Those seem a bit slow to me as well especially at 4.0-4.5. The average TTW 3.5 serve speed is 120mph right in the box so I doubt the rest of the world is much below that.
Sure, there will be 3.5 players who will crank first serves way out but they will get some in at a decent speed and contribute to the average. I don't think hitting a few way out would necessarily dissuade someone from trying to blast a first almost every time. I see it all the time in my rec leagues. A lot of guys blast a first with the hope of getting it in and then hit the same style of second serve at half speed or even a paddy cake.
It wouldn't be "contradicting your claims", if you have an awesome serve, it would validate your claims.
Yes, many 90+.
Agree
OP was claiming you hit at less than half that speed.
Shouldn't speak for him but I think Moveforwardalways is reacting in part to all the people who think they can serve 100 and really serve 65. And really a fast serve at the club level is overrated when it's in the middle of the box. Once the returner gets it timed it almost doesn't matter how fast it is. A slower kick is more effective and easier to place.
I agree with everything you said here. I get where he's coming from but think he went a little low.
Nadal's average 2nd serve speed in the US Open final was 91mph. (source - IBM Match Stats)
Don't think it's magical... but I do think many folks here are delusional.
My teammates and I had our serve speeds timed while we were at a USTA event in Indian Wells. This using the same equipment that measures and displays serve speed for pro tournaments. For reference we are 4.5s ranging in age from 19 to 55.
Fastest recorded "in" serve was 112mph, by a thirty-something ex college player who is 6' 4"
His typical "in" 1st serve was around 105.
Median across our group for each person's fastest was around 90.
Median for typical speed was around 80.
I am therefore highly skeptical of the serve speed numbers some folks around here throw about, since I know what a legitimately-measured 100+ mph serve looks like, and I know how rarely I see one in the wild, despite playing a lot of 4.5 and 5.0 league tennis.
Perhaps it's a matter of not comparing apples to apples, since I am thinking speed as measured the way pro serve speeds are measured, whereas perhaps other people are assuming some different measurement method / equipment. In which case, sure, your serve speed can be whatever you want it to be...
Don't think it's magical... but I do think many folks here are delusional.
My teammates and I had our serve speeds timed while we were at a USTA event in Indian Wells. This using the same equipment that measures and displays serve speed for pro tournaments. For reference we are 4.5s ranging in age from 19 to 55.
Fastest recorded "in" serve was 112mph, by a thirty-something ex college player who is 6' 4"
His typical "in" 1st serve was around 105.
Median across our group for each person's fastest was around 90.
Median for typical speed was around 80.
I am therefore highly skeptical of the serve speed numbers some folks around here throw about, since I know what a legitimately-measured 100+ mph serve looks like, and I know how rarely I see one in the wild, despite playing a lot of 4.5 and 5.0 league tennis.
Perhaps it's a matter of not comparing apples to apples, since I am thinking speed as measured the way pro serve speeds are measured, whereas perhaps other people are assuming some different measurement method / equipment. In which case, sure, your serve speed can be whatever you want it to be...
