Return of Serve: Part 2

[John Yandell]

Let's discuss Bill Tym's article, "Return of Serve: Part 2"

[glacierguy]

Now we're getting into it! Enjoyed this article. Hitting with a 120mph server in about 50mins and will finally try stepping back a bit on return, and landing from split-step with a wider stance. Plus, I've tried initial step forward into split before, but didn't keep it up, will try again. Thanks.

[J011yroger]

Now we're getting into it! Enjoyed this article. Hitting with a 120mph server in about 50mins and will finally try stepping back a bit on return, and landing from split-step with a wider stance. Plus, I've tried initial step forward into split before, but didn't keep it up, will try again. Thanks.

I return from very close to the baseline, or inside of it depending on opponent, and singles/doubles so I don't love the Murray type of big steps forward, instead I take two little tiny steps almost like the ready steps you make beginners do in a clinic to keep their feet moving it gives me a bit of momentum but is not a huge commitment.

The timing is like 1 2, split...leap.

J

[doctorhl]

Timing the upward motion of the split step to coincide with the apex of the toss is critical to be able to recoil out of your spilt step landing. Many do it too early and set down too much on their heels and can’t recoil out of their landing. I couldn’t ever get the right camera angle to slo mo capture video of someone mistiming their upward motion of split step with apex of the toss. Anyone have any footage? We can all “see it”, but initially showing a player, rather than critiquing the mistiming would be helpful.

[glacierguy]

Good comments J011yroger & doctorhl - I'm paying attention. I reckon return of a big serve is my weakest point. I get too tense knowing there's a bomb coming and ironically seem to rush the contact. Think I favour a smallish step into the split as well J011yroger - you just need some forward momentum, doesn't have to be big charge forward.

[doctorhl]

Glacierguy: Check out this video clip of Novak. It does a good job of capturing Novak in the air at the top of his hop as the server makes ball contact. If timed correctly( as he does here), going in the air allows him to make a one foot landing and push off with the foot fartherest from the ball. The decision to decide which foot to land first is made after the ball leaves the racket. It probably is almost an educated guess, rather than totally visualized in a thousandth of a second. It is difficult to time the hop at ball contact, followed by a one foot plant push determined after the ball leaves the racket, but is necessary with today’s speeds. It is even more difficult to time a large forward slide step BEFORE a hop, in to close in on anticipation of a high kicker, especially on slippery soft courts. Even just behind the baseline, my short legs at 5’8” sometimes needed to make 2 giant forward slide steps before the hop ( as the server was tossing) to even reach and chip some of the shallow high kickers to my backhand in the ad court.......not very successful.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=t6S3DN09tds

[doctorhl]

Glacierguy: You might want to check out this tennis split step app for specific drills. http://www.sports-split-step.com/ind...nis-plus-app2/

[glacierguy]

Glacierguy: Check out this video clip of Novak.

Thanks! - that is definitive. Will attempt today. Playing a different guy today who I've measured at 119mph on pocket radar. And we're on astro. Relax, bit of forward momentum, top of split at contact, wide base - got it!

BTW in the video, the return Novak makes on the T-serve deuce side, which swerves half way into ad court is amazing. He did read it, but even so...

[doctorhl]

Players don’t believe me that determining service ball direction and subsequent return footwork is often determined AFTER ball contact. That delayed decision is a large part of elite anticipation as is the footwork. I see this same scenario play out with anticipation at the net( especially doubles) on determining opponent’s crosscourt or down the line pass from a corner. The decision is made AFTER ball contact. The timing maybe a little different than the service return because you will most likely have to add a crosscourt step to reach and cutoff the crosscourt pass. Those players unwilling to make decisions AFTER ball contact subconsciously try to make up anticipation time with subconscious guessing. Even a imperceptible slight racket or body motion in the wrong direction slows down movement. I tried for years to make up anticipation time by thinking I could increase reaction time with conditioning or subconscious guessing. Training the eyes to widen and super focusing on the area where racket meets ball when opponent is serving is also a skill that can be improved.

[glacierguy]

Focussing on top of split step at server's contact definitely helped. Seemed to have more time - maybe because I was maximising the time I had?? Plus concentrating hard on split step stopped me worrying about the bullet coming my way. Hit several returns that I was happy with. Thanks for the good advice, feel I'm on the right path.