Ugliest Serve, and Worst Serve

[timmyboy]

it's simple, yes, it does it's job, yes.

i just don't find it to be as good to look at as Federer's or Sampras's or in this case, JMacs.

 

[wings56]

yeah I've recently switched my serve to that simpler motion

 

[thejackal]

timmyboy still haven't grown into timmyman?

Am I the only person that likes Roddick's serve? Simple and effective.

To me the only person with an awkward lookin serve is that fellow that poses like 4-5 times before he hits a serve. He was a player from Belarus or something that played Gasquet at Nottingham in the finals.

It's Mirnyi.

 

[156MPHserve]

I like Roddick's serve! It's just different, but I like it a lot. I think the original poster is the only one that finds Coria's serve ugly, it's not very effective but it's a very very nice motion IMO.

I can't stand Gaudio and Ljubicic's serves. They're SO ugly it should be banned.

Davenport has a nice motion similar to Hingis, but she has a ******** smile before she serves, just ruins it completely.

Nadal doesn't do well on the clock because he's not a natural lefty, I'd like to see you all try to serve with your non-dominant hand... it's HARD. However, he places and spins it very well which makes it just as good as many player's serves. Also one factor is intimidation. Nadal's speed puts a lot of pressure on his opponents. They know that even an attack of perfection will probably be tracked down by Nadal's speed. If they don't attack perfectly, Nadal's groundstrokes will eat them for dinner, so there's really humoungous pressure on the returner.

 

[XFactorer]

C'mon, now... who are we to say their serves are ugly when they're the ones playin' with the pros?

Hell, I think Dent's serve is gross!

 

[RiosTheGenius]

Rios has a very simplified, bare bones, odd looking ("ugly") serve, but that doesn't mean it's less effective.
Federer's serve looks almost poetic.

that's strange.... Rios' serve was the most casual looking thing. can't even rate it, the guy barely bounced the ball. his toss was real high though.

whenever it comes to talking about serves I must bring up that I'm a big fan of Marat Safin's serve.... does the guy ever double fault????... great serve, great motion, shoulder rotation, consistant.... what's not to love.

 

[HeNmAiNiA]

C'mon, now... who are we to say their serves are ugly when they're the ones playin' with the pros?

Hell, I think Dent's serve is gross!

dents serve is bad style but effective
roddicks serve isnt all that good when it goes in maybe but he misses a lot of 2nd serves on the fact that he hits it like as hard as his first. but i guess hes going for it.
elena dementiavas serve is pretty ugly and none effective
i like fedss style i think its awesome.and its got a good kick.
Tim's hasnt got a bad style either

 

[Babblelot]

I think that is the most underrated part of Rafa's game.

Just a guess, but wouldn't you respond similarly to any criticism of Nadal's game?

(...rhetorical question)

Anyway, gugafanatic beat me to the punch: Sjeng Schalken on both counts (weakest and ugliest)

Hmmm... I don't know what happening to Coria, but he'd been spinning in a bunch of low 80mph serves in recent matches...???

 

[MackSamuelHustovisics]

If Nadal had the worst serve he wouldn't be ranked #2. Check out some of his stats:

http://www.atptennis.com/en/players/matchfacts/default.asp

For example he has the highest 1st serve % on the tour. His other stats ain't that bad either.

He probably means ugly looking motion. It does look like Nadal isn't flexible/ whippy in the takeback motion (sort of like an amateur trying to imitate a pro). The motion is too fast to determine during the moment of the actual swing, but they way the racquet is position when he raises it up over his shoulder, it would appear as if there would be waiters wrist (even though that's not the case if you look at slow mo footage).

 

[MackSamuelHustovisics]

Who has the most effortless-looking serve?

 

[ironchef21]

It's funny, because just a few days ago I saw Mecir on the tele during the Davis Cup final telecast; I seem to remember that when he was an active player, he had one of the weakest serves on the men's tour. Such a pity too because the "Big Cat" was one of the best players ever to play the game.

Man I used to love watching Mecir play. He was so smooth off the ground. But his serve was lousy. Plus it was a mental thing with him. I remember one tournament he served underhand because he couldn't get it in otherwise.

 

[NalboRulz]

Hmmm... I don't know what happening to Coria, but he'd been spinning in a bunch of low 80mph serves in recent matches...???

He's been posting double figures on double faults too. So I guess if he can't even place a decent second serve he is forced to slow down drastically. In any case his serve (or lack of) hurts him bad. It's a pity, because with his speed and pretty good volley, the guy could be a force in hard courts too.

 

[Simon_the_furry]

Francoise Durr. She played in the late 60s through the mid 70s I think. Her first serve was clocked at an 39 - 45 miles per hour. Her serve was so weak that it was a weapon.

Ramesh Krishnan. Played in the late 70s - mid 80s. His serve was a little faster, maybe double the speed of Durr's, but had the same effect.

Wow.
I looked up Ramesh Krishnan's serve and I literally think that I am serving faster than this guy. His serve pains me to watch. He looks like he has all the flexibility of a piece of granite.