The Serve Transforms a Player from Good to Great
Watching six foot ten inch Ivo Karlovic play Rafael Nadal or six foot nine inch John Isner play Andy Roddick one realizes that these men would never challenge the top players nor achieve high rankings without their serves. Isner has a good forehand, Karlovic can
hit some nice volleys and both manage to serve well under pressure, no easy task at times.
However, without their serves, Isner and Karlovic probably would not even be in the main draw of most tournaments. At the same time, both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have strong and reliable serves in addition to their other strengths. On the women’s Tour, there seems to be a slight epidemic of serving woes plaguing (former) top players, e.g. Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic, Dinara Safina, and one can’t help but think that the increase in errors in the rest of their games is related to the focus/energy expended dealing with their serve. This may seem obvious, but it also does highlight how much emphasis should be placed on developing a strong serve. Starting early in a junior career, it’s critical to develop strong serving technique, both for girls, as well as boys. Coaches need to focus not just on teaching a powerful first serve, but also a solid and reliable second serve.
However, without their serves, Isner and Karlovic probably would not even be in the main draw of most tournaments. At the same time, both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have strong and reliable serves in addition to their other strengths. On the women’s Tour, there seems to be a slight epidemic of serving woes plaguing (former) top players, e.g. Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic, Dinara Safina, and one can’t help but think that the increase in errors in the rest of their games is related to the focus/energy expended dealing with their serve. This may seem obvious, but it also does highlight how much emphasis should be placed on developing a strong serve. Starting early in a junior career, it’s critical to develop strong serving technique, both for girls, as well as boys. Coaches need to focus not just on teaching a powerful first serve, but also a solid and reliable second serve.
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