Taylor Dent Serve...

[gzhpcu]

Taylor Dent has one of the most powerful serves around... but look at the motion!

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...DeuceSide1.mov

Looks like anything but elegant to me! Contorted, awkward, yet the result is a fast serve. How come?

[stotty]

He's a brut...strong as a horse...he muscles it down...

[gzhpcu]

Look here...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKEgv...eature=related Grace?

[stotty]

Yep, I was right...brut force...graceless...ugly in fact...not a bad serve, though.

[10splayer]

I always thought it strange, that he kind of leads with the right leg, instead of kicking back.

[gzhpcu]

Look at this, even more evident...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEaPHWYqASc

Steps in with his right leg, making an awkward movement.
Does not lift off the ground.
Bends over with his torso.

Against all "principles". Yet, one of the fastest serves around.

[don_budge]

Form or Style....

If I was to critique this serve I would begin with his abbreviated backswing...but he gets a free pass, and "The New Kid in Town" (Raonic) could take a page from Dent's service book.

HE IS DEFINITELY HEADED FOR THE NET AND HE IS GOING TO TRY TO HIT THE BALL IN THE AIR. SERVE AND VOLLEY.

What a novel idea.

His father Phil had the same idea back in 1973 when the idea was not so novel. He was ranked #49 in the world at the time. It is family tradition in the Dent family to serve and volley. Never mind that tradition has become a taboo subject in tennis.

On second thought I can't resist on the critique. I think that if he would adjust his starting position with the position of his feet and perhaps modify his backswing with a longer motion it would smooth out most of the "rough edges" that you guys are not aesthetically pleased with. And I wouldn't call it ugly...bottle doesn't like that. Call it "quirkiness". At this point in time and space we can call any tactics that bring a player to the net...quirky.

He does a lot of really good things with his motion. Like Raonic and Söderling...what they lack in form they make up for in extremely athletic moves. Neither are perfect motions and if I were coaching either I would try to smooth out the rough edges. I like approaching service motions aesthetically, too...it is a lot less complicated than taking the biomechanical approach that is so popular these days. Keep it simple stupid (KISS), that's my motto. Serves are like machines in a way, you want to... at least I want to...eliminate any potential source of friction, for the full Gonzales effect.

Dent turns way away from the ball and he comes back to it like he means business. Humongous loop behind his back generating a ton of energy. You guys don't like it because he is coming to the net (perhaps the reason for his "leading with his right leg") and it upsets your sensibilities...afterall what business does he have coming to the net. It's 2011!

[gzhpcu]

Does this look balanced?

[gzhpcu]

Yet it works.... so what is that telling us?

.... that maybe it just comes down to the arm?

[don_budge]

Works?

Balanced? We must see his feet in order to judge. It looks as if he is coming to the net behind a kick serve. And I hate to mention it...but the belly. Showing signs of middle age paunch already? This adds to the impression of awkwardness and lack of "grace", I believe.

And if it works...don't fix it?

[gzhpcu]

If it works...don't fix it?

True,but according to conventional wisdom, he is doing a lot of things wrong, yet the result is still right... makes you think...

As far as "if it works...don't fix it"... think I'll apply that to myself too...

[don_budge]

Conventional wisdom...

If we always relied upon "conventional wisdom" where would it lead us? Well I guess I answered my own question...look where we are. Besides...tell me, what exactly is he doing wrong?

But don't go cutting yourself any slack until you have smoothed out that backswing and created a little bigger loop behind you, it will be worth the effort...you can do it!!! You have an inner Gonzales in you, I know it!!! Fly me to Lugano and by the time I leave you will have it, I promise...money back guarantee. Try Don's figure eights if you don't believe me. Loosen up.

See bottle's last post about the loose wrist...throwing darts at the ceiling, old Pro Staffs with thongs etc. Your wrist cannot be too loose. This is all related to the backswing and the loop behind you. 88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 's. Look at the loop Dent creates. His balance is actually quite good...he can't help it if he is built like John Belushi. Another chunky guy with deceptively good balance.

[gzhpcu]

I am not saying he is doing anything wrong...

The tennis community is, they say.....
- keep balanced - he isn't
- enter with left foot and kick back with the right foot - he isn't
- high elbow on the take back - doesn't look like it to me
- lift off at impact - he is grounded
etc

[don_budge]

Hmmm....

I am not saying he is doing anything wrong...

The tennis community is, they say.....forget about 'em.
- keep balanced -he isn't...I respectfully disagree.
- enter with left foot and kick back with the right foot - he isn't...Phil, he is headed to the net, why would any part of his body go backwards?
- high elbow on the take back - doesn't look like it to me...it comes around and up eventually with a vengeance.
- lift off at impact - he is grounded...some bodies are not designed to be airborne and after a number of years, none of them are.
etc

Hmmmm... thanks for the exercise...cerebral that is...now I am off to the courts to try and apply what I have learned. Have a great day, Phil.

[gzhpcu]

Don,
All I mean to say, is that here we are in 2011 and the mysteries of the tennis serve still remain...
And me... I just love the Gonzales serve...