Sampras serve:easy for him, and no one else. 54yr old too late for a pro serve?

[GeoffWilliams]

I first video taped Sampras in the 1989 Philly indoor, which he won. I think he was about 18yr. old then... I've watched him, thousands of times on tv, with my tapes and John's tapes, but I can't do it myself. I never used video on myself for very long. It was too depressing to see my form so off! I never had a leg drive straight on up, or a pronation forward, at pro levels. My coil was never full. My arch was never bowed enough. My shoulder over shoulder rotation was not up to par.. I never achieved external/internal shoulder rotation max. My radial/ulnar deviation was never up to par, so I was never able to reach max. mph or spin...even with high tech video to watch, it did not translate into my own shot.. Part of that was a rotator injury 25 yr. ago. Part of it was light wt. sticks, and cheap strings. Taylor Dent's frames are over 387g strung up. I usually played at 334g-350g.

I would like to develop a pro serve speed at 54yrs. old.
I wonder if anyone has ever done it at this late age? I have no leg drive, due to no back ground in the motion and fear of hurting the knees. My acceleration is not great enough. My contact point is not far enough in front. My motion is flawed. I don't coil enough, or reach full pro drop. My pronation is not forward or fast enough. Top speed is 108mph. My weight is too high. The leg drive is costing me 10% at least. Even with a well developed leg drive, my max speed would be about 119mph, Soderling's avg. second serve speed! Sampras makes it look so easy and effortless, to hit 125mph, on a spin serve. His stick was at 384-389g.

I'll bet no one in the world has ever taught themselves how to do this at my age, ever, in the history of tennis.. Time to lead up the h22s to 387g, and use the video camera, and go get a radar gun. I know mph is not everything in the pro game, on first serves, spin is imp., and accuracy more so, but they all have one thing in common now, they can and often do hit 130mph, on the first delivery, and that makes all the other stuff more effective, when they change it up, and use lull serves...

Questions and answers about this item (Dent's h22s)
Q: Hi, Nice rackets--am interested. Did you find the mentioned specs of 387g/325mm/401swingweight yourself or did you see these specs written down with the frames? I'm asking because Taylor before his last injury used those... Continue reading
A: The specs are with strings 17ga Poly. The specs on the frame are not the real specs due to the (K)Blade paintjob.
Nov 20, 2010
Q: Hey, How much would you be asking for all three shipped? I'm ready to shell out some serious cash on these... Also, do you have more than three? It looks like you do on one of the pix.
A: These are my last three.
Nov 20, 2010
Q: I am sure the sticks are genuine. I would like to buy all three for $600 right now. Can you take paypal? Thank you for replying to my other emails!
A: Sorry, they are worth alot more.
Nov 18, 2010
Q: Hi there. These things are great sticks but really hard to come up with grommets for them as they differ from the stock sticks. Any idea what the pattern is and if there are grommets readily available? Thanks!
A: I agree, they are 16 mains instead of 18 mains, that's what Taylor Dent likes for more power. Frames are still in good shape.
Nov 18, 2010
Q: Does it have any serial number on it? any damages? any paint chips? How much weight does it have without strings? Are any pictures of actual racket available? Thanks in advance!
A: Their are a few paint chips, but these rackets will last years, very solid all graphite frames. It's 13.7oz and the pictures are the same rackets.
Nov 18, 2010
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[gzhpcu]

Geoff,
We are all built differently. Sampras is an exceptional athlete. Our biomechanical characteristics shape our serve. Some movements might even risk injury, if we aren't built for it.

We should all recognize our limitations, then try and shape our strokes accordingly, to maximize performance and injury reduction.

IMHO, you also have an obsession with rackets and racket strings. All fine up to a certain point, but not so as to make an essential difference in the speed improvements you are seeking. If it were only that easy: change rackets and strings and voila!

We all want to improve, else we won't be members here.

You want to work on your serve? Remember the old chinese saying "The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step...".

Recognize your physical limitations. With age flexibility decreases: try to compensate to a certain extent with stretching excercises.

Work on fitness: I am 6'2" and have my weight down to 185 lbs. Due lots of pushups, work out with dumbbells daily, stretching excercises. Abodominal excercises, etc. Feel great. I am 65 years old and compete with 40 year olds easily.

Work with a video camera. Don't try to change too much at once. Concentrate on improving one aspect after another.

Set realistic goals. Who has the body of a 20 year old Sampras? Sampras had a very unique serve. I personally prefer taking the classical Gonzalez serve as a model. Less extreme, they were not allowed to lift off with both legs.

Enjoy the challenge. Forget your age. Tackle it with enthusiasm. Go for it!

[GeoffWilliams]

That's a nice post. Thanks! My last three tournament matches: Broke my left foot in April in the first set, kept going, and lost 16-14 third set tie breaker: Rolled left ankle all the way over at work, played a top ten player, and two hours after the ankle roll, on a Friday, lost 6-4 6-4: Fell off a 20' ladder, on my elbow, and played a pusher expert with the dead wing and lost 4 and 2. Should not have played any of these matches, but I am stupid that way. Now I can't hit a ball, and working on the flex bar, and ice bag, with intense pain every day.. Can't shake hands without wincing. Can't pick up a stick without pain, so playing is on hold for now.

[bottle]

Pretty funny. (Sorry. I'm asking for it, aren't I? My fingers are crossed). About legs: I go for Mark Papas' run through of the serve in which he employs the image of a long-bow and then says that leg drive is a SUBSET of what the long-bow does (Revolutionary Tennis website). I haven't had trouble with a re-constructed knee (meniscus tears repaired) since I started believing in this image and that perspective. 56-- come on. How about 70?

[gzhpcu]

Bottle,
Right, lead with the hips....
like Pancho Gonzalez...


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This leads to "body snap"...

[GeoffWilliams]

That form would not hold water to many 4.5 players today.

[gzhpcu]

That "form" was good enough to beat Laver and Connors when he was in his 40's...