Jimmy Connors big effort on the serve

[Ciaron]

This image captures something that I didn't fully appreciate before and that is the huge effort Jimbo put into his serve. I was always under the impression he served just to kinda get the game started

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums...1-08D9-449F-8A33-2ACA01B47680_zpsmgg6dqeo.jpg

 

[KG1965]

This image captures something that I didn't fully appreciate before and that is the huge effort Jimbo put into his serve. I was always under the impression he served just to kinda get the game started

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah120/ciaronf/Mobile Uploads/2016-05/9FD1F5C1-08D9-449F-8A33-2ACA01B47680_zpsmgg6dqeo.jpg

For me it was the weak point , ineffective , little stronger , a little fluid.
The American made a few aces , few winning services , and a few double faults .

The movement in the best years of servie was very nice, especially in pictures .

 

[KG1965]

 

[MLRoy]

I always thought he had a great serve. Great lefty out wide serve, but also a great kick serve. I thought he was the toughest player of the '70s.

 

[JCat]

I always thought he had a great serve. Great lefty out wide serve, but also a great kick serve. I thought he was the toughest player of the '70s.

He did so well even with a serve that was not a big weapon. Imagine how well he would have done if he had had a serve that gave him some free points so he wouldn't have had to work so hard.

 

[Limpinhitter]

This image captures something that I didn't fully appreciate before and that is the huge effort Jimbo put into his serve. I was always under the impression he served just to kinda get the game started

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah120/ciaronf/Mobile Uploads/2016-05/9FD1F5C1-08D9-449F-8A33-2ACA01B47680_zpsmgg6dqeo.jpg

Unlike his ground game, Connors didn't employ much upper body rotation on his serve. It was an arm serve in which he came to almost a full stop at his racquet drop then had to re-start his momentum. Funny when I first saw him play in the early 70's his serve looked pretty strong and he cranked a few big ones during the match. But, later in his career, his serve was a little more than a point starter.

 

[Limpinhitter]

I always thought he had a great serve. Great lefty out wide serve, but also a great kick serve. I thought he was the toughest player of the '70s.

I don't recall Connors hitting much of a kick serve. He usually hit a big lefty slice.

 

[dgold44]

Unlike his ground game, Connors didn't employ much upper body rotation on his serve. It was an arm serve in which he came to almost a full stop at his racquet drop then had to re-start his momentum. Funny when I first saw him play in the early 70's his serve looked pretty strong and he cranked a few big ones during the match. But, later in his career, his serve was a little more than a point starter.

Well his racket drop looks superb but if u stop the loop it drains your power
Good point

 

[dgold44]

His serve was average at best

I think he put his energy into the rest of his game and did not have that serve mentality

 

[BTURNER]

The tennis Fates did not decree that the man with the most devastating return in the sport for 12 years, and some of the best groundstrokes and footwork on the tour, should also have a devastating serve. The Tennis Fates like to see a contest in the final.

 

[dgold44]

Macs serve was pretty big and nasty even with a wooden racket

Scary

 

[Ciaron]

Macs serve was pretty big and nasty even with a wooden racket

Scary

Agreed . Mc had one of the most rocketing serves in the day . Speed ; spin , placement.

 

[Limpinhitter]

His serve was average at best

I think he put his energy into the rest of his game and did not have that serve mentality

It's hard for me to characterize Connors' serve as average. It was below average in power. But, it was somewhat above average in accuracy, disguise and consistency.

 

[Limpinhitter]

Macs serve was pretty big and nasty even with a wooden racket

Scary

Agreed. But, for some reason, Mac's service power noticeably fell off after about 1985-6.

 

[hawk eye]

Agreed. But, for some reason, Mac's service power noticeably fell off after about 1985-6.

Didn't it just look like that because other guys around that time started to serve faster and faster? I remember a certain Boris Becker arriving on the scene, a few years later a certain Pete Sampras. And some others as well.

 

[Limpinhitter]

Didn't it just look like that because other guys around that time started to serve faster and faster? I remember a certain Boris Becker arriving on the scene, a few years later a certain Pete Sampras. And some others as well.

Not at all. There were bigger serves than Becker's and Sampras's before Mac. They didn't skew my opinion of Mac's serve either.

 

[hawk eye]

Not at all. There were bigger serves than Becker's and Sampras's before Mac. They didn't skew my opinion of Mac's serve either.

Ok, I know Curren and Tanner served big but I remember Becker in 85 was called Boom boom boris because he powered his way to the Wimby title in a way unprecedented until then. With Curren also reaching the final, It could be that McEnroe´s could look pale in comparison but I didn´t watch him play that much except for a few Wimby finals.

 

[Limpinhitter]

Ok, I know Curren and Tanner served big but I remember Becker in 85 was called Boom boom boris because he powered his way to the Wimby title in a way unprecedented until then. With Curren also reaching the final, It could be that McEnroe´s could look pale in comparison but I didn´t watch him play that much except for a few Wimby finals.

Frank Froehling, Colin Dibley, Stan Smith, Arthur Ashe, John Newcombe, Roscoe Tanner are players I've seen with bigger serves than Mac's biggest serve. Ivan Lendl's serve was bigger than Mac's serve after about 85-86. Before that, I'd put Mac's serve power above Lendl's.

 

[Ciaron]

funny thing Macs serve has stood the test of time .. He's still putting them down

 

[newpball]

Frank Froehling, Colin Dibley, Stan Smith, Arthur Ashe, John Newcombe, Roscoe Tanner are players I've seen with bigger serves than Mac's biggest serve. Ivan Lendl's serve was bigger than Mac's serve after about 85-86. Before that, I'd put Mac's serve power above Lendl's.

He was head and shoulders above the rest in his time.

 

[Limpinhitter]

He was head and shoulders above the rest in his time.

I saw Tanner play at the Washington Star on clay in 74'. His kick serves were hitting the back fence about 8 feet high.

 

[Ciaron]

I saw Tanner play at the Washington Star on clay in 74'. His kick serves were hitting the back fence about 8 feet high.

Was that with his strange design racquet with a V throat but single thin frame bar running up the middle ? Can't recall the make.. Le Coq Sportif?

 

[dgold44]

I saw Tanner play at the Washington Star on clay in 74'. His kick serves were hitting the back fence about 8 feet high.

I believe it
And with little technology help too

 

[dgold44]

Only fair because if Connors had a big serve he would have won another 8 slams

 

[Limpinhitter]

Was that with his strange design racquet with a V throat but single thin frame bar running up the middle ? Can't recall the make.. Le Coq Sportif?

It was an aluminum PDP with a plastic throat, similar to the Head Master.