Interactive Forum January 2010: Pete Sampras Serve Direction

[EricMatuszewski]

13 and 1/2 feet. That is the width of the service box. And that means that 13 and 1/2 feet is the maximum distance between the landing points of two serves placed perfectly in the corners or either box. The question is, as a server, how to move the racket head to create those placements?

This month we ponder that question by looking at two Pete Sampras serves in the deuce court. One headed down the T, and the other for the wide sideline. Sampras was known for his ability to hit not only with great weight but with phenomenal accuracy. What is the key to that in his motion?

It is often argued that "pronation" is the key to changing direction, so these clips are edited to show the maximum point of rotation of the racket head in the followthrough.

What do you see? What is the difference in these two serves and how microfine is it really?

Sampras Serve - Deuce Down the T




Sampras Serve - Deuce Wide

[EricMatuszewski]

Quicktime versions

Sampras Serve - Deuce Down the T



Sampras Serve - Deuce Wide

[chuck62]

I was struck by how similar the two looked. Seems like the pronation is more pronounced on the up the tee. But mostly it looks like the same swing and on one he catches it square and on the other on the side of the ball. I was looking for a change in which way the left shoulder was pointing but really did not see much of a difference. Was he known for being hard to read ?

[oliensis]

Despite Sampras' reputation for his every toss being in the same spot, if you go frame by frame, you can see that the serve down the T has a toss that is a bit to his left, relative to the toss of the serve out wide.

I believe that his back is arched at the maximum racquet drop a bit more on the T serve, which makes sense, given the more leftward toss.

The path of the racquet head from the racquet drop upward is very similar (just about identical) I think. But the path of the racquet head does slide right on contact on the wide serve, where it moves more in a vertical plane on the T serve (which also makes sense, given that the toss is slightly more to the right on the wide serve).

That's what I observe, for what it's worth.

[mntlblok]

13 and 1/2 feet. That is the width of the service box. And that means that 13 and 1/2 feet is the maximum distance between the landing points of two serves placed perfectly in the corners or either box.
. . .

What do you see? What is the difference in these two serves and how microfine is it really?

Just to be picky , I'll bet you can draw a triangle in the service box using the 13.5 ft. service line as one side and have a side that is (slightly) longer than 13.5 ft.

I like oliensis's observations. And, I've found that I have better luck with controlling direction with all my shots if I think in terms of attempting to contact the ball at the tangent (on the back of the ball) to the line that I'm trying to hit the ball on - rather than simply trying to swing in that direction. (Goofy, I know).

I've especially recently found it useful in conjunction with trying to utilize Dennis Ralston's tip for hitting the wide serve to the deuce court. And, it seems to me that that is much of what Pete is doing, too.

Kevin