How To Serve Like Roddick

Semaj

Semaj

Rookie
Now I have lots of time on my hands I have decided to try and adopt a serve similar (in motion) to andy roddick- basically a complete copy!

Anyone with any good tips/ resources please post- this is a long term project, but i plan to hit serves every day for a long time!

I will upload a video of my current serve asap- it looks nothing like Roddick's so this is gunna be quite an effort!

Thanks
 
H

herosol

Professional
scrunch your body.
abbreviate your take back.
don't wait for the ball
once it pops up.

pop. lol. and just go for pure strength, not technique. lol
 
Semaj

Semaj

Rookie
I have seen some of the aussie open slow-motion replays of his serve, however none seem to show the whole body, they are just zomed into his head and sholders. Does anyone know of any such replays/ tutorials?

ps: my name is james!
 
S

snvplayer

Hall of Fame
You only want to copy Roddick's motion only if it works for you.

Every player has distinct form b/c they work for them. Just b/c Sampras had an amazing serve doesn't mean you should have a carbon copy of his serve.

HOWEVER, you can copy elements of Roddick's serve or other great server's.
Consistent toss, Loss arm and body, Toss out in front, Reaching up and out for the ball, hit stretch, moderate knee bend, keeping your left arm and head up, and follow through.

Once you find a form & motion that works for you, stick w/ it. And i do mean stick with!. You can make minor changes, but if you keep messing with it, you will end up w/ no serve.
 
Semaj

Semaj

Rookie
narrator, thats exactly what I was looking for! :)

I think I should be clear, i'm looking to compleatly copy his serve!!!
 
dave333

dave333

Hall of Fame
I've tried a roddick/nadal motion and I didn't really find it that much different in using it than a normal serve; just had to alter some timing.
 
Andres

Andres

G.O.A.T.
But if it doesn't work, you'll have wasted precious time of practice. Time you could have used to develop a better 'conventional' serve ;)
 
Semaj

Semaj

Rookie
I picked the roddick serve because
1. It's the most powerfull
2. Because it's so famous there are more online resources / videos of it
3. Because it's distinctive hopefully it will be most different from my current serve- and thus easier to stick to- odd logic but thats the plan.

If you have any tips they would be apreciated, thanks
 
H

herosol

Professional
btw: if your just looking for speed.

you don't necessarily have to do everything he does.

the way people hit serves is just habits that you build up.
just because you follow him frame for frame, does not necessarily mean the serve will be the same.

really just go out and pop out some flats.
 
dave333

dave333

Hall of Fame
Maybe try Nadal's? Its EXTREMELY simple. Just hold it, pop it back, put your feet together, and smack.
 
zzzbrianxxx

zzzbrianxxx

Rookie
You want to copy his idiosyncrasies (sp-ck??) or his serve? It seems like you want the idiosyncrasies, the flamboyant motion before the serve. WHY? Practicing his idiosyncrasies won't make you any better of a server. The reason he serves so well is because of his tremendous leg strength, flawless technique, and awesome torso power. If you work on THESE things your serve will improve. Copying his motion is just idiotic.
 
S

sharpy

Banned
sounds to me like op is a 13 year old kid having nothing better to do and watched roddick blast serves on tv this week on wimbledon....

good luck without the proper fundamentals..
 
Q

Queensryche

New User
The 2 main unique aspect of roddick's service in my opinion

1) Abbreviated backswing which he uses incredible shoulder external rotation to deliver the racquet down coupled with a supination in the forearm. This is some ridiculously advance **** though

2) extremely narrow platform stance on launching , this allows him to use both feets to push off (you can see from videos he launches off both feet off the ground at the same time unlike most pinpointers)

The 1st one requires you have a really good flexible shoulder which the abbreviated motion requires to work best.

If you can incorporate these into your own service , you don't need to follow his form , as long as the mechanics are right , you can add your own idiosyncrasies.

These are in my opinion though.

The other stuff like deep knee flex , torso/shoulder coil can be found in many other great servers.
 
Semaj

Semaj

Rookie
sharpy said:
sounds to me like op is a 13 year old kid having nothing better to do and watched roddick blast serves on tv this week on wimbledon....

good luck without the proper fundamentals..
Click to expand...


Why do you have to take a dig? I want to try and copy Roddick's serve. If you think that’s not a good idea then you can say (I have no problem with that) but if it troubles you so much that I want to do this then you don't have to read the post. I may not have anything better to do than practice serves, but don't you have anything better to do than offensively criticise people on a tennis forum?
 
Taxvictim

Taxvictim

Semi-Pro
It does seem strange how much speed Roddick gets on his serve when you see how short his backswing is. Thanks for that video link.

Good point about the two footed launch, too.
 
Semaj

Semaj

Rookie
Queensryche said:
The 2 main unique aspect of roddick's service in my opinion

1) Abbreviated backswing which he uses incredible shoulder external rotation to deliver the racquet down coupled with a supination in the forearm. This is some ridiculously advance **** though

2) extremely narrow platform stance on launching , this allows him to use both feets to push off (you can see from videos he launches off both feet off the ground at the same time unlike most pinpointers)

The 1st one requires you have a really good flexible shoulder which the abbreviated motion requires to work best.

If you can incorporate these into your own service , you don't need to follow his form , as long as the mechanics are right , you can add your own idiosyncrasies.

These are in my opinion though.

The other stuff like deep knee flex , torso/shoulder coil can be found in many other great servers.
Click to expand...


Thanks alot for the advice, and thanks cliffe, that video link is great
 
Mountain Ghost

Mountain Ghost

Professional
Copying Roddick’s Serve

The reason Roddick’s serve is so unique is because he DIDN’T copy anyone. The reason Roddick’s serve is so powerful is because he’s incredibly strong, flexible, balanced AND his early trainer(s) focused mostly on making his OWN one-of-a-kind style work as effectively as possible . . . NOT on cloning someone else’s.

Copying any serve will never get you as far as getting good professional help with whatever serve you already have. Trying to add every component of Roddick’s serve, in particular, to your unique physical and athletic “framework” may only result in the eventual need for even more lessons to fix your home-made contraption.

MG
 
Semaj

Semaj

Rookie
I apreciate that different serves suit different people- however I would like to use the design of Roddick's as afterall it is the fastest in the game.

Also other players have copied the fundementals of Roddick's serve- Monfils for instance. Obviously they have their differences, but these is no doubt he's gone for a 'Roddick style'.
 
L

Lendl's Forehand

New User
Semaj said:
Why do you have to take a dig? I want to try and copy Roddick's serve. If you think that’s not a good idea then you can say (I have no problem with that) but if it troubles you so much that I want to do this then you don't have to read the post. I may not have anything better to do than practice serves, but don't you have anything better to do than offensively criticise people on a tennis forum?
Click to expand...

Semaj, anyone who criticizes Roddick's serve is just jealous. Don't worry about that. Federer and Nadal would take Roddick's serve in a heartbeat. The thing I think they are correct about is don't copy his friggen backhand! Take Nadal's backhand, Fed's forehand, and Roddick's serve and you have the best player ever! (although if anyone saw the display Gasquet put on with the backhand against Roddick ...Ouch!)
 
G

GuyClinch

Legend
1) Abbreviated backswing which he uses incredible shoulder external rotation to deliver the racquet down coupled with a supination in the forearm. This is some ridiculously advance **** though
Click to expand...

Honestly I don't get what so different about Roddick's serve - just because he doesn't bring the racket down before he gets into his trophy position? Why do you need a flexible shoulder position for that..

Pete
 
fishuuuuu

fishuuuuu

Hall of Fame
GuyClinch said:
Honestly I don't get what so different about Roddick's serve - just because he doesn't bring the racket down before he gets into his trophy position? Why do you need a flexible shoulder position for that..

Pete
Click to expand...

His range of motion is greater than most people. And that extra range of motion in the serve results in greater results with the right execution (which he has of course).
 
C

ChocolatePie

Semi-Pro
Roddick turns his body and shoulder an unbelievably amount during his serve. When he's in his trophy position, he's facing a 90 degree difference of more.
 
zapvor

zapvor

G.O.A.T.
Semaj said:
Now I have lots of time on my hands I have decided to try and adopt a serve similar (in motion) to andy roddick- basically a complete copy!

Anyone with any good tips/ resources please post- this is a long term project, but i plan to hit serves every day for a long time!

I will upload a video of my current serve asap- it looks nothing like Roddick's so this is gunna be quite an effort!

Thanks
Click to expand...

lol....out of everyone, you want his serve? dont forget to stick the butt out.
 
Q

Queensryche

New User
The reason why a flexible shoulder is more important for an abbreviated backswing is due to the natural range of motion of a person's shoulder.

A circular loop will usually deliver your hitting arm to a deep racquet drop position more often.

The abbreviated swing delivers the hitting arm right into the backswing very fast and a flexible shoulder is needed more to get a good proper racquet drop.
Especially so when your body loses it range of motion as you get older.

and yea , Roddick's backswing is abbreviated , however his racquet drop is extremely deep (About pete's ? ) and this constitutes to a very long racquet path to the ball.
 
Taxvictim

Taxvictim

Semi-Pro
Great video link of Sampras, thanks. I find it funny the woman's voice says "bring your arms up together", but Pete's tossing arm is way up before his racket arm barely starts rising.

As for "popping out some flats" to get a fast serve, Tennismastery says in his book that you can't get these really fast serves without a lot of topspin to bring the ball back down into the service court. Without topspin, a fast flat ball will just go long. Is that right?
 
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T

TacoBellBorderBowl1946

Professional
the Op is just dumb, make your own motion.

Copying Roddick's motion won't get you anywhere, it requires insane shoulder flexibility that you probably don't have (nobody does, except Roddick)

Make your own motion with correct fundamentals (weight transfer, knee bend, fluid swing) and you'll be a lot faster than if you copy Roddick, because you'll never serve as fast as him.
 
Semaj

Semaj

Rookie
Okay Okay, I surrender- copying all Roddick's 'idiosyncrasies' is stupid- or any other pros' for that matter, but I'd still like to use elements of the Roddick serve such as; Abbreviated back-swing, 'compact stance' etc etc
 
Jonny S&V

Jonny S&V

Hall of Fame
dave333 said:
Maybe try Nadal's? Its EXTREMELY simple. Just hold it, pop it back, put your feet together, and smack.
Click to expand...

Roddicks is way simpler then Nadals. To the OP, try copying Agassi's serve. Gives you spin and power (but Agassi could never get it working right in terms of speed).
 
R

Ross K

Legend
To the OP,

First off, Roddick serve info is everywhere on the net. Simply google 'roddick serve' or 'roddick abbreviated serve' or something (or search here in 'tennis tips'.) Alternatively, Tricky posted some excellant stuff on this as well - search it out.

Secondly, I did exactly what you're attempting. After a lot of work (and I mean A LOT), my clunky, malfunctioning pinpoint serve improved into a far smoother, simpler and consistant serve. Nowdays, it has evolved in a few areas too so it isn't a carbon copy of A-Rod's (not that I ever had anything of his pace - I can only wish!) Anyway. I think it's great to emulate this style - (although abbreviated or semi-abbreviated motions apply to so many pro's now, such as Henin, Monfils, Gasquet, Nadal, etc - it really isn't unique to Roddick) - because it forces you to remove the variables; that which is surplus, and concentrate on the fundamentals.

Some important things as I remember them regarding A-Rod serve:

1) DEEP DEEP DEEP LEG BEND!... Roddick has an unreal leg bend in terms of depth (and it's about the only thing I've ever heard him comment upon himself in relation to his serve)...

2) DOWN & UP, JACK-HAMMER MOTION!...Roddick doesn't so much spring forwards and up in the conventional sense as jerk down very hard and up... very abrupt... think Hammer...

3) STUDY HIS FEET!... no-one in tennis serves with their feet placed so close together!... He also does a weird kind of synchronized stepping up and down on the balls of each foot routine (I could never quite work it out)... but simply serving with your feet so close together aides the above ^ tip on 'the hammer' and really helps you feel like Roddick (you'll also find your butt sticks out! - really!)

4) LOWER YOUR TOSS!... His toss is a bit lower than is conventional... (It's also unfailingly consistant, which helps!)

5) EXHALE SHARPLY ON CONTACT!... If you study closely and study enough you'll see he sometimes blows out as he strikes the ball...(it's true!)...

6) EXTREME RACQUET DROP!... Synonimous with the huge leg bend is the way he drops the racquet behind him so very low (and at a unbelievable speed)...

Anyhow. That's what I can recall for now. Hope it helps...
 
Taxvictim

Taxvictim

Semi-Pro
Wow, now I want to go try it.

Looking back at THIS LINK, however, I believe the Gorilla was right that Roddick actually does take his racquet back a lot farther than we think. Check out the single frame right as his feet leave the ground, and his racquet head is down by his waist.
 
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H

herosol

Professional
okay. today i went out to practice serves on my own.
and i have to say.

i hit my best serve today, definitely past 110 or if anything 120 with an abbreviated take back. But this pure flat. And i have to say putting some spin or kick into it is ridiculously hard with the abbreviated take back.

But, i hit my second fastest flat with a traditional takeback, but i wouldn't change in the abbreviated it for it. If i can't hit a kick with a abbreviated none of my serves would ever be concealed.

but yea, this abbreviated takeback really emphasize the pop needed for fast flat heaters.

also, i noticed when abbreviating your toss can be or has to be lower to get a good shot. but yea. go ahead and try yourself.
 
Semaj

Semaj

Rookie
Cheers people, At the moment I have a large- very large leg bend, coupled with a high (very high) ball toss. Time to work on cutting that down!......
 
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