My first serve//Help highly apperciated!

Failed

Semi-Pro
Here are three videos of my first serve. First one being the oldest, which was posted in my older thread. I fixed few things you wanted me to change and here I am now, coming back for more pointers to get my serve to another level.

My friend is having a "holiday", which leaves me no option but to practise my serve until his back. Please comment!

Older slowmo

Newer serve normal speed BACK VIEW!
Newer serve normal speed, weird angle
Newer serve slowmotion
Fancy feet

I just noticed that the audio track is messed up a little. The slowmotion video requires you to turn your head or either your monitor :oops: Sorry!
 
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D

Deleted member 25923

Guest
How are you able to put all of your videos in high quality? Are you a special member?
 

Failed

Semi-Pro
Was completely uninteonal! Its up now anyway :oops:

EDIT:
I have no idea >_< Something must be wrong with my account. At least I don't know it if I have somekind of special rights :eek:
 
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D

Deleted member 25923

Guest
Was completely uninteonal! Its up now anyway :oops:

EDIT:
I have no idea >_< Something must be wrong with my account. At least I don't know it if I have somekind of special rights :eek:

Oh. Well, it's better for us anyways. :D
 

Dishiki

Rookie
The thing I noticed immediately is you have no leg drive. Especially watching the side slow mo video. You seem fairly tall, and bending your knees and then exploding up would really add power to your serve. As is, it looks like you are not using your legs very much at all, and your serve is mostly arm.
 
There's the lack of leg use. Try to bend the knees a bit more for a power boost. Also, Try bringing the racket and the ball up at the same time, it might boost the timing.
 

Failed

Semi-Pro
Gotta try bending my knees more then... it is a problem in pretty each one of my strokes. Thanks for the tips so far, keep 'em coming!
 

herosol

Professional
Gotta try bending my knees more then... it is a problem in pretty each one of my strokes. Thanks for the tips so far, keep 'em coming!

eh as much as everyone believes that KNEE BEND, is jeopardizing your serve.
It's not.

Unless you really don't have any leg use at all, i don't see how it's very detrimental. Notice how easily you can pull off that level of pace and control, without the use of the dogmatic "leg explosion"?

I really love your serve because it has the components, that are essential for the normal player.

-Consistency in the Motion
-Consistency in the toss
-Consistency in the ball hitting
-Simpleness of the motion

These four things are all constants. When you have many variables unchanged, you can hit just as well as the crazy person who believes that everyone needs some Roddick knee bend on the serve. You could easily penetrate into 100+ MPH's with your motion right now. I would say keep practicing, and keep trying to hit it harder.

Seriously look at this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npxP6Jej9iE

does federer's knee bend on the serve really go that low?
Maybe you can question Failed's timing with the leg bending, but i don't think the amount is needed to be changed.
 
D

Deleted member 33289

Guest
eh as much as everyone believes that KNEE BEND, is jeopardizing your serve.
It's not.

Unless you really don't have any leg use at all, i don't see how it's very detrimental. Notice how easily you can pull off that level of pace and control, without the use of the dogmatic "leg explosion"?

I really love your serve because it has the components, that are essential for the normal player.

-Consistency in the Motion
-Consistency in the toss
-Consistency in the ball hitting
-Simpleness of the motion

These four things are all constants. When you have many variables unchanged, you can hit just as well as the crazy person who believes that everyone needs some Roddick knee bend on the serve. You could easily penetrate into 100+ MPH's with your motion right now. I would say keep practicing, and keep trying to hit it harder.

Seriously look at this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npxP6Jej9iE

does federer's knee bend on the serve really go that low?
Maybe you can question Failed's timing with the leg bending, but i don't think the amount is needed to be changed.

this is definitely great info. only thing one could add is your explosion into the ball and pronation could be keeping you from getting the power you are looking for
 

Dishiki

Rookie
does federer's knee bend on the serve really go that low?
Maybe you can question Failed's timing with the leg bending, but i don't think the amount is needed to be changed.



Federer absolutely has knee bend and explodes off the ground. OP does not. The difference in Op going and getting the ball as opposed to Federer is night and day.
 

Failed

Semi-Pro
Here we are with the leg push video :p I accidenttaly ended up recording this yesterday so I might as well as put this one up aswell. You should be able to see the amount of lift now.

Fancy feet
 
Those who say OP has no leg drive don't know what they're talking about. What's propelling him into the court? Levitation?

Federer absolutely has knee bend and explodes off the ground. OP does not. The difference in Op going and getting the ball as opposed to Federer is night and day.

Is this meant to be a criticism?? OP doesn't serve like Fed... :???: Tough graders round here...
 

Failed

Semi-Pro
Those who say OP has no leg drive don't know what they're talking about. What's propelling him into the court? Levitation?

Federer absolutely has knee bend and explodes off the ground. OP does not. The difference in Op going and getting the ball as opposed to Federer is night and day.

Is this meant to be a criticism?? OP doesn't serve like Fed... :???: Tough graders round here...

MAYBE I should do joga classes :/ I am a gawd like mastah of levitation after all ^^
 

Dishiki

Rookie
No it isn't meant to be a criticism at all. Don't get all snippy. The mechanics of the two in regards to their legs are different. Fed absolutely bends his knees and pushes off/explodes up and into the court. OP, not so much. You don't have to serve like Fed, or Sampras to have proper mechanics.
 

Failed

Semi-Pro
Yeah Dishki, but you made it sound like I didn't bend from my knees at all and didn't explode from the ground at all. What you really meant to say was that I don't bend from my knees to same extent as for example Federer does.
 

herosol

Professional
Yeah Dishki, but you made it sound like I didn't bend from my knees at all and didn't explode from the ground at all. What you really meant to say was that I don't bend from my knees to same extent as for example Federer does.

i think what Dishiki means is what i posted before.
and it's the same problem i had before.

i've always had a good knee bend length, the problem lies how is use them.
it's more of timing of your knee bend in order to use its full potential.

but again, this comes with just practice. The more you practice with your current motion, you naturally make a few changes here and there to increase comfort, and quite frankly the best motion is the motion that is so easy and simple that its like eating from a day-to-day basis.
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
Not sure if just knee bend is the cure...
Seems the prep is not sideways enough, the actual swing seems slow and controlled, and still hits the ball into the middle of the net lotsas.
And the IN serves seem to lack speed or power, as it's bounce is well down by the time the backstop is hit.
Talking only first serves here, it should hit the backstop at least chest high in men's tennis....some still staying level back there.
As in almost ALL the videos, and thanks for that guys, everyone is lazy and lackadaisical, using very little energy, and mostly what.....trying to live to fight another day?
I say, explode into the ball, pretend this serve is for the match, and really hit it as FAST AS YOU CAN SWING THE RACKET!
Hey, you still gots another serve, and with dat one, SWING THE RACKET DARN FASTER !!!!!
 

tenzinrocks

Rookie
lol

How are you able to put all of your videos in high quality? Are you a special member?

dude, my cousin uploads videos and he puts HD(its not the high quality option), you can upload anything and get HD or high quality if you upload a huge file size. They automatically compress it so more people can see it but then you can choose HD if its big enough and if not, then high quality. BTW you need more pronation on your arm because in the slow motion, you're not pronating enough.
 

Failed

Semi-Pro
Not sure if just knee bend is the cure...
Seems the prep is not sideways enough, the actual swing seems slow and controlled, and still hits the ball into the middle of the net lotsas.
And the IN serves seem to lack speed or power, as it's bounce is well down by the time the backstop is hit.
Talking only first serves here, it should hit the backstop at least chest high in men's tennis....some still staying level back there.
As in almost ALL the videos, and thanks for that guys, everyone is lazy and lackadaisical, using very little energy, and mostly what.....trying to live to fight another day?
I say, explode into the ball, pretend this serve is for the match, and really hit it as FAST AS YOU CAN SWING THE RACKET!
Hey, you still gots another serve, and with dat one, SWING THE RACKET DARN FASTER !!!!!

No point trying to kill the ball with your first serve. I get a lot of aces and return errors with the serve I have as it is now. I can place to the corner and to the T, at least during practise matches. As Nick Bollitieri says: building of a point is formed of four elements: Start(serve & return), Set-up, Opportunity ball and the finish. It is no use having a first serve you can't start the point consistently with.

All I need to do now is to build the pace up gradually so that the consistency remains. As I have understood it the technique is ok and all I need to worry about now is polishing the components in my serve and start adding some more power. I've fixed a couple of things in the serve already, which cannot be seen from these camera angles. I do have a second serve that is really reliable and that isn't attackable. I wouldn't say its a weapon yet... but I am trying to get there.

All the comments are highly apperciated :) I will try to put up some more videos in a week or so to see how I've developped. Anyway... happy new year all!
 

Ballinbob

Hall of Fame
very nice serve! that the strongest part of your game? sure looks like it.

Looks technically sound, just add more power like you said (its powerful already, but just add more)
 

Failed

Semi-Pro
very nice serve! that the strongest part of your game? sure looks like it.

Looks technically sound, just add more power like you said (its powerful already, but just add more)

Yeah... its my pilar of support. Each time its a tough 4-5 set and I am serving I have this slender smirk on my face as I know that this baby is going to be settled in a tiebreak. Yeah... As soon as I get my brand new second serve grooving it'll be even harder for my opponents. I really put a lot of effort in my serve because I know its the least practised shot in tennis but still the most important one. In my tennis club the coaches don't really teach serving in their classes. That is why me and my friend practise only one time per week in the club and the pretty much the rest of the week at another sports club. There we can practise our strokes togheter and with the assist of the near-pro reviewing offered by the dear tennis-warehouse users we're able to develop a lot faster, a lot cheaper and most of all, more efficently! Of course we take these private lessons from this wonderful tennis coach that just moved into town, he was an ex-top20 18 and below junior national player in the UK at his prime. He has really made the other coaches put more effor to their teaching as well.
 
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Ballinbob

Hall of Fame
Yeah... its my pilar of support. Each time its a tough 4-5 set and I am serving I have this slender smirk on my face as I know that this baby is going to be settled in a tiebreak. Yeah... As soon as I get my brand new second serve grooving it'll be even harder for my opponents. I really put a lot of effort in my serve because I know its the least practised shot in tennis but still the most important one. In my tennis club the coaches don't really teach serving in their classes. That is why me and my friend practise only one time per week in the club and the pretty much the rest of the week at another sports club. There we can practise our strokes togheter and with the assist of the near-pro reviewing offered by the dear tennis-warehouse users we're able to develop a lot faster, a lot cheaper and most of all, more efficently! Of course we take these private lessons from this wonderful tennis coach that just moved into town, he was an ex-top20 18 and below junior national player in the UK at his prime. He has really made the other coaches put more effor to their teaching as well.

Lol that's awesome. As a S&V player I really need to work on my serve consistency. I practice my volleys alot more to compensate for my serve though. My sister is always looking for something to do so I give her a hopper of 75 balls and tell her to throw the ball as hard as she can at me while i'm at the service line....and that's how I practice volleys lol:) It's hard to practice everything though. I mean, i've developed good hands at the net and its tough to beat me at the net, but then then my groundies aren't great which makes up for it. I think the best thing to do at our age is to have an all around game based on consistency. Your lucky you have your serve as a weapon though. If my opponent isn't letting me approach the net then I've lost my only strength/weapon. But for serves you've got your weapon there all the time no matter what.

Keep it up though, the serve really looks great!
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
Lets backtrack a bit here...
You post vids of your serves.
You have an excellent motion with a very soft serve.
You say you win with this serve.
Just what level are we talking here? 3.5? 16 and under?
I say, you are approaching the prime of your physical life. You should be able to run faster, throw harder, serve faster and jump higher than almost any other 5 years of your life.
You are obviously over 5'11" tall.
Since you are strong enough, you have the good technique, you are tall enough, then why the hey are you happy with a 90 MPH FIRST SERVE !!!!!
Every one of your serves barely bounce to the backboard without a second bounce!! That is a slow serve! You are giving away free points! You need to improve your serve, get it waaaay more consistent, and up about 20mph, before you reach your physical peak...in what, 2 years?
Without an opponent to make you look realistic, you should never miss your first serves more than 6" into the net, and never more than 4' long.
And EVERY first serves should one bounce at least chest high into the backboard.
Even at 59 years old, almost every one of my SECOND serves one bounces chest high into the backdrop!
Watch a pro tournament .... that is what you're achieving towards, right...PRO LEVEL. Watch their missed first serves kick chest high behind the reciever, the bounce wildly for 3 seconds carooming 30' around. THAT is a first serve from someone who's 5'11' tall !!!
Now I can't claim that first serve. I'm at least 40% off my prime. But even my debilitated first serve one bounces at least waist high, and can claim to maintain at least a 4.5 speed level.
YOU on the other hand, is younger, stronger, fitter, more limber, just as tall, so what's your excuse ?????
 

Ballinbob

Hall of Fame
Lets backtrack a bit here...
You post vids of your serves.
You have an excellent motion with a very soft serve.
You say you win with this serve.
Just what level are we talking here? 3.5? 16 and under?
I say, you are approaching the prime of your physical life. You should be able to run faster, throw harder, serve faster and jump higher than almost any other 5 years of your life.
You are obviously over 5'11" tall.
Since you are strong enough, you have the good technique, you are tall enough, then why the hey are you happy with a 90 MPH FIRST SERVE !!!!!
Every one of your serves barely bounce to the backboard without a second bounce!! That is a slow serve! You are giving away free points! You need to improve your serve, get it waaaay more consistent, and up about 20mph, before you reach your physical peak...in what, 2 years?
Without an opponent to make you look realistic, you should never miss your first serves more than 6" into the net, and never more than 4' long.
And EVERY first serves should one bounce at least chest high into the backboard.
Even at 59 years old, almost every one of my SECOND serves one bounces chest high into the backdrop!
Watch a pro tournament .... that is what you're achieving towards, right...PRO LEVEL. Watch their missed first serves kick chest high behind the reciever, the bounce wildly for 3 seconds carooming 30' around. THAT is a first serve from someone who's 5'11' tall !!!
Now I can't claim that first serve. I'm at least 40% off my prime. But even my debilitated first serve one bounces at least waist high, and can claim to maintain at least a 4.5 speed level.
YOU on the other hand, is younger, stronger, fitter, more limber, just as tall, so what's your excuse ?????

You fail buddy. Let me tell you something.... The best highschool tennis player in all of Colorado serves 110mph. This is in the whole state of colorado. The fastest servers in all of colorado (not just highschool) is around 125mph. He has a great serve, smooth motion, and he can place it well. When I post my vid (which is soon, look out for it) you will notice I have ripped calves, im 6ft tall, and have a good build for my age....and my first serve averages what, maybe 75-80mph? So what are you going tell me, that I should have a 120mph at 15? You always talk about serve speeds like they're nothing. I'm sorry we're not as good as you are, but a 120mph is not easy to achieve!!! Failed has a great serve so stop putting him down because its not 120mph. I don't get your reasoning
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
Wait a minute here....
100 mph is an average women's pro first serve speed.
Even a top junior 16 should be stretching towards 120. Talking about a trained athlete who's at least 5'11" tall. He's 85% physically mature.
Now I"m not up on the latest kids, but even HermanBauer, circa 1977, as a 16 year old trying to play B tournaments (maybe 4.5 or so), could hit a real first serve with pop matching almost any of the top 100 pros.
I'm talking about 16 year olds who aspire to turn pro, not content with college tennis to fade into teaching pros.
Unless you fetch like Bagdatis or Ferrer, you will have NO chance making top 200 without a real first serve.
And I don't mean a real first WOMAN's serve !!
If you can see and track the actual swing, your serve is slow by easily 30mph.
Set your goals a little higher, don't be content to do what everyone else your age and experience has done.... try EXCEEDING your limitations.
 

Failed

Semi-Pro
Lets backtrack a bit here...
You post vids of your serves.
You have an excellent motion with a very soft serve.
You say you win with this serve.
Just what level are we talking here? 3.5? 16 and under?
I say, you are approaching the prime of your physical life. You should be able to run faster, throw harder, serve faster and jump higher than almost any other 5 years of your life.
You are obviously over 5'11" tall.
Since you are strong enough, you have the good technique, you are tall enough, then why the hey are you happy with a 90 MPH FIRST SERVE !!!!!
Every one of your serves barely bounce to the backboard without a second bounce!! That is a slow serve! You are giving away free points! You need to improve your serve, get it waaaay more consistent, and up about 20mph, before you reach your physical peak...in what, 2 years?
Without an opponent to make you look realistic, you should never miss your first serves more than 6" into the net, and never more than 4' long.
And EVERY first serves should one bounce at least chest high into the backboard.
Even at 59 years old, almost every one of my SECOND serves one bounces chest high into the backdrop!
Watch a pro tournament .... that is what you're achieving towards, right...PRO LEVEL. Watch their missed first serves kick chest high behind the reciever, the bounce wildly for 3 seconds carooming 30' around. THAT is a first serve from someone who's 5'11' tall !!!
Now I can't claim that first serve. I'm at least 40% off my prime. But even my debilitated first serve one bounces at least waist high, and can claim to maintain at least a 4.5 speed level.
YOU on the other hand, is younger, stronger, fitter, more limber, just as tall, so what's your excuse ?????

I didn't say that I am contented :D I damn right want a 130mph serve that I can place well. I have played tennis for little more than a year now and I keep on learning and I am damn right willing to learn more. That is the reason, why I am browsing these forums, nearly all of my off-court time. I did say that I win with this serve. I win points from opponents of my level and higher.

What I meant was not adding all the power in one go, but gradually so that the technique won't suffer from over doing the serve. I know many guys in our club that try to hit the tennis ball super hard but all they end up doing is a slower swing and a worse technique. Thats why I want to take it slowly and build the power gradually. By gradually I mean a progress of few months learning to use the power that I already possess, as you've said LeeD.

I also belive that I clock the serve consistently 100mph now but as it can very well be seen from the video I need to start swinging faster and learn to control it.

So, my excuse would be the of practise, experience and professional advice. I am training, hard each day to catch up those who've been so lucky to take up tennis so much early before me.

Post Scriptum: You sound like an ex-pro or something LeeD so your comments are surely noted.
 
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LeeD

Bionic Poster
Hey, I'm just trying to fire up all you guys who post vids of your serves, and you guys don't warm up, don't put out any energy, and are content to allow little girls to serve FASTER than you.
I would not be happy, as a strapping 16 year old (varsity football from 14-16, graduated at 16), to see a GIRL throw farther than me, run faster, or jump higher.
And I came from a highschool mixed in race, 40% black. Some blacks can RUN, male or female.
Some whites can run. Some Asians can run. Some Hispanics can run.
But I wanted to be at least near the fastest. Don't you?
Don't you want to serve faster than your peers?
Don't you want to play better tennis than your peers?
If you did, try to put out some energy and don't be content serving like a 50 year old woman. MartinaNav were using as an example.
Now if you're content hitting first serves at 100 mph, and you're 5'11 approaching your prime ...... DON'T WASTE MY TIME, go back to knitting and crochet !!
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
And if you think it's sooooo hard to achieve faster than women's service speeds, maybe you should play women's tennis.
C'mon man, you're 16. You are stronger, faster, more limber, have as much skill, and can recover quicker than a 35 year old. And 35 year old PeteSampras can still serve 125.
What, are you lazy? You wanna be the slowest server for your size and age?
What, you wanna play women's tennis?
C'mon man, step it up.
Are you physically handicapped? Are your arms two feet short?
You're SIX FRICKEN feet tall !! That means when you reach up, you can reach 7'9".
You're taller than that mighty server ...... MichaelChang ...he's a real 5'7 and one half. I know, I've stood next to him. And he can serve 120 fastest.
What, are you moving in molasses? Are you aspiring to play junior 14's?
Maybe your goal is Mens 60.
Hey, you can throw a baseball at least 80 mph right? That computes to pitcher style 220 feet in the air. That's easily fast enough handspeed to serve well over 115mph. RIGHT NOW
 

Failed

Semi-Pro
Hey, I'm just trying to fire up all you guys who post vids of your serves, and you guys don't warm up, don't put out any energy, and are content to allow little girls to serve FASTER than you.
I would not be happy, as a strapping 16 year old (varsity football from 14-16, graduated at 16), to see a GIRL throw farther than me, run faster, or jump higher.
And I came from a highschool mixed in race, 40% black. Some blacks can RUN, male or female.
Some whites can run. Some Asians can run. Some Hispanics can run.
But I wanted to be at least near the fastest. Don't you?
Don't you want to serve faster than your peers?
Don't you want to play better tennis than your peers?
If you did, try to put out some energy and don't be content serving like a 50 year old woman. MartinaNav were using as an example.
Now if you're content hitting first serves at 100 mph, and you're 5'11 approaching your prime ...... DON'T WASTE MY TIME, go back to knitting and crochet !!

Did you just read my previous post :/ or was that comment directed to all, ah I saw that you made another post after reading it seems.
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
I read your post, but was referring to BB, who's a good tennis player, but doesn't grasp the concept of improving serves beyond his current skills.
Really guys, try throwing a baseball as far as you can.
If none availible, try a football (I was 5'5" and under 95 lbs when the varsity coach saw me throw it 65+ yards). No, he wasn't impressed. He recommended javelin or tennis, both I considered wimp sports at the time.
You improve what you can, when it happens.
Both of you are taller than me. Both of you stronger, more trained, more limber, probably as quick, but neither of you wants to hit like a PROFESSIONAL MENS tennis player.
Not saying you'll achieve it this coming year, but you gotta start SOMETIME.
And saying this guy can't, this guy can, I can't, is NOT A START!
You gotta believe in the progression. At your sizes, you CAN hit 120 mph serves, and you better well do it before you turn 18, or you'll just get passed up on the ladder.
Or you can go back to womens tennis, or mens 60's.
 

Ballinbob

Hall of Fame
And if you think it's sooooo hard to achieve faster than women's service speeds, maybe you should play women's tennis.
C'mon man, you're 16. You are stronger, faster, more limber, have as much skill, and can recover quicker than a 35 year old. And 35 year old PeteSampras can still serve 125.
What, are you lazy? You wanna be the slowest server for your size and age?
What, you wanna play women's tennis?
C'mon man, step it up.
Are you physically handicapped? Are your arms two feet short?
You're SIX FRICKEN feet tall !! That means when you reach up, you can reach 7'9".
You're taller than that mighty server ...... MichaelChang ...he's a real 5'7 and one half. I know, I've stood next to him. And he can serve 120 fastest.
What, are you moving in molasses? Are you aspiring to play junior 14's?
Maybe your goal is Mens 60.
Hey, you can throw a baseball at least 80 mph right? That computes to pitcher style 220 feet in the air. That's easily fast enough handspeed to serve well over 115mph. RIGHT NOW

Um, Ive never played baseball but Im guessing I throw 55-60 tops. I run track and play tennis. I run a 100m dash in 11.75s and can run a mile in 5:18 minutes, so I'm definitely an athletic guy. And why are you comparing a 3.5 player to a pro? Also, the technique for a serve is pretty hard to get down. Without that, achieving a serve 100mph an hour is pretty difficult. Once I figure out whats wrong with my effing camera I'll post my vid. I got the footage, camera's just being gay
 

herosol

Professional
I read your post, but was referring to BB, who's a good tennis player, but doesn't grasp the concept of improving serves beyond his current skills.
Really guys, try throwing a baseball as far as you can.
If none availible, try a football (I was 5'5" and under 95 lbs when the varsity coach saw me throw it 65+ yards). No, he wasn't impressed. He recommended javelin or tennis, both I considered wimp sports at the time.
You improve what you can, when it happens.
Both of you are taller than me. Both of you stronger, more trained, more limber, probably as quick, but neither of you wants to hit like a PROFESSIONAL MENS tennis player.
Not saying you'll achieve it this coming year, but you gotta start SOMETIME.
And saying this guy can't, this guy can, I can't, is NOT A START!
You gotta believe in the progression. At your sizes, you CAN hit 120 mph serves, and you better well do it before you turn 18, or you'll just get passed up on the ladder.
Or you can go back to womens tennis, or mens 60's.

LeeD

I know what you're hitting at; this boy can serve faster. Yes we all know that. Everyone on these tennis forums if they go out and practice more can hit harder and faster serves.

I think what you're missing, is thinking that you can't easily ace someone with a 100 mph first serve. If Failed can hit well-placed 100 mph first serves, he can easily hold serve without breaking a sweat. 100 to the T, the outside, or the body are ALL damaging shots. You overestimate 16 year old's abilities to read the ball and/or return the ball well. A 100 mph will leave any regular tournament player youngster compromised. Consistent 100 mph's strike fear, but unless Failed is some touring National ranked Junior, 100 mph's will easily place him in high rankings in his school or league.

Keep practicing, but it really isn't all about power. It's about having CONSTANTS (Speed and Form), that never change, in order to have other CHANGEABLE FACTORS (direction/placement).
 

mikeler

Moderator
Failed,

You get nice pace using hardly any body turn. Instead of lining up with your feet parallel to the sideline, try putting your back right foot about 6 inches behind your left foot. This will force you to turn your body into the shot more and will probably get you another 5 or 10 MPH on your serve. Give it a shot for a bucket of balls.

Check out Safin's feet in this video just before he hits the ball. You can see his left foot is definitely in front of his right foot by about 6 inches or more. Don't copy the foot faults though :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV61tle3MK4
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
Yeah, that extra bit of turn, back to the opponent, generates just a bit more slicing motion, which adds some power from a free source that doesn't use up your energy.
If I hit 100 mph well placed serves, and I said WELL PLACED, I'd lose 2nd round in most 4.5 tournaments.
I know NOBODY has excellently placed serves....serves that land 4" inside the side lines and within a foot of the service line. RIGHT?
Sure, you can occasionally paint one line or the other, but in a STRESS situation, when the opponent is not asleep or a midget, that serve doesn't go in!
You need more than moderate speed WOMEN'S serves and this is a MENS TENNIS FORUM.
Don't forget that !!!!!
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
OK, here's the whole ball of wax ..... why I sound like a crusty old codger who tears down, donna pat you on the back, and constantly edging you to get BETTER.
First of all, You practice serves at least once a week, preferably more often, right? And when you practice, you practice down the middle, out wide, and into the body, right? And you control the toss, right?
OK, bucket of 50 decent balls, not flat ones, not skins, not fuzzers.
You hit 20 first serves up the middle duece court. If you get more than 12 in, you are a PUSHER, a wimp, and should take up women's tennis!!!
This is PRACTICE. You're trying to get better, you don't get better doing what you already can do !!!!
So, same duece court 20 swings, but this time, swing the racket faster! Swing faster until you only get 5 in out of 20. Now back off some and go for 8. THAT IS THE SERVE SPEED that you should hit in practice. That is NOT the serve speed you hit in a match.
After about 20 sessions, anybody's 100mph serve that goes in 12 out of 20 becomes a 115mph serve that goes in 50%. Which serve would you rather have?
Now if you're getting more than 12 out of 20 first serves in during practice, you are wasting your time. You already peaked, now go home and study your literature and history, you'll never get better.
 
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