Favorite service motions (both old and new)

DarthFed

DarthFed

Hall of Fame
not really "rules" per say...more like guidelines

1-No flaming a person because your favorite player who's not known for his serve isn't on their list

2-No era wars...if you like the motion just include the player

3-5 new players, 5 old players..if you'd like to add more be my guest

For me there are 3 serves...just going through the motions (Nadal,Ferrer, Murray, most players), Fluid and straight (Federer,Sampras) and pop serves, aka quick motions (Gulbis, Roddick, Nole) My favorite of course being pop serves

Top 5 current players

1-Novak Djokovic - The way he arches his back makes his serve look like a catapult
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwdwQ29Qae0

2-Roger Federer - just fluid...nothing more needs to be said
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcjZ5r_YHV0&feature=related

3-Andy Roddick - Quick speedy motion...looks easy..difficult to imitate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muKDqiVer0k&feature=related

4-Ernests Gulbis - perfect example of a pop serve
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTaJONjrqa4

5-Andy Murray- idk i just like the motion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GFkqD7GBZQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CL6Z9ufMjU&feature=channel_page

Retired Players

1-Sampras-easily, fluid beautiful motion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6E3vPigzxI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npxP6Jej9iE

2-Goran-The motion was so unique
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOkUHswfWNs

3-John Mcenroe-the commentator for Mcenroe and Edbergs 1989 match said it best..slow wind up and then a fast ball
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1yBE1-p4RI

4-Becker-boom boom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGJ-XHZkpek

5-Michael Stich
i couldn't find i decent link for this one

if you can't tell..i really like the platform stance
 
l_gonzalez

l_gonzalez

Professional
Current players: Safin. Very simple, extremely effective. Huge first serve with tons of variety and an excellent second serve. Hardly ever hits a double.

Former players: Goran. I'm a lefty so i'm a little biased. I just loved the motion. Best 1st serve ever.
 
yellowoctopus

yellowoctopus

Professional
Current:
-Federer: Simple, fluid, effective.
-Gasquet: Compact
-Roddick: Extreme backbend

Past:
-McEnroe: Unique, similar effect as Edberg's (see below)
-Edberg: Mesmerizing--feels like not only the ball is coming at you, he is also.
-Becker: Sledge Hammer
-Ivanisevic: Quick contact at the rise of the toss, throws people off.
 
A

araghava

Rookie
A big difference between the old style serve (edberg, mcenroe) and new serve the the degree of pronation. Becker was the first person i know of who pronated his wrist all the way over. Before the the classical serve motion would have the racquet sweep across the body.

here an example of Sampras pronation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z4KDssLXJA
 
Jonny S&V

Jonny S&V

Hall of Fame
New:
Ljubicic
Karlovic
Stepanek
Groth (Samuel Groth, Aussie with a really nice S&V game)

Old:
Tanner (perfect motion)
Smith
Mecir
Sampras
 
matchmaker

matchmaker

Hall of Fame
Current: none.

For me a serve motion must have a certain X-factor, something that separates it from all the others, I don't find that in any recent player.

Maybe Safin and Tsonga do deserve a mention, and so does Fed, but his serve lacks personality for me.

Past players:

- Becker (back-forth, back-forth, back-forth, toss and boom)
- Edberg (what a beautiful kickers he produced)
- Goran (not only a hard server but also perfect disguise, I have seen him ace people at very low serve speeds, yet they did not react at all, incapable of reading where the ball was going)
- Sampras (best combination of all the elements to produce a good serve, shoulder, legs, wrist, torso,... everything would turn just at the right moment to maintain the kinetic chain)
- Rios (that angled serve to from the ad court was beautiful)
- McEnroe (such a typical serve motion full of originality and that can-opener slice serve)
- Stich (seemingly immobile floating in the air and still hitting over 200 km/h)
 
E

EtePras

Banned
Current: Roddick, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray, Federer, Monfils, Seppi, Simon, Cilic, and myself

Past players: none
 
adlis

adlis

Professional
deltox said:
for his height plus his leap and forward motion in the air, this is one of the most potentially violent serves ive seen. If he can add some more muscle tone to his upper and lower body i can see him being the first to reach the 160s
Click to expand...

isner into the 160's? Put the crack pipe away dude.
 
F

fastdunn

Legend
Sampras, Krajicek, and Stich.

Federer's motion is geared to accuracy serving: simple and elegant looking but not necessary the most fluid I've ever seen. the range of motions are somewhat limited. But his serve is not as extreme/violent swing as his forehand. Good motions for mere mortals to try to mimic.
 
adlis

adlis

Professional
top speed servers


Andy Roddick............155,03(249.4kph)............ davis cup
Chris Guccione............154,11(248kph)............ 2007 davis cup
Ivo Karlovic............153,00............2007 Nottingham
john isner............151,00............2007 Washington
Feliciano Lopez............150,00 (242 kph)............2008 Toronto Masters
------------------------------150 range------------------------------
Greg Rusedski............149,00............Indian Wells 1998
Gael Monfils............146,00
Taylor Dent............145,00
Ivan Ljubicic............145,00
Andy Murray............145,00............SAP open 2007<speed gun error?>
Nicolas Massu............144,40
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga............144,16............2004 paris masters
Joachim Johannson............144,00............2004 davis cup
 
DarthFed

DarthFed

Hall of Fame
adlis said:
top speed servers


Andy Roddick............155,03(249.4kph)............ davis cup
Chris Guccione............154,11(248kph)............ 2007 davis cup
Ivo Karlovic............153,00............2007 Nottingham
john isner............151,00............2007 Washington
Feliciano Lopez............150,00 (242 kph)............2008 Toronto Masters
------------------------------150 range------------------------------
Greg Rusedski............149,00............Indian Wells 1998
Gael Monfils............146,00
Taylor Dent............145,00
Ivan Ljubicic............145,00
Andy Murray............145,00............SAP open 2007<speed gun error?>
Nicolas Massu............144,40
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga............144,16............2004 paris masters
Joachim Johannson............144,00............2004 davis cup
Click to expand...

monfils hit that big?
 
M

mental midget

Hall of Fame
stich and pancho g. had very similar service motions. not a whole lot of leg movement, just a slow lean forward into the court, but perfect timing into the ball.
 
The-Champ

The-Champ

Legend
Sampras had the most beautiful and fluid service motion that I've ever seen. Nobody comes close.


WTA
Definitely Serena Williams
 
T

TheMagicianOfPrecision

Guest
Techically.Roger and Pete had the best serves without any doubt at all.
Djokovic??? No way
 
mandy01

mandy01

G.O.A.T.
Old-Sampras, Edberg and Goran
Current-Federer.One word-beautiful.Love the way he relaxes his wrist then gently tosses the ball and there start the violins...It transcends poetry in motion
 
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