Explanation for Changes in Pro Serve Stats?

[vmiller]

Hey John, I have another serve question for you.

According to this month's issue of Tennis Magazine, there are over 10 times as many pros serving over 130 MPH as there were 10 years ago. It seems common for pros to serve that fast now while 10 or even 5 years ago it was rare. It's also shocking to see how many kids just starting out on the tour are serving over 120 and even 130. And the kids that aren't seem to find a way to get there pretty quickly.

What are these guys doing that wasn't being done 10 years ago?

[johnyandell]

The simple decision to serve harder? Deeper knee bend? More body turn? Kids maturing that grew up with the graphite rackets? The size and quality of the athletes? All sports get faster over time right? NFL linemen get bigger. But not sure we can really say why--or at least I can't.

[CraigC]

Racquet technology, string technology. Attention on speed of serve by the media and radar guns. I will also throw out a minor one but one that is surprisingly not addressed very often today. The rulebook says only one foot can move on a serve. Many of todays biggest servers are moving both feet. Will we see someone push the limit soon and go to the volleyball jump serve?? If umpires are not going to uphold the "one foot can move" rule, then start with a run-up. You heard it here first.

CC