Interactive Forum April 2020: Reilly Opelka Serve

[seano]

I joined a webinar yesterday with Dr. Mark Kovacs, who has coached both Opelka and Isner. He was saying that Opelka is much more athletic because he played many more sports as a junior and worked on fitness from a young age. Where as Isner didn't do nearly as much till later on, around 17, I believe. Said the 2 were different types of athletes.

[stroke]

The joys of being 6'11".
Leaving lots on the table and the mechanics aren't nearly as natural as Isner but he delivers what he needs to.
He is actually the best mover of the BIG BIG three (Isner, Karlovic, Opelka) but the serve is more of a big cat swatting rather than a fluid and balanced motion.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Delray Beach
SETS Consulting

I have mentioned this about his movement in another thread. He seems to have a very proportioned build for a 6'11" guy, not nearly as long legged as Isner. I think that helps his athleticism. I could see him winning a major.

[stotty]

It's funny because I never put these 6'11" guys in my list of GOAT servers. Looking at Karlovic's servings stats he probably has to be right at the top. But there is something unfair about the advantage of being 6'11" so I never put these beanstalks into my equations.

Sampras is my serving GOAT followed, jointly, by Roger and Pancho Gonzales.

[klacr]

The joys of being 6'11".
Leaving lots on the table and the mechanics aren't nearly as natural as Isner but he delivers what he needs to.
He is actually the best mover of the BIG BIG three (Isner, Karlovic, Opelka) but the serve is more of a big cat swatting rather than a fluid and balanced motion.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Delray Beach
SETS Consulting

[jthb1021]

His mechanics compared to Isner just aren’t even close. Obviously he gets a ton of power but it seems to come through force with minimal leg drive. I’m assuming he doesn’t get anywhere near the same trajectory off the bounce that Isner does.

[stotty]

Stotty - what browser are you using? Try Chrome and/or Firefox. Your best bet is just to try a different browser.

Okay it's working in Chrome. Thanks for that one. I have Safari and rarely had a problem before. This tech stuff is beyond my comprehension sometimes...

[jeffreycounts]

No. can't get this to play either. I click the play button and nothing happens...

Stotty - what browser are you using? Try Chrome and/or Firefox. Your best bet is just to try a different browser.

[John Yandell]

Stotty,
Something at your end!
JY

[J011yroger]

Wouldn't this be Roddick-esque, and actually help produce more racquet head speed? To actually begin your leg drive closer to 0 degrees ESR (not the 90 degree Trophy position) would seem to build more momentum into the racquet drop.


Also, how important is it to make contact at or to the left of the hitting shoulder ( and not to the right of it)?

Maybe?!

I think that you sacrifice either power or spin when contact is made outside the slot between the head and shoulder, I can't definitively say this but it has been my experience.

J

[postpre]

Fourthly, his leg drive is out of synch as he is pushing off with his legs as his racquet is still rising, so he is in effect fighting against himself. It's almost like he is using his legs just because someone told him to.


J

Wouldn't this be Roddick-esque, and actually help produce more racquet head speed? To actually begin your leg drive closer to 0 degrees ESR (not the 90 degree Trophy position) would seem to build more momentum into the racquet drop.


Also, how important is it to make contact at or to the left of the hitting shoulder ( and not to the right of it)?

[J011yroger]

Yep it could which is scary. I have my thoughts...what are yours??

Firstly, his post contact racquet path has the tendency to bind as if his grip was shifted a bit towards the forehand, especially the back half of the grip.

Secondly he uses a ton of wrist flexion when he slices the serve and that stops the internal shoulder rotation half way through, when he serves power down the T he fully rotates the arm through the ball.

Thirdly he often makes contact outside of the right shoulder, which is a contributing factor to the lack of rotation through the ball and necessitates not rotating through it fully in order to get the ball wide enough. If he used a Federer like full ISR on his slice serve with the toss outside the hitting shoulder it would resultantly pull the serve towards the T.

Fourthly, his leg drive is out of synch as he is pushing off with his legs as his racquet is still rising, so he is in effect fighting against himself. It's almost like he is using his legs just because someone told him to.

Lastly, his off hand isn't really helping the cause.

As I said, I feel foolish criticizing something so good, but it is truly frightening what it could be.

J

[stotty]

Can you get this other recent post play?

https://www.tennisplayer.net/bulletin/forum/tennisplayer/87114-a-j-chabria-shows-a-few-ways-to-pick-up-the-ball-without-hands

No. can't get this to play either. I click the play button and nothing happens...

[John Yandell]

Yep it could which is scary. I have my thoughts...what are yours??

[J011yroger]

I don't know if what I know is wrong, or if his serve could be much better.

J

[jeffreycounts]

I can't get the video to play...

Can you get this other recent post play?

https://www.tennisplayer.net/bulletin/forum/tennisplayer/87114-a-j-chabria-shows-a-few-ways-to-pick-up-the-ball-without-hands