Oddest unorthodox service motions in pro tennis?

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Robbo222

New User
So I was thinking about players who use unorthodox services motions in their games and how they are becoming more and more popular in tennis. So I was wondering who you thought has the oddest/best unorthodox serves?

For me there are six that stand out:

Men's:
- Mahesh Bhupati (IND)
- Karsten Braasch (GER)

Women's:
- Marion Bartoli (FRA)
- Antonella Serra Zanetti (ITA)
- Julia Vakulenko (UKR; later ESP)
- Tatiana Panova (RUS)

So who do you think has the oddest/best unorthodox service motion?
 
M

monfed

Guest
IDK but if pushed I'd have to say Ralph. The way he bounces the ball first with his racquet and then with his hands,tugs his shorts, pulls his hair back and then serves is quite unorthodox. He repeats this routine between FS and SS is quite interesting to say the least. :lol:

Why the need for so much drama given that he has no forward momentum into his serve? He could just toss the ball and whack it. :lol:
 
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mightyrick

mightyrick

Legend
Robbo222 said:
- Karsten Braasch (GER)
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I don't find Braasch that odd really. He just has a low-toss serve. Not unlike Ivanesevic, Dolgopolov, Tanner, et cetera. He hits the ball on the way up or at the apex.

For men, I think Roddick and Kohlschreiber have been the most unorthodox serves in the last 20 years easily. Nobody has ever seen motions like this before or since. Truly one of a kind.

For women, it has to be Bartoli. The way she bounces the the ball (or not at all), her weird preparation, pancake follow-through. Just ultra-weird.
 
Avles

Avles

Hall of Fame
mightyrick said:
For men, I think Roddick and Kohlschreiber have been the most unorthodox serves in the last 20 years easily. Nobody has ever seen motions like this before or since. Truly one of a kind.
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What's so weird about Kohlschreiber?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM9zKeqqYD4

From what I can see the only really unusual thing is that he starts his tossing motion with his hand very high (and then drops it)... but overall it looks like a lot of other serves to me.

(Edit: I guess the way he bends at the waist and tucks his legs up is a little unorthodox as well...)
 
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Lukhas

Lukhas

Legend
Monfils, Roddick for their close stance serve. Bartoli has serve issues, although she isn't actually righty (like Nadal who is righty and had to modify his serve to make it more efficient), so yeah. In fact, anyone in WTA who hasn't a pinpoint serve stance. Almost all of the girls have one.
 
Bobby Jr

Bobby Jr

G.O.A.T.
The Meat said:
Kohlschreiber, very weird motion.
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I agree. He has the most WTA-ish motion of any remotely top male player. That forward-swing is fine but the wind-up is an utterly horrendous example of pointless over-coaching.
 
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Elite

Elite

Semi-Pro
How about The Hot Dog? Amazing how he generates such pace off it, considering his swing and height.
 
N

NLBwell

Legend
Sjeng Schalken's serve was very robot-like.

(if I remember right, he had some kind of injury when young that limited his movement)
 
Fuji

Fuji

Legend
Not sure if mentioned, but the first that comes to mind for me is Dolgopolov. He uses such an abbreviated motion it's a bit strange to look at.

-Fuji
 
The Meat

The Meat

Hall of Fame
HughJars said:
Dolgopolov's action turns me off eating
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I like his motion, it's like watching a serve at 1.5x speed. :)

It's very effective because of how much clearance he has to hit over the net. Now only if he could get his serve percentage above 60%
 
TennisA

TennisA

Rookie
merwy said:
What in the world..

I did not know something like this existed in this world. I mean, I knew about those racquets but that serve? I wonder if (and how much) he's getting paid to use that racquet.
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I'm pretty sure he isn't getting paid to use it. He either owns, or is partnered with the the owner of the racket design. He and his brother play professionally in order to try and increase sales of the racket. I'm pretty sure they've been in the top 100-200 in doubles, so they aren't bad
 
P

pinky42

New User
Iveta Benesova's service motion is standard once it gets going. When she starts there's a pause in the middle where she switches from leaning forward to standing straight up.
 
The Meat

The Meat

Hall of Fame
zebedee said:
Another take on Brian 'I'm' Battistone's weird serve motion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQYOW1DlydU

A clear breach of rule 18 (a) by the way, regarding foot faults as the rules of tennis disallow walking or running into the ball as it is served.
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It's legal, they've been playing at qualies at masters without being banned. Imagine it as a pinpoint stance with the front foot dragging to the baseline instead of the back foot. As long as you don't take anymore extra steps.
 
Z

zebedee

New User
Don't see that myself. He takes a clear step in, from over a metre behind the line.

Not that I'd be a stickler about it. I think it's hilarious.
 
Z

zebedee

New User
Absolutely. That's why they keep to hard court probably.

They could do worse than link up with that Bahrami clown or are they too serious?
 
The Meat

The Meat

Hall of Fame
zebedee said:
Absolutely. That's why they keep to hard court probably.

They could do worse than link up with that Bahrami clown or are they too serious?
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Are you talking about Mansour Bahrami? Never call him a clown, he has one of the best touch games ever.
 
Z

zebedee

New User
Who said clowns can't possess touch? Have you never been to the circus?

He pays his way in life by acting the clown, clown.
 
THUNDERVOLLEY

THUNDERVOLLEY

G.O.A.T.
Robbo222 said:
So I was thinking about players who use unorthodox services motions in their games and how they are becoming more and more popular in tennis. So I was wondering who you thought has the oddest/best unorthodox serves?
Click to expand...

Bartoli; hers is the most oddball service motion in history. It is like she's trying to remember her name or count while serving...
 
The Meat

The Meat

Hall of Fame
zebedee said:
Who said clowns can't possess touch? Have you never been to the circus?

He pays his way in life by acting the clown, clown.
Click to expand...

Clowns are supposed to be laughed at because of their clumsy or hilarious antics.

Bahrami is an entertainer, he entertains the masses with his unbelievable ability at the net and around the court.

The only clown I can think of is Monfils.
 
Lukhas

Lukhas

Legend
Fuji said:
Not sure if mentioned, but the first that comes to mind for me is Dolgopolov. He uses such an abbreviated motion it's a bit strange to look at.
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True, his motion is so quick it must be hard in the first game(s) for the returner to adapt.
 
Lukhas

Lukhas

Legend
Say, I'm watching M-C right now, and Montanes also has a very quick serve motion akin to Dolgopolov.
 
B

BeHappy

Hall of Fame
There was a player about 5-10 years ago who would toss the ball about 20 feet in the air. I forget his name. Remarkably, even in the wind, he always seemed to toss it perfectly.
 
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