frankly, I would be happy if I can make low 80s my new avg serve speed...

What's the sensor you are using to measure your serves?

I have the QLIPP Sensor and the speed readings are not accurate whatsoever imo.

 

[atp2015]

What's the sensor you are using to measure your serves?

I have the QLIPP Sensor and the speed readings are not accurate whatsoever imo.

Court with playsight

 

[Doc Hollidae]

Court with playsight

Nice. So a much more accurate measurement then.

 

[mikeler]

Court with playsight

I find on the Playsight courts, hitting a low ball toss right at the top just before it would fall back down yields the highest speed. That's not my normal motion though. I got up to 99 at my best but it is usually between 78-92 most times.

 

[jm1980]

Court with playsight

How much are court fees?

 

[ChaelAZ]

Never understood the fascination with 100 mph serving, on many different levels. I see a lot of people that serve in the 70's and 80's saying they serve 100, and more people doubting that anyone but pros serve at that speed. Many of the top high school D1 players regularly serve around 100mph, and I know quite a few on the 4.0 leagues that do as well. I used to get up there and over, but found I have better control around 80mph myself. I still like to let a few fly, but like mentioned somewhere earlier...that takes a toll on shoulders, neck and back. Hell, even knees anymore.

 

[LeeD]

C'mon guys, you must know that your fastest serves are FLAT serves, while your safest second serves are SPIN serves, dont' you?
You talk about serves like they're all the same. They're not.
If your fastest flat serves moves around 100, which you don't hit more than 60% of the time for first serves, then your safest second serve poke in around 65 mph, which lowers the average drastically.
In between 65 and 100 are your most used serves, fast spin serves for good percentage, mostly around 80-90 mph.
How many of you actually hit flat serves in point play anyways? Most his with some factor of topspin, to increase consistency and margin for error. The really flat fast ones only get around a 40% margin of IN serves, which most of you won't rely on for match play.
100 mph flat serves are pretty common for anyone athletic and in decent shape. BUT, most of those player's AVERAGE first serve speeds are closer to 85 mph, mixing in spin and placement over the desire for speed.

 

[GuyClinch]

Never understood the fascination with 100 mph serving, on many different levels.

It's not complicated. If you an hit 100mph flat - you can hit a much better spin serve. A 100mph flat translates to an 80MPH kicker - which is way better then a 60mph kicker if you are stuck with an 80MPH flat.

Think of your first serve speed like a measure of horsepower. More horsepower doesn't equal better performance - but it's certainly a start. If you can hit a big flat serve you can generate enough RHS to really dominate on serve. 100MPH is actually fairly rare at rec level.

The downside of serve speed is like you point out its not really related to tennis skill. Some guys are older, smaller, weaker and inflexible - they are not going to be able to crank out the really big serves even with decent technique. On the flip side there REALLY are some guys who can hit an occasionally 100mph serve despite actually sucking/mediocre at tennis.

Big Mike is the classic youtube example - hit a 120mph serve - but likely a 4.5 at best. Since he doesn't really play anymore might be a 4.0 nowadays.

 

[1HBH-DownTheLine]

i'll hit flat everytime for my 1st serve. with just a touch of slice when going out wide to the deuce or down the T on AD. when it's a warm day and i'm on, i'm usually hitting around 100mph.

 

[ChaelAZ]

On the flip side there REALLY are some guys who can hit an occasionally 100mph serve despite actually sucking/mediocre at tennis.

We had two 3.5 guys (just plain 'ol big guys anyway) that absolutely bludgeon serves at 100+. They were consistent enough to start points, but they had the same bludgeoning mentality on ground strokes, which would make the 385 wall most the time in baseball.

Anyway, the idea of a big serve, kick serve, or fluff serve is to incorporate all three to keep an opponents timing off. The 100+ mph serve crowd reminds me of the high school boys team, always trying to hormone rage the ball across the net.

 

[GuyClinch]

Those HS kids - if they stick with it - will be 4.5s some day.. A big serve is a little like a slam dunk. Some guys got it - some guys don't. Guys with good hops aren't always great a hoops - but it sure can help.. Likewise a big serve indicates some athletic potential.. especially if the guy isn't super huge..