Interactive Forum: January 2014: Milos Ranoic: Serve and Forehand

[johnyandell]

Milos Ranoic: Serve and Forehand

Is Milos Ranoic the next young player likely to break through to the top 5 or possibly win a Slam? That's one question. But here is another. His two big weapons are his serve and his forehand, and here they are in inimitable Tennisplayer high speed video? What are your thoughts?

[johnyandell]

Quicktime version

Milos Ranoic: Serve and Forehand

[klacr]

Can't believe I'm first to comment on this but I'll gladly stick my toe in the water...actually, I'll dive right in.

Service motion is beautiful. (Take away the aesthetic of having the racquet face straight up in the beginning) I love how relaxed Raonic is on the serve and this is a great view of watching his legs drive upwards initiating the racquet head drop. He's very balanced on the serve when he lands and immediately gets prepared for the next ball. It pains me greatly to watch that return ball coming back into the shot as a high, slow, floater and seeing Raonic remain on the baseline (see what I'm getting at?)...but I digress.

The forehands are a bit loopy and long for my tastes but I like that he went inside out to open the court on the first one. The 3rd forehand is my favorite though as the ball he receives is fairly deep, but notice his composure and ability to hit it fundamentally sound with not only an awesome extension but also with his hitting elbow at least chin level and that forearm at 45 degrees. Hmmm, I think John Yandell has mentioned that structural fundamental once or twice on this site.

What I really like about this video clip is that within one point, you see three different variations of the forehand finish.

First forehand is high, hit inside out and finish is below shoulder around body.
Second forehand is hit near middle of the court and driven to deuce court, finish is around the shoulder. Third forehand is received deeper in the court but finish is classic with elbow up and finish above the shoulder. Great variation!

I also like the fact that we see his point construction and that Raonic kept the opponent moving. His serve into deuce court down the T, his first forehand went inside out to opponents backhand (assuming opponent is righty), 3rd shot (2nd forehand) went back deep to opponents forehand followed by final forehand back to opponents backhand corner.

Great to see all of this. He had to hit 3 very solid forehands and possibly more as the clip cuts off after the third groundstroke. Those shots would not have been necessary if he came in after that beautiful serve to hit a volley, or even swinging volley...but we already knew that didn't we?

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[gzhpcu]

I agree with klacr on his opponent's return of serve. Why doesn't Roanic move forward and attack the high floater before it bounces on the court? Is the volley really a dead option?

[stroke]

As Kyle said, his serve motion in beautiful, maybe the best one out there. His forehand looks like he could possibly do with a straighter arm at contact, which would give him more release into the shot. His serve is certainly better than similarly sized Del Potro, but Del Potro's forehand is way better.

[klacr]

If only he and I could trade places...Or many of you on this forum. That floating return would not have a chance to bounce.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[gzhpcu]

True, but playing against him, we would never have the chance...

[klacr]

Pro Turn

True, but playing against him, we would never have the chance...

Don't let that stop you Phil.

Getting back to the clips, Raonic does not straighten out that left arm on the pro turn as much as I'd personally like to see. Especially on forehands 2 and 3. For being a tall guy, I'd think he'd make this more of a point to use that length and let those arms stretch. I hate feeling jammed.


Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton