Can you spot the problem on this serve?

[don_budge]

I'm with Don...Plus, just one thing

Just a couple of things...

First of all, I would say for his age (how old?) he looks like he has a very fine basis for the service motion. Nice long backswing and most importantly, a nice big loop behind his back which is one of the biggest factors in developing a service motion.

You could leave it at that...there isn't anything really "wrong" with his motion but if he wants to improve I would suggest the following.

As Don suggests, it appears to me that his rhythm is less than optimal. He initiates his motion with a pull on the racquet whereas I like to see the motion initiated with a "dropping" of the racquet head. At the same time his throwing hand is in a funny position to begin with...but he corrects it in the middle of the motion as he correctly delivers the ball to serve it. Why not begin with the hand in the correct position, drop the racquet head and the rhythm issue is improved.

I don't care for his set up in the sense that it is a bit lackadaisical with little attention to his "aiming". Aiming is largely a product of setup as it is in the golf swing. Think, "Zen in the Art of Archery" by Eugen Herrigel. I realize that he is young and just "going through the motions" for the camera but with such a fine motion, if he is mature enough to start thinking about the more intricate aspects of the swing, so much the better.

Since his motion is very good as it stands I would recommend the Stan Smith video where he discusses the number of targets that one can envision when serving against an opponent. Once he understands the importance of the setup with regard to aiming and then begins to practice aiming his serve, I believe you will see significant improvement.

My recommendations are to scrutinize his setup, initiate the swing with a drop of the racquet head, practice serves with intent (aiming at targets) and begin to develop tactics when serving to different opponents.

I like the motion and wish that I had half a dozen in my program just like him.

[westcoast777]

Perhaps subpar is too harsh of a word choice, but the racket drop could certainly be improved, I believe.

[llll]

I caught a lucky pause on the video and it revealed a subpar racket drop. This explains the lack of spin and power.
Unfortunately, I lack the experience to point out what exactly is limiting the racket drop, sorry

how maqny think this is "subpar"???

[westcoast777]

Here again on another serve

[westcoast777]

I caught a lucky pause on the video and it revealed a subpar racket drop. This explains the lack of spin and power.
Unfortunately, I lack the experience to point out what exactly is limiting the racket drop, sorry

[bman]

up on his toes too early

[llll]

his left arm is not straight up so he doesnt stretch the left side of his body enough (archers bow)
his toss is a little jerky
he could coil away from the net alittle more in the beginning
his ball toss location for contact is not foward enough
he lands inside the baseline

[tennis_chiro]

Pretty good motion

Here is G. He's been posted on Tennisplayer before, and to great effect. He now has a great forehand thanks to a collaboration of coaches which included Don, Jperedo, 10splayer, Oliensis ...to name a few. If there is one thing better than a good coach, it's a group of good coaches working together.

Here is G again. This time with service problems that need a little help. I sent a clip to Brian Gordon a few months ago who emailed back back with suggests. Top of the list was making him more linear by sorting out his dropped elbow. This is much better now (though it still drops slightly).

The current problem is a lack of spin and power. I feel the racket face may be a little too open (tray technique). I feel there a couple of other problems, too, but I'd like others to comment on what they see rather than give coaches clues. I would really like to see if others concur with my findings.

I hope some of you will jump in and add your two cents. I've learnt a lot thru Tennisplayer, both thru all John's articles and video footage....and thru the forum, chatting with other coaches.

Below are three clips. They all look ok. But he lacks power and has no second serve.

(Message for Don: G has been out of action with an impinged shoulder for 2 months so unable to hit serves or smashes. Hence I haven't come back to you...and obviously little has changed in his serve)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw_BaQECUHo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxv7MB9IF5I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0LocrAFGo4

Stotty,
the motion looks pretty good. I think he could go up a little more, but the part that bothers me just a little is the rhythm. It seems like he has a little bit of fast/slow/fast. My sense is that if he slowed down just a bit at the beginning and synchronised the backswing a little more to the toss, he would end up bringing the racket head into the "pro drop" a little later with a little more momentum that would get him deeper and generate more power. I realize he has a bit of a staggered rhythm, but if he's really going to do a "stagger", then I think (and I'm really not sure about this), that he has to delay the racket a little more and really separate it from the toss and then have the racket head have to catch up which would throw him into the "pro drop" (I don't like back scratch) with a little more load.

Also, on the going up, when the kids start using that knee bend, they often don't get back up. I try to get them to think in terms of bending a bow and then straightening it back out before they contact the ball. You would be able to see that better in the frame-by-frame replay on your camera.

all the best,
don

PS What did I tell you about the serve last time? I don't remember.

[stotty]

Here is G. He's been posted on Tennisplayer before, and to great effect. He now has a great forehand thanks to a collaboration of coaches which included Don, Jperedo, 10splayer, Oliensis ...to name a few. If there is one thing better than a good coach, it's a group of good coaches working together.

Here is G again. This time with service problems that need a little help. I sent a clip to Brian Gordon a few months ago who emailed back back with suggests. Top of the list was making him more linear by sorting out his dropped elbow. This is much better now (though it still drops slightly).

The current problem is a lack of spin and power. I feel the racket face may be a little too open (tray technique). I feel there a couple of other problems, too, but I'd like others to comment on what they see rather than give coaches clues. I would really like to see if others concur with my findings.

I hope some of you will jump in and add your two cents. I've learnt a lot thru Tennisplayer, both thru all John's articles and video footage....and thru the forum, chatting with other coaches.

Below are three clips. They all look ok. But he lacks power and has no second serve.

(Message for Don: G has been out of action with an impinged shoulder for 2 months so unable to hit serves or smashes. Hence I haven't come back to you...and obviously little has changed in his serve)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw_BaQECUHo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxv7MB9IF5I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0LocrAFGo4