Chang won the point with this underhand serve, but not on the serve itself. Not sure if that meets your criterion?Kyrgios won his opening point against Medvedev in Rome with his underhand serve!
Is this a first in open era?
I read somewhere an article about Suzanne Lenglen that tennis used to be played with underhand serve.
Chang won the point with this underhand serve, but not on the serve itself. Not sure if that meets your criterion?
OK, I misunderstood your post. I interpreted it as Nick hitting the first point won by an underhand serve in the Open era. Not the first point of the match.It also wasn’t his first service point of the match but deep into set five, if I recall. I didn’t watch today but I think it was Kyrgios’s opening service point.
Chang won the point with this underhand serve, but not on the serve itself. Not sure if that meets your criterion?
No one will go as low as this act. I don't mind people serve underarm from time to time, but for the first point of a match, that's just pure act of disrespect towards his opponent.
I disagree. Do whatever works.No one will go as low as this act. I don't mind people serve underarm from time to time, but for the first point of a match, that's just pure act of disrespect towards his opponent.
Kyrgios won his opening point against Medvedev in Rome with his underhand serve!
Is this a first in open era?
I read somewhere an article about Suzanne Lenglen that tennis used to be played with underhand serve.
are you insinuating that Kyrgios is ladylike?Back then it was considered unladylike for women to serve overarm.
are you insinuating that Kyrgios is ladylike?
Absolutely not! It is a perfectly legal shot and anyone who likes variety in tennis should like that as well. Or do you also dislike normal dropshots in a rallye? Variety means that your opponent doesn’t know what comes next right from the beginning of a match.No one will go as low as this act. I don't mind people serve underarm from time to time, but for the first point of a match, that's just pure act of disrespect towards his opponent.
Absolutely not! It is a perfectly legal shot and anyone who likes variety in tennis should like that as well. Or do you also dislike normal dropshots in a rallye? Variety means that your opponent doesn’t know what comes next right from the beginning of a match.
What on earth is to dislike about it when a whole routine like "standing as far back as possible at the return" is questioned from the get-go? And then the player alone has to find a solution, because no coach is allowed to help. Things like that are reasons why tennis is great!
And I’m totally not a fan of Kyrgios be the way. For me he isn’t a serious competitor, but for different reasons than underarm serving.
Yes, but isn’t "making a mockery of the opponent" (in a fair sense within the rules of course) what playing variable tennis is about? Destroying the opponent’s rhythm is what brings the success against those who are one-dimensional.Using underarm serve to disrupt opponent's rhythm from the 1st point just doesn't make sense. Sorry. If that happened after about 6 games, that may be ok, but it was absolutely unnecessary. Medvedev probably didn't have any rhythm anyway. NK's action was nothing more than making mockery of his opponent.
No one will go as low as this act. I don't mind people serve underarm from time to time, but for the first point of a match, that's just pure act of disrespect towards his opponent.
Players take medical times when they are in desperation. NK doing this from the 1st point is simply a dick move.
Using underarm serve to disrupt opponent's rhythm from the 1st point just doesn't make sense. Sorry. If that happened after about 6 games, that may be ok, but it was absolutely unnecessary. Medvedev probably didn't have any rhythm anyway. NK's action was nothing more than making mockery of his opponent.
cant wait to see Nick play nads againYes, but isn’t "making a mockery of the opponent" (in a fair sense within the rules of course) what playing variable tennis is about? Destroying the opponent’s rhythm is what brings the success against those who are one-dimensional.
As the underarm serve is so rare (honestly I don’t know why), it is a great tactic to let the opponent guess from the beginning and don’t give him a rather save position where to stand for return. I bet someone like Nadal would have problems if he couldn’t be sure his normal position works. Why only let him guess the direction then and not also the length? Or better said: As he stands that far back that he can always react to the direction, the length is the only thing you could make him guess. And the earlier you start, the better it is.
Players take medical times when they are in desperation. NK doing this from the 1st point is simply a dick move.
Why? One is breaking the rules, the other is totally within the rules and it's just too bad for the other player that they don't think outside the box.Players take medical times when they are in desperation. NK doing this from the 1st point is simply a dick move.
Why? One is breaking the rules, the other is totally within the rules and it's just too bad for the other player that they don't think outside the box.
Why? One is breaking the rules, the other is totally within the rules and it's just too bad for the other player that they don't think outside the box.
Faking a time out certainly isn't within the rules even if you can't tell they're faking. An underarm serve isn't just legal, it's a valid tactic. Kyrgios can boom down serves, everyone knows that, so he has to keep them guessingTaking medical break within the rules is definitely not breaking rules. Also, sometimes the spirit of sport should be considered and this is all about respecting your opponents, win or lose. He has unreturnable 1st serves and one of the best 2nd serves on tour. He doesn't need to resort to underarm serve. Certainly not from the 1st point. I'm surprized and somewhat disgusted by this attitude of 'don't you dare criticizing him'. Anyone is entitled to his own opinion and when someone does something that disgust you, you can speak for yourself and say "that's disgusting". NK is no sacred saint and I will criticize him if what he does is not right to my eyes.
100%.Right. Here's a simple test: if you applied truth serum to players who do both, who would get in trouble:
Why did you serve underhand?
My opponent wasn't expecting it and I thought I could get a cheap point?
Why did you call for a medical timeout?
Oh, I wasn't really injured. I just needed a few minutes to calm down, and I was hoping that the interruption would stop my opponent's rhythm. So I said my leg was bothering me.
....... who would get in trouble:........
Why did you serve underhand?
My opponent wasn't expecting it and I thought I could get a cheap point?
Why did you call for a medical timeout?
Oh, I wasn't really injured. I just needed a few minutes to calm down, and I was hoping that the interruption would stop my opponent's rhythm. So I said my leg was bothering me.
no trouble if play w/in the rules
Why did you do that drop shot?
My opponent wasn't expecting it and I thought I could get a cheap point?
in a lot of other sports, such as volleyball basketball etcetcetc, in order to interrupt opponent's winning momentum the coach's calling timeout n quite ok why not tennis:?)))
Taking medical break within the rules is definitely not breaking rules. Also, sometimes the spirit of sport should be considered and this is all about respecting your opponents, win or lose. He has unreturnable 1st serves and one of the best 2nd serves on tour. He doesn't need to resort to underarm serve. Certainly not from the 1st point. I'm surprized and somewhat disgusted by this attitude of 'don't you dare criticizing him'. Anyone is entitled to his own opinion and when someone does something that disgust you, you can speak for yourself and say "that's disgusting". NK is no sacred saint and I will criticize him if what he does is not right to my eyes.
NK's action was nothing more than making mockery of his opponent.
What did the speed gun read? Mad Skillz Kyrgios probably bombed it in at 220kph or more!Kyrgios won his opening point against Medvedev in Rome with his underhand serve!
Is this a first in open era?
I read somewhere an article about Suzanne Lenglen that tennis used to be played with underhand serve.
He has already done it against RAFA in AcapulcoOK. Will Kyrgios underarm serve to Djokovic? Or to Nadal or Federer? I hope he does. And I hope someone else tries that to him, but I can't think of any players that has a chance to beat NK who would use that 'tactic'.
Nadal returns from such a deep position I've always wondered why more players don't try to slip a dink serve in. You hit it right I don't think Nadal gets there in time.
You don't get it DSH.
We are celebrating the SHOT, not the PLAYER!
Agree...it's about the same as all junk balls - perfectly fine and drives some people crazy.EXCUSE ME!
It's a legal shot.
Since when do players have to respect their opponents' expectations?
Agree...it's about the same as all junk balls - perfectly fine and drives some people crazy.
No, I get it.
How good was it?
Until he wins a Masters 1000, he reached the semifinals of a Grand Slam or he arrives for the first time in the top 10, there is nothing to celebrate about this dude.
For a nice point videos, we already have Dimitrov and that is enough.
For someone who gets what I said, you sure seem to be fixated on Kyrgios.
And what's wrong with that?