Have a Question for Me?

[jimlosaltos]

Milos Raonic's Serve, Video

John,

As a stopgap until we have one of your great, slow motion video's of Milos Raonic's serve, I've cobbled together one.

Would you care to comment on his serve?

I have a video embedded on this blog page. It's 720p (if it plays at below that, select that option). Click the "four arrow" box to play in a larger window if you wish. It includes several serves, at various frame rates and resolutions as well as one with stop-action.

http://www.fawcette.net/2011/02/milos-raonics-serve-close-up-in-video.html

Raonic his 50 aces in the last 12 hours, beating world #9 Verdasco for the second time in three days, and then Stepanek.

Although you'll hear about speed - up to 151 mph so far -- what impresses me most is an absolutely wicked twist serve to the ad court, and his mastery of every serve. More variety than from Isner or Karlovic.

And, a full court game that is fun to watch.

best // jim

[johnyandell]

Uh, actually there was a backhand analysis included as half the article. The foundations of all that are in the Advanced Tennis section on the volleys.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/avancedtennis/advtennis.html

[chuck62]

backhand volley

John,
Great article on the forehand volley this month. Please tell me your going to do the backhand volley next.

[jryle1]

Yeah, just asked it for safety purposes. I've heard a lot of coaches say "Oh, it's all about technique" and others saying the opposite and all sorts of things. It's a stupid question really if you think about it but wanted to try and clear it up.

[johnyandell]

The obvious answer is correct.

[jryle1]

How important is physical fitness and strength in the production of world class strokes?

Like I mean, if you're physically stronger and fitter and are at the same level of technique as say a guy who's overweight and not that fit, is the physically stronger and fitter guy going to be able to generate more power on his strokes then the unfit guy or is it all down to technique?

If we take me just as an example, you've seen clips of my strokes here and there. You know about my horrific diet. In fact, I can't feel my bicep anymore, it's just gone so small due to lack of protein...actually due to NO protein. Say, I changed my diet, ate like a normal human being, lost the extra 5-6 stone that shouldn't be there and strengthened up physically. Would the quality of my shots, ie, the ability to generate pace improve at all or would it affect the stroke at all?

I've always wondered this so said I'd throw the question out there. It may seem obvious but I'm not sure.

[johnyandell]

I rarely see Rafa or Verdasco in anything but straight and really straight. The new high speed footage seems to show Fed is almost all straight too--more than previously, or at least more than I thought. Fed high balls are also all straight. Lower more neutral stance type balls where he can't unlease full rotation tend to be more bendy. But this is impressionistic--haven't looked at nearly all our new clips of Rafa or Verdasco. You can count them yourself if you have spare time on Fed!

[tennis_chiro]

High Balls: straight arm vs. bent-bent

John, please check my post today with the above title. I wanted it in the general forum, but I'm hoping you have an answer.

For example, does Fed go to a bent-bent more as the ball gets higher? What do Rafa and Verdasco do?

thanks,
don

[johnyandell]

That post worked. The new posts should be no prob. Just make sure you hit New Thread and then give it a title.

[maui10s]

Not getting thru?

Hi John. I have attempted to post new thread several times but don't think it has gotten thru. Just to check my password is maui10s and email is kazberry10s@gmail.com. Have you received anything on your side from me?

Any ideas? Kaz

[johnyandell]

Not sure about the differences in spin pros versus elite juniors. Remember you can spin the ball heavily and hit it slower and many juniors are doing that. Years ago I filmed some of my senior player friends testing the first spin cameras and they could hit spin approaching the pros--but at the expense of speed.

It's racket speed and that can be divided into speed or spin depending on the exact racket path at contact. You can execute the exact same path at a slower speed and end up with less of both. So it's not just technical.

Yeah of course we'd like to film DelPotro. But he'll have to play some events and win some matches. We already have a great portrait of his game in the regular archives that tells a lot. And there is an article on his forehand in Tour Strokes.

[ufopie]

Hey john,

One thing i have really pondered about is at the professional level the level of spin compared to juniors or even amatuers are almost worlds apart. Obviously pros are physically superior to all the other levels but what really enables them to hit with such topspin on a technical level? Also any chance of you guys getting more highspeed videos on Juan Martin del potro? Keep up the good work.

[johnyandell]

Great question. I'd have to video her and study it frame by frame. My suspicion though is that this is a mental yip thing that relates to her overall problems over the last few years. One thing for sure, her toss is wild and hurting her!

[bigfedfan]

Question for John

What is Ivanivic doing technically wrong that makes her toss drift to the right?

[johnyandell]

Model the motion with the arm coming up pointing 45 degrees or so at the sideline. You still want the arm straight and to release not throw or spin the ball. I think it's best to do this visually. Imagine the contact point and visualize the path of the toss crossing it on the arc.