Interactive Forum June 2011: Alexandr Dolgopolov: Serve

[johnyandell]

So here is the serve of one of the other potential future stars of the tour--or not--you tell me. Either way it is in many ways radically different from the serve of Milos Raonic in last month's Forum. Or is it? What do you make of his toss height and rhythm? What about the pronation and the landing in the court? Or the abbreviated finish on one of the three clips?

Check it out and share your views!

Alexandr Dolgopolov: Serve

[johnyandell]

Quicktime versions

Alexandr Dolgopolov: Serve

[gzhpcu]

He hits his serve as the ball reaches the apex ala Tanner. Raonic has a much higher toss.
Raonic rocks backwards, then forward. Dolgopolov doesn't, since he has little time due to his low toss.
The abbreviated followthrough, I guess is due to hitting a kicker...

[florian80]

What I like about the serve is that he does have a very fluid arm action with no stopping of the racket arm whatsoever.

He achieves this with a pretty fast rhythm to match his low ball toss. But the key is the fluid arm action in my opinion.

Florian

[llll]

just think how much better his serve would be if he
1. coiled his trunk more
2. got his left arm up higher to
3. really get an archers bow position
4. when he bends his legs get his chest pointing up like a limbo dancer
in stead of like hes sitting on a barstool
5. that should improve his cartwheel

his racquet drop is very good

[richberman]

reminds me of Roscoe Tanner and Bill Tilden's serving. Both darn good serves I would say. Hitting on the rise or exactly at the apex of the toss.
No need to worry about the wind and much more.
rich

[cayagua]

Moving Front Feet Backward!

John,

You mentioned in your article on the Roddick serve, that Roddick is the only
pro that you have observed that at the beginning of the serve motion moves
his front foot back.

It looks to me Dolgopolov is doing the same thing.

Please verify and confirm.

Thanks.

[johnyandell]

Huh, hadn't noticed but definitely he is!

[llll]

just think how much better his serve would be if he
1. coiled his trunk more
2. got his left arm up higher to
3. really get an archers bow position
4. when he bends his legs get his chest pointing up like a limbo dancer
in stead of like hes sitting on a barstool
5. that should improve his cartwheel

his racquet drop is very good

no thoughts on my thoughts

[don_budge]

Good points llll...but

no thoughts on my thoughts

Of course, llll. Everybody deserves a thought...in my book.

All good points llll...but I think you must examine Alex's motives and ambitions here. On the whole his motion appears to be somewhat abbreviated, yet fluid as noted. I think he is basically interested in putting the ball in play and he is not so interested in doing wholesale damage to his opponent via his serve.

You must notice that his first move after he hits his serve is to retreat behind the baseline. His motion is adequate for his intentions. I think.

[moderntennis]

John,

You mentioned in your article on the Roddick serve, that Roddick is the only
pro that you have observed that at the beginning of the serve motion moves
his front foot back.

It looks to me Dolgopolov is doing the same thing.

Please verify and confirm.

Thanks.

Federer, after he started with Roche in 2005, stopped lifting the front foot up like Sampras and instead began stepping down hard and slightly back with the front foot http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...tSAdFront5.mov

[gsheiner]

Backer dragged his front foot back.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...ctionSide1.mov

[llll]

Backer dragged his front foot back.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...ctionSide1.mov

i think thats a stretch
he raises his foot
his backward weight transfer moves his foot SLIGHTLY

[gsheiner]

I agree that Becker's movement is slight. I noticed it and tried it and it is a different feel from what Sampras or Federer do. And, since much of tennis technique at the margin is what works for you, I just pointed it out.

I also noticed that Murray does something that strikes me as somewhat unique and again it's subtle, but he seems to roll his front foot inward as he rocks back.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...ctionSide2.mov

Again, I'm not saying this is a major thing -- just a little subtlety that people may want to explore.

Cheers,

Glenn

[llll]

I agree that Becker's movement is slight. I noticed it and tried it and it is a different feel from what Sampras or Federer do. And, since much of tennis technique at the margin is what works for you, I just pointed it out.

I also noticed that Murray does something that strikes me as somewhat unique and again it's subtle, but he seems to roll his front foot inward as he rocks back.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...ctionSide2.mov

Again, I'm not saying this is a major thing -- just a little subtlety that people may want to explore.

Cheers,

Glenn

dont you think these are "QUIRKS" idiosychratic things not the COMMON FUNDAMENTALS

that all elite servers do???