5 Most Beautiful Serve Motions

M

magnut

Hall of Fame
Current players Lopez has a very nice and effortless flow. I would say he is at the top.

All time.... Stich.. Sampras..Mac.....lots and lots from the days of wood.

My favorite is Rafters with his Jesus on the cross opening at the start of his motion. Looked as if he was worshipping the tennis gods before he went into the backscratch position. It was really smooth his last few years on the tour. He really found the rythem. He struggled for a few years finding it.

Edbergs serve was also very pretty and smooth towards the end of his career.

John Newcomb had a very interesting motion which seemed almost backwards in flow but still smooth and neat looking.

Guys like roddick, Becker etc..... always looked kind of hitchy to mee but they made it work.

Rios was a smooth server for being such a small fellow.
 
Rosstour

Rosstour

G.O.A.T.
Who’s the Latin player with the really deep knee bend? I like that motion. Totally forgot what his name is. Not Delbonis or Berlocq.
 
BeatlesFan

BeatlesFan

Bionic Poster
Fed's is the most beautiful...
yGegkn.gif

...But Pete's was more effective.
servenaimation.gif

Stefan's serve was beautiful too.
AYMO.gif
 
D

Deleted member 770948

Guest
I like it when players get injured and they change their service motion mid-match, Rafa did it for a few games in the 2014 AO Final and won the 3rd Set with it, and he even stopped doing his pre-serve routines.
Also when Agassi had back problems at Wimbledon one year I remember him abbreviating his serve.
 
M

magnut

Hall of Fame
NADALalot said:
I like it when players get injured and they change their service motion mid-match, Rafa did it for a few games in the 2014 AO Final and won the 3rd Set with it, and he even stopped doing his pre-serve routines.
Also when Agassi had back problems at Wimbledon one year I remember him abbreviating his serve.
Click to expand...

I think that was post wrist surgery......1993 wimby.
 
NonP

NonP

Legend
In no particular order (K, a personal one of mine):

Sampras (not a younger Pistol but I wanted a slo-mo from multiple angles without annoying background muzak)
Noah
Stich (almost certainly the most effortless motion of any big server in the modern era)
Krajicek
Arthurs
Ashe
Lopez, F.
Gonzales (with the big caveat that Pancho had to cut down on power in his late years and the few clips we have don't show him at his peak)

Honorable mentions:
Hoad - I really, really hate to give a certain Canadian blowhard more ammunition but his hero does seem to have boasted one of the nicest-looking ones around
Kriek - not exactly anyone's 1st pick, but very efficient (his coach Hank Jungle probably had a lot to do with it) as well as one of the biggest for a shorty
Rios - ditto, and would probably rank higher on my list if not for his grunting

Among the other usual candidates Fed is probably the most graceful player ever overall (if not for his FH I'd go with Edberg) but there are at least a dozen guys whose motion I'd take over his for eye candy. Ditto Edberg's. And I'm not sure I've ever seen so many 1st-round votes for Mac. Gotta say these picks strike me as unduly influenced by name recognition.

Even as a Boris fanboy I can't say Becker's motion ever screamed suave. Ditto Goran's. Again the biggest names don't always equal the best.

Also while I don't see it myself the good ol' Datacipher used to gush over Tanner's serve, calling it "biomechanical perfection" as well as the most awe-inspiring shot he'd ever witnessed in person (with the only possible exception of the Sampras slam dunk which he admitted he never got to see).

OTOH it's a virtual tie between Jay Berger and Karsten Braasch for the fugliest motion. Schalken is positively old-school compared to these two.

Will have to think and research a bit about the women, but my girl Navratilova gets an automatic vote from moi.

MeatTornado said:
Like all his strokes, I've always appreciated the compact simplicity of the Agassi serve.
Click to expand...

You're actually not that crazy to nominate Agassi, though it depends on which version you're talking about. Said Datacipher once did a nifty breakdown which I actually have bookmarked. Here you go:

Datacipher said:
Nslice, I'd agree that Stich probably had the smoothest and most effortless looking huge serve I've ever seen.

Also beautiful were Sampras, Noah, Tanner(breathtaking in person), Leconte AND old school Agassi:

Agassi 1988: 3 stars
Agassi 1989: 4 stars
Agassi early 1990: 5 stars
Agassi late 1990: 4 stars
Agassi 1990-92: 3 stars
Agassi at Wimbledon 1993: 0 stars
Agassi at 1999-2002: 2 stars
Agassi 2003-present: 2 stars

What's weird is that when I think of it, I can name many beautiful motions from many past eras, but I can't think of a motion I'd call REALLY beautiful today, except perhaps Wayne Arthurs. I say weird because we live in an era of the serve being more important than ever and certainly the guys today on average generate more pace....but as an example, I think Roddick's motion looks ugly, though the results are beautiful!

Fed's motion is relaxed which is very nice but beautiful? ugh....he's more of a Kiefer or Becker than a Noah!
Click to expand...

The guy really loved Roscoe, LOL. And the whole thread is a nice trip down the memory lane, just to see a handful of posters whose knowledge extends beyond the Big 3 era.
 
MeatTornado

MeatTornado

Talk Tennis Guru
NonP said:
You're actually not that crazy to nominate Agassi, though it depends on which version you're talking about. Said Datacipher once did a nifty breakdown which I actually have bookmarked. Here you go:
Click to expand...
I'd have to go back and compare footage from each year to see if I have a favorite. In my mind I was just picturing 2000s Andre since that's when I actually watched him play.
 
M

magnut

Hall of Fame
NonP said:
In no particular order (K, a personal one of mine):

Sampras (not a younger Pistol but I wanted a slo-mo from multiple angles without annoying background muzak)
Noah
Stich (almost certainly the most effortless motion of any big server in the modern era)
Krajicek
Arthurs
Ashe
Lopez, F.
Gonzales (with the big caveat that Pancho had to cut down on power in his late years and the few clips we have don't show him at his peak)

Honorable mentions:
Hoad - I really, really hate to give a certain Canadian blowhard more ammunition but his hero does seem to have boasted one of the nicest-looking ones around
Kriek - not exactly anyone's 1st pick, but very efficient (his coach Hank Jungle probably had a lot to do with it) as well as one of the biggest for a shorty
Rios - ditto, and would probably rank higher on my list if not for his grunting

Among the other usual candidates Fed is probably the most graceful player ever overall (if not for his FH I'd go with Edberg) but there are at least a dozen guys whose motion I'd take over his for eye candy. Ditto Edberg's. And I'm not sure I've ever seen so many 1st-round votes for Mac. Gotta say these picks strike me as unduly influenced by name recognition.

Even as a Boris fanboy I can't say Becker's motion ever screamed suave. Ditto Goran's. Again the biggest names don't always equal the best.

Also while I don't see it myself the good ol' Datacipher used to gush over Tanner's serve, calling it "biomechanical perfection" as well as the most awe-inspiring shot he'd ever witnessed in person (with the only possible exception of the Sampras slam dunk which he admitted he never got to see).

OTOH it's a virtual tie between Jay Berger and Karsten Braasch for the fugliest motion. Schalken is positively old-school compared to these two.

Will have to think and research a bit about the women, but my girl Navratilova gets an automatic vote from moi.



You're actually not that crazy to nominate Agassi, though it depends on which version you're talking about. Said Datacipher once did a nifty breakdown which I actually have bookmarked. Here you go:



The guy really loved Roscoe, LOL. And the whole thread is a nice trip down the memory lane, just to see a handful of posters whose knowledge extends beyond the Big 3 era.
Click to expand...

You left Brad Gilbert off your fugly list. He had a real prize of a serve.
 
M

magnut

Hall of Fame
MeatTornado said:
I'd have to go back and compare footage from each year to see if I have a favorite. In my mind I was just picturing 2000s Andre since that's when I actually watched him play.
Click to expand...

Early years Agassi serve flowed a little more and was not as mechanical. Changs was as well. They also beefed up their serves through the years and sacrificed a little of that freeflowing movement. It worked. Its harder for the smaller guys thats why I mention Marcello. For an itty bitty he had a nice smooth serve... good pop....variety... placement and spin variation. Rarely would guys be able to attack it.
 
NonP

NonP

Legend
MeatTornado said:
I'd have to go back and compare footage from each year to see if I have a favorite. In my mind I was just picturing 2000s Andre since that's when I actually watched him play.
Click to expand...

Yeah like I've done the year-by-year thing myself, LOL. But now I'm intrigued. Maybe I'll give it a shot, too.

magnut said:
You left Brad Gilbert off your fugly list. He had a real prize of a serve.
Click to expand...

Brad's not a bad call, but uglier than Berger or Braasch? Nah. There's ugly and then there's so ugly it's riveting. Those two belong in the latter category.
 
M

magnut

Hall of Fame
NonP said:
Yeah like I've done the year-by-year thing myself, LOL. But now I'm intrigued. Maybe I'll give it a shot, too.



Brad's not a bad call, but uglier than Berger or Braasch? Nah.
Click to expand...

Braasch doesnt count. He was a genius. Greatest hack player of all time. Karsten was at another level. Brad actually resembled a tennis player.
 
M

magnut

Hall of Fame
For those not familiar with Braasch....


just an incredible player. World class tennis player that played club hacker tactics. Lot to be learned from Karsten.
 
Serve&Bash

Serve&Bash

Semi-Pro
Federer for me. I think it's incredible how Federer hits all the different serves and never finishes with an exaggerated racket motion like Edberg or Sampras; you can grossly see exactly when Edberg or Sampras were trying to generate heavy spin on their kick serves with the way they finished their service motions.
 
droliver

droliver

Professional
Watch a video of Wayne Arthurs' (AUS) serve some time, arguably one of the 3-4 best servers of the open era. He's the Mariano Rivera (NY Yankees HOF pitcher ) of serving. It's like efficiency personified. No wasted movement. No hitches. Just this easy, casual left handed delivery that was ripping of 135 mph cut fastballs that no one could read.

He makes Sampras/Federer's deliveries look awkward.
 
M

magnut

Hall of Fame
droliver said:
Watch a video of Wayne Arthurs' (AUS) serve some time, arguably one of the 3-4 best servers of the open era. He's the Mariano Rivera (NY Yankees HOF pitcher ) of serving. It's like efficiency personified. No wasted movement. No hitches. Just this easy, casual left handed delivery that was ripping of 135 mph cut fastballs that no one could read.

He makes Sampras/Federer's deliveries look awkward.
Click to expand...

yup...nice one with Wayne. He had that Stich vibe on his serve...... Looked effortless.
 
T

tonylg

Legend
droliver said:
Watch a video of Wayne Arthurs' (AUS) serve some time, arguably one of the 3-4 best servers of the open era. He's the Mariano Rivera (NY Yankees HOF pitcher ) of serving. It's like efficiency personified. No wasted movement. No hitches. Just this easy, casual left handed delivery that was ripping of 135 mph cut fastballs that no one could read.

He makes Sampras/Federer's deliveries look awkward.
Click to expand...

I saw Wayne play live a few times. Beautiful serve.
 
RaulRamirez

RaulRamirez

Legend
Good thread, and I'm still thinking it over. A tentative Top 5 - not in order - would probably include: Federer, Stich, Ashe (great suggestion for the list), Sampras and ... not sure. Rafter was a favorite player of mine, but will have to rewatch.

Dimitrov is smooth. Novak's is a fairly simple and somewhat deceptive motion, but his upper body looks a bit stiff - ironic, as he has the most flexible lower body I've seen on a tennis court. Becker and Roddick just explode... a certain beauty to that in its own way.

Two "sleeoers" I'd want to view more are Chang and Dolgopolov - two little guys who could really generate some pop.
 
G

golden chicken

Hall of Fame
Serve&Bash said:
Federer for me. I think it's incredible how Federer hits all the different serves and never finishes with an exaggerated racket motion like Edberg or Sampras; you can grossly see exactly when Edberg or Sampras were trying to generate heavy spin on their kick serves with the way they finished their service motions.
Click to expand...

In college a friend of mine bought a PS6.0 85 and we added a ton of lead to the hoop. I have never hit better serves than with that axe of a racket. It had so much swingweight that the Sampras follow-through was a natural byproduct. #1 I wish I had one of those rackets in my collection today and #2 I wish I had taken video back then.
 
Serve&Bash

Serve&Bash

Semi-Pro
golden chicken said:
In college a friend of mine bought a PS6.0 85 and we added a ton of lead to the hoop. I have never hit better serves than with that axe of a racket. It had so much swingweight that the Sampras follow-through was a natural byproduct. #1 I wish I had one of those rackets in my collection today and #2 I wish I had taken video back then.
Click to expand...
Good stuff. One question though, why did you and your friend add a ton of lead to the already hefty PS 85? :laughing: I heard people say that the PS85 was a beast for serving even in stock form.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

jamauss
Most efficient service motions
2
Replies
76
Views
5K
fastdunn
F
DarthFed
Favorite service motions (both old and new)
Replies
45
Views
3K
mandy01
mandy01
navorski_o9
Vasek Pospisil serve
Replies
0
Views
644
navorski_o9
navorski_o9
TeamOB
Your Favorite Shots
Replies
7
Views
736
Rob31
R
Tennisknowledge99
  • Poll
Better Returner: Fed or Nole?
2 3
Replies
114
Views
5K
zep
Z
Top