At what point does serve actually become an advantage ?

[undecided]

Looks like you know what u need to work on

Yeah, I've posted about my serve woes on other threads. What sucks is that I used to have a decent serve somewhat of a weapon then I got GE and did not hit a serve for over a year and it's now gone. It's not like riding a bike that's for sure.

 

[ptuanminh]

No but I hit straight up winners or unreturnables on 4.0 opponents serve. I am 3.5 because I DF 10+ times per match. Rest of game is > 3.5

So your ROS is 4.5, your FH BH movement etc... are 4.0, you happen to be a 3.5 because your serve pull everything down. you have a what??? 2.5 serve????

 

[undecided]

So your ROS is 4.5, your FH BH movement etc... are 4.0, you happen to be a 3.5 because your serve pull everything down. you have a what??? 2.5 serve????

Probably 2.5/3.0 serve right now, I have patches where I can't get one in for 3-4 serves in a row, it's a miracle when I hold serve. Literally if I did not break as much as I do I would have been relegated to 3.0

 

[MaxTennis]

One of the few threads that TTPS has started that actually asks a relevant question. I have seen videos of navigator playing Matt Lin. The 2nd serve is just basically something to get the point started and yet even Matt (a solid 4.5 or close to a 5) very rarely kills it. At the rec level upto a 4.5 which is where most of the rec population would end up, it is valid to question why spend hours on a beautiful looking 2nd serve, when you'll never get it to kick consistently like a high level player. A dink 2nd serve also seems to probably give you the same percentage of points. Might as well work on other aspects of your game (assuming you have to make a choice due to time/familial commitments) such as fitness, ground and net strokes.

I think it is also important to play the score. Even at 5.0, it is hard to have the confidence to go for a big return if you are down in the score. Some people prefer grinding when the score gets close.

I think you're referring more to the beginning of that video as both players were getting used to the conditions. Once navigator fell behind in the score, then you started seeing bigger, more assertive returns and winners.

BTW, Matt is now a 5.0: https://www.ustanorcal.com/playermatches.asp?id=252223

 

[mcs1970]

I think it is also important to play the score. Even at 5.0, it is hard to have the confidence to go for a big return if you are down in the score. Some people prefer grinding when the score gets close.

I think you're referring more to the beginning of that video as both players were getting used to the conditions. Once navigator fell behind in the score, then you started seeing bigger, more assertive returns and winners.

BTW, Matt is now a 5.0: https://www.ustanorcal.com/playermatches.asp?id=252223

Aren’t you Matt?

 

[MaxTennis]

Aren’t you Matt?

Maybe

You could have tagged me directly hahaha

 

[MaxTennis]

Who has the balls to run an experiment?
Next practice match you play against any level from 3.5 to ATP 100

One set, all dink serves.
2nd set, your regular 1st/2nd serves.

Using video, count up the number of (service winners - DFs)
I will guarantee you will win more points in the 1st set.

This is wrong. I played a Men's Open final where I pretty much had to serve underhanded the whole set because the sun was brutal. I lost that set 1-6.

During set 2, the sun moved and I was able to serve normally. I won the set 6-3 and then won the 3rd set tiebreaker 10-8.

 

[TennisLBC]

In singles I always elect to receive if I win the toss. In doubles during the morning, if I am the stronger I'm more considered where the sun is.