please critique my serve (with video)

pvaudio said:
HOwever to be complete, BB, Patrick Rafter's kick serve ended up tearing his rotator cuff.
Click to expand...

I guess you didn't read the entire post

If you do elect to use an abbreviated motion, make sure you spread your shoulders back and open your chest. This takes pressure off in the shoulder area and you dont pinch off a nerve in when your hitting arm swings to hit the ball. Over time, the nerve can become injured if you are not careful.
 
Bungalo Bill said:
I guess you didn't read the entire post

If you do elect to use an abbreviated motion, make sure you spread your shoulders back and open your chest. This takes pressure off in the shoulder area and you dont pinch off a nerve in when your hitting arm swings to hit the ball. Over time, the nerve can become injured if you are not careful.
Click to expand...
;) You are correct!
 
looks like the toss is a dead giveaway for a kicker out wide. I think it's a really effective and consistent serve if your group is all weekend players and even if they know it's going to the backhand they can't do anything about it.

if you've got a good or even decent hard serve down the T with the same toss to keep them honest, I'd change nothing. But if you play competitively a good returner will be sitting on top of the service line and taking that on the rise.
 
2ndServe said:
looks like the toss is a dead giveaway for a kicker out wide. I think it's a really effective and consistent serve if your group is all weekend players and even if they know it's going to the backhand they can't do anything about it.

if you've got a good or even decent hard serve down the T with the same toss to keep them honest, I'd change nothing. But if you play competitively a good returner will be sitting on top of the service line and taking that on the rise.
Click to expand...


That's very true. When I play points with a top Junior Girl in my country, my kick serves got killed all the time. She takes my kick serve on the rise and drive the return with her 2 handed backhand down the line for a clean winner.

If I want to hit a hard slice down the T, I have to change the toss, and my opponent can read that.

Thanks for your reply.
 
Stick with the kick serve for the 2nd serve, even if it's predictable. Andy Roddick always serves out wide to the ad side on his 2nd serves, but he seems to win most of his 2nd serve points.
 
I agree even if they know it's coming to the backhand most people can't do anything about it. Even if they have a monster forehand they'll be way of position on the next shot if they run around it.

Problem with relying on a kicker all the time and I've seen plenty who hit both 1st and 2nd kickers is you have to throw in something else slice, flat, opposite direction etc.

Even if it's 1.5 out of ten serves it's enough to plant a seed in their head, thus making you kicker more effective. The toss can slightly different but it's so different that Stevie Wonder knows you're telegraphing it then it won't do you any good.
 
Rickson said:
Stick with the kick serve for the 2nd serve, even if it's predictable. Andy Roddick always serves out wide to the ad side on his 2nd serves, but he seems to win most of his 2nd serve points.
Click to expand...

I do that when I play with a weekend player (the guy in my videos is now a weekend player. He was an average junior player in my country 15 years a go).

However, I can't do that when I play with a top junior (even if the top junior is a girl), since they can drive the return with 2 handed backhand down the line.

When I play against a junior player, I have to mix the placement of my kick serves. Most of the time I hit it wide to the Ad court, but sometimes I hit it to my opponent body, and very rarely I hit to the T (Serving down the T to the ad court is my weakest serve).

2ndserve posts are spot on.
 
Off topic... The first thing that came in my mind when i saw the video: "The houses outside the court looked familiar"... Apparently i'm not the only Indonesian in this board...
 
charaseac said:
Off topic... The first thing that came in my mind when i saw the video: "The houses outside the court looked familiar"... Apparently i'm not the only Indonesian in this board...
Click to expand...

Well, you certainly not the only Indonesian in this board.
 
Ano said:
How do I get into better shape?
Click to expand...



You know i'm just kidding ano. Technique is the bottom line.


A few observations if you dont mind, just watched vid, you have a pretty good motion i would say. I like it. I would say your racquet behind your head when you are tossing is holding up some power, i would try to get your right hand reaching for the fence instead of behind your head. Try to keep your serving hand as far away from your head as possible. Elbow and hand reaching towards the back fence as much as possible is best i can offer.

As far as your comming to net you need to split step more, you are running into the net to much, also your grip on your volleys needs alot of work imo. Might work for a easy crosscourt volley, but i bet you have trouble hitting straight down the line volleys with authority with that grip.
 
Ano said:
Well, you certainly not the only Indonesian in this board.
Click to expand...

I can't find a way to send private message :confused: ; so im sorry for another off topic. Where in Jakarta is that? Planning to go back for vacation this December, and i might want to take some tennis lesson. (I want to go on more, but i dont think this is a good place to talk about it ;) )
 
Ultra2HolyGrail said:
You know i'm just kidding ano. Technique is the bottom line.


A few observations if you dont mind, just watched vid, you have a pretty good motion i would say. I like it. I would say your racquet behind your head when you are tossing is holding up some power, i would try to get your right hand reaching for the fence instead of behind your head. Try to keep your serving hand as far away from your head as possible. Elbow and hand reaching towards the back fence as much as possible is best i can offer.

As far as your comming to net you need to split step more, you are running into the net to much, also your grip on your volleys needs alot of work imo. Might work for a easy crosscourt volley, but i bet you have trouble hitting straight down the line volleys with authority with that grip.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the good advices.
 
charaseac said:
I can't find a way to send private message :confused: ; so im sorry for another off topic. Where in Jakarta is that? Planning to go back for vacation this December, and i might want to take some tennis lesson. (I want to go on more, but i dont think this is a good place to talk about it ;) )
Click to expand...

That place is Kedoya Sport Club, at Jalan Kedoya Palma Raya.

I am not a member there, I only play there on holidays.

If you want to talk more about taking some tennis lesson on next December, please feel free to use this thread to talk about it.
 
more pace

Nice placement and volley but you want more power and in your case more torque.

Get in your service stance and throw a few tennis balls fairly hard toward your target in the service court without moving your feet. This will make you coil before you release the ball.
Notice the muscles you are using to throw the ball to the target and incorporate more of them into your serve and it will have significantly more power.
 
Um, it looked like the volley you hit was going WAAAAY out anyway... but I'm not sure from the angle the camera was at.

Good serve though.
 
Have you practiced what I said?

With your racquet in the position it is in at the bottom of your drop you cannot possibly get any MPH on your serve, if you try you will hit yourself in the back of the head with the buttcap of your racquet.

J
 
J011yroger said:
Have you practiced what I said?

With your racquet in the position it is in at the bottom of your drop you cannot possibly get any MPH on your serve, if you try you will hit yourself in the back of the head with the buttcap of your racquet.

J
Click to expand...

Yes, I have. Last Saturday and Sunday ( I can only play tennis on weekends), I practiced hitting 100 serves by imitating your trophy pose. (I started the movement with my right elbow low, shoulder tilted and then I tossed the ball and hit).

I missed hit the majority of them, and very few of the serves went in.

And by the time I played points, my service motion went back to the original. It's very hard to break a wrong muscle memory.

I plan to practice my serve everyday for a week next month (there will be holidays in my country next month). Starting from now, I have to prepare my shoulder for next month practice sessions by doing plenty of YTWLI : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5-PLpC2Zlo

One top tennis coach in my country have agreed to supervise my practice sessions next month for free. Well, not completely free, since he asked me to design conditioning programs for his top junior players. :)


fruitytennis1 said:
As some one mentioned before your footwork up to the net isnt the best. Put some split step in there.
Click to expand...

Yes, pvaudio mentioned about my lousy footwoork. I agree with him and you. This video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH-4W1J4QRQ also clearly show my lousy foot work.

I have practiced to shaddow serve, take 3 steps and then split step.

Thanks for your suggestion. Much appreciated.
 
Last edited:
pvaudio said:
Another unrelated thing Ano: for being in outstanding shape, your footwork needs some work. Pick up a jumprope, work split step drills, do something, because when watching you guys hit, it's like to hit the ball then step around aimlessly until the next ball comes. Come on man, I know you've got quick feet, stay on your toes.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I have followed your advice.
 
Ano said:
Yes, I have. Last Saturday and Sunday ( I can only play tennis on weekends), I practiced hitting 100 serves by imitating your trophy pose. (I started the movement with my right elbow low, shoulder tilted and then I tossed the ball and hit).

I missed hit the majority of them, and very few of the serves went in.

And by the time I played points, my service motion went back to the original. It's very hard to break a wrong muscle memory.
Click to expand...

Ok, and of course any bad habit is going to be hard to break.

This change in these two pictures is going to be what makes the difference.

If you can video your practice, and see if you have made this change, then you'll know you are on the right track.

Observe.

2z3ry1l.jpg


Compared to.

30vdqpw.jpg


Once you get that, the pace will come. If you have the racquet folded up behind you paralell to your back, you will never be able to generate pace, only spin.

J
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Ano
a 4.0 male vs D1 female. Who won? (I have the result)
Replies
45
Views
3K
Ano
Ano
Max Winther
Serve Videos for Critique
Replies
9
Views
1K
LeeD
L
ZPTennis
Video of my Forehand and Serves
2
Replies
61
Views
5K
ZPTennis
ZPTennis
S
Critique my serve, please.
Replies
28
Views
2K
Blake0
B
B
My Serve - Pls Comment
Replies
2
Views
613
blessed_one
B
Back
Top