The Serve: Where Are We Now?

[John Yandell]

Would love your thoughts on my latest article, "The Serve: Where Are We Now?"

[stotty]

That's a great walk thru of so many things about the serve. Interesting about the contact point on the second serve versus the first serve.

I think many players and coaches try the Roddick serve as a way of amputating problems. I know when I taught the Roddick method when I was younger I saw it as a way of amputating problems rather than having any real belief it was a better way to serve. In coaching we often like to get rid of problems and if there is an easy way to do it, you do it.

It never really worked of course because most players can't get the same rhythm with severely abbreviated motions let alone and a decent racket drop.

[tennisskip1515]

I'm sorry there are no examples used of women's serves, as the best technique(s) is clearly the same and there are some outstanding serves on the WTA tour. Of course there are difference, too – speed of serve vs potency of returns (which is greater due to slower average serve speeds), for one – and some examples of poor technique, too, but this consideration would have been more fully realized imo if there'd been WTA players' serves addressed as well.

[John Yandell]

Yep! Paln to do that later in the series...

[John Yandell]

Yep plan to do that later in the series. Most women have limited internal shoulder rotation and I will address that.

[seano]

John -

Excellent start to the series. Its easy to forget about the importance of the full racquet drop vs. the angled drop. The full drop makes a huge difference and the videos show great examples between the two.

Sean

[John Yandell]

Thanks Sean! If you have a great drop and great extension then you can move on!