Interactive Forum July 2023 Jannik Sinner Serve

[doctorhl]

Don_Budge: Can you give us your general thoughts on achieving accuracy first, then power second versus achieving power first and then harnessing it for accuracy regarding sports involving striking with an implement? Is this principle sport specific or is it more athlete specific? Does this approach change as won/ loss record or personal best score improves?

[don_budge]

It's an inspiring question. It make me think and I was going to let this rest a while...while I thought about it. But I wrote instead. This is my first take. Thank you Hans...it was very kind of you to ask.

don_budge: Can you give us your general thoughts on achieving accuracy first, then power second versus achieving power first and then harnessing it for accuracy regarding sports involving striking with an implement? Is this principle sport specific or is it more athlete specific? Does this approach change as won/ loss record or personal best score improves?

The priorities for developing a perfect, friction free service motion are reflected in the following progression...give or take. People are different. But the logical progression is:

1. Hit the ball hard.
2. Hit the ball hard with spin.
3. Hit the ball hard with spin and placement.
4. Develop the largest repertoire of various speeds, spins and placements.

The first order of business in utilizing the perfect service motion is to create the sensation of effortless power. Then learning how to crank it up incrementally...with less and less effort. The foundation is first the motion itself and you build speed on top of that. Creating spin is the next order of business and I believe that it perhaps easiest to learn the slice or side spin and work you way on to the top of the ball. Now with the two elements of "control" you add the placement element. Since the entire motion is built on the concept of aiming...this is the logical progression and maybe the easiest to master.

The last piece of the puzzle is a long term objective. The variations...all off of the same motion. Learning to use the ball toss placement to influence the speed, spin, placement and the general delivery of the serve.

I was just watching a video by Jack Nicklaus talking about a similar concept in golf. He spoke of how to hit four shots of different characteristics with the same swing. Low and high. Left to right and right to left. He spoke of ball placement and club orientation. I have written many times regarding the sort of "Alice in the Looking Glass" similarities between the service motion and the golf swing.

Current examples of modern serving:

Roger Federer epitomizes this philosophy. His ability to use the correct combination speed, spin and placement were fundamentally correct. His tactical approach to serving was a reflection of this. His ability to come up with the correct serve given the situation was second to none among the current and his contemporaries. But that isn't saying a lot. He was the only one that I would use as such an example.

Interesting match yesterday between Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner. Medvedev was the player most successful using bully tactics on his serve. Time and time again he came up with the big serve when the chips were down or when closing out a game. Yet...he was definitely struggling at times. His motion is far from being what I refer to as perfect and his accuracy and judgement are influenced by his condition or fatigue. The motion is excessively laborious and can be derailed under conditions...such as stress. Sinner, on the other hand, was rather inconsistent throughout the match and Medvedev was making him pay for it by dragging out some of the Sinner service games for a long, long time on more than one occasion.

Ben Shelton as well is an interesting example. His motion is predicated for raw power. I believe it would serve him well to develop a bit more of a refined motion so as to enhance his ability to number one, place the ball. Number two, to come up with various speeds, spins and placements for all the different situations that evolve in the course of a tennis match.

[stroke]

Quite the match lineup today. Paris is having huge crowds there, they love their tennis.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/hvY39V1LH58FSPLK7

Wrong thread

[doctorhl]

don_ budge: I agree with your assessment. There seems to be three psychological hurdles to address, however. First, the temptation to achieve accuracy over power to reap short term success over long term success when learning new striking skills. Second, equating power with effort in the learning curve. Third, understanding the role of incrementalism in achieving motor skill success. I ran hard into all three learning tennis years ago and most recently, golf.

[don_budge]

don_ budge: I agree with your assessment. There seems to be three psychological hurdles to address, however. First, the temptation to achieve accuracy over power to reap short term success over long term success when learning new striking skills. Second, equating power with effort in the learning curve. Third, understanding the role of incrementalism in achieving motor skill success. I ran hard into all three learning tennis years ago and most recently, golf.

I think psychological hurdles is an interesting concept. The three that you mention are certainly important in such a process. Yeah...the golf similarity. I believe that there is a rather profound correlation between the golf swing and the service motion. Albeit through the looking glass. Or rather upside down. Looking through the lens of your hurdles convinces me all the more.