Roscoe Tanner Serve

[don_budge]

Left Handed...the Trump card

Great service motion? Sure. No doubt it was effective for him.


Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

A huge variable in the Roscoe Tanner service motion equation is that he was left handed. What ever advantage that he may have had with said motion you multiply by 33.3% to realize the full beneficial value. That is a huge advantage when you think of the slim margin of errors built into the tennis scoring system. Holding serve is such a big part of the game...maybe even moreso in the classic game. Being left-handed is a trump card.

[klacr]

Terrible model!

Not sure if that reference is to Tanner's serve, my serve or both. LOL.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

I think what made Tanner's serve so good is that it was so slick. It was perfect for it's type because he could repeat the motion identically over and over. I doubt there is any margin for error with an apex ball toss. The motion must repeat perfectly every time because there is no time for micro adjustments.

That said, I don't remember Tanner having much of a second serve. It was really just a slowed down version of the first as far as I remember. He put very little work on his second serve.

[John Yandell]

Ha! Tanner!

[stotty]

Ha! Tanner!

Yes, Tanner again. Of all the big servers, Tanners serve is perhaps the one most talked about. Even 40 years on he still regularly gets thrust onto the forum for discussion. Even McEnroe's side-saddle serve hasn't had as much attention down the years.

Colin Dibley had a terrific serve but I can never find any footage of it anywhere.

Stotty

[gzhpcu]

Hi John, I know from years back you never liked Tanner's serve.

[don_budge]

Not sure if that reference is to Tanner's serve, my serve or both. LOL.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

As effective as your serve probably is, it would not serve as a good model either. Both Roscoe Tanner's serve and your serve are rather idiosyncratic in style. Somehow you have reached your own conclusion. I don't know if to say that these serve deliveries are unorthodox but they are what I would call borderline. That is not to say that there is anything "wrong" with either. That is sort of besides the point...the question really is how effective are they? Of course the follow up question might very well be...can they be improved? The most important question of all...are they fundamentally correct?

In Tanner's case his serve was very, very effective. His game was built around his dynamic serve and his ability to follow it into the net. Room for improvement? Unlikely. Finalist at Wimbledon...99.99999% of the tennis playing population around the world would be overwhelmingly satisfied. Fundamentally correct? I would have to say in his case...yes. If it holds up on the hallowed grass of Wimbledon it has withstood the test of being in the fire.

[stroke]

As a lot of us probably remember, we had a rather lengthy thread on the Tanner serve before. John even did a short analysis on it. Kyrgios has a modern day take on it maybe.

[don_budge]

Said serve...Roscoe Tanner and Bjorn Borg


1979 Wimbledon...Tanner vs. Borg Finals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLVnrUKL8yY

1979 U. S. Open Highlights...Nice shots of Billie Jean King as well. Tanner upsets Borg.

Check out the racquets...King and Borg both playing Bancroft. Remember the Bancroft?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1gc_Bur4UY

[klacr]

As effective as your serve probably is, it would not serve as a good model either. Both Roscoe Tanner's serve and your serve are rather idiosyncratic in style. Somehow you have reached your own conclusion. I don't know if to say that these serve deliveries are unorthodox but they are what I would call borderline. That is not to say that there is anything "wrong" with either. That is sort of besides the point...the question really is how effective are they? Of course the follow up question might very well be...can they be improved? The most important question of all...are they fundamentally correct?

In Tanner's case his serve was very, very effective. His game was built around his dynamic serve and his ability to follow it into the net. Room for improvement? Unlikely. Finalist at Wimbledon...99.99999% of the tennis playing population around the world would be overwhelmingly satisfied. Fundamentally correct? I would have to say in his case...yes. If it holds up on the hallowed grass of Wimbledon it has withstood the test of being in the fire.

I don't disagree. In fact, I never really teach my students "my serve" even though some ask. I know what I have and I know its great...for me. And thats where it should probably stop. And I'm ok with that.

I can serve in a platform as well when I'm teaching or hitting with a higher level player with good pace and control but its just not me.

Can My serve be improved? Absolutely. In fact, John was in Miami earlier this year for the Miami Open...

https://www.tennisplayer.net/article/life-in-miami-and-at-the-miami-open/

He was nice enough to stop by my club and besides helping me with my forehand...

https://www.tennisplayer.net/articles/

He took a quick look at my serve and although most of it was great, he noticed a few subtle issues that when I adjusted them, made a positive difference.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[curiosity]

I'd rather receive one of Rosco's first serves than one of his checks.

He served a tennis ball better than he served his five daughters' childhoods.

I'll never have time to study Sampras' serve, Federer's serve and Roscoe's, so I'll skip Roscoe's.

[stotty]

1979 Wimbledon...Tanner vs. Borg Finals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLVnrUKL8yY

Thanks for this. Yes Tanner's serve was a good one. I see Borg's delivery was serving him just as well, hardly missing a first serve. Borg's passing shots are still the best ever, aren't they? Quite magnificent.

Stotty

[gzhpcu]

He has a fast, concerted, no frills effective serve.

[gzhpcu]

One other similarity between Roscoe's and Kyle's serve is that the tossing arm does not go vertical, it stops much sooner. Because they both have a very fast arm action and low toss.

[klacr]

One other similarity between Roscoe's and Kyle's serve is that the tossing arm does not go vertical, it stops much sooner. Because they both have a very fast arm action and low toss.

I'm sure Roscoe likes his serve. I like mine.

tossing arm is not something I actively think about. Don't think Roscoe does either.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton