RJT client Ana Filonov was at the Italian Open where she took this terrific picture of Juan Martin Del Potro serving.
Have you noticed how the serve has become so HUGE in the game of tennis? There are even more women serving as strong and as aggressive as Serena Williams. There is a reason why the serve has become so HUGE. It’s all about mechanics. All of the best & biggest servers of the game, including Roger Federer, are standing completely perpendicular to the net when serving. This allows for less total exertion of energy, less stress on the body and maximum potential output. Most people have been taught and continue to be taught to stand facing the service box that they’re serving to. Standing, facing the net, allows for less potential velocity, increased chances of double faulting into the net or long, and increased chances of rotator cuff injury & tennis elbow.
I often hear clients saying to me when I am working on their tennis game, “But this doesn’t feel natural.” Learning the sport of tennis should have nothing to do with feelings and emotions. It’s all about technique and mechanics. Work to grow your mind and your tennis game. Don’t be hampered down by the way how things used to be. The game of tennis has been and is growing. Grow with the sport or be left behind. Observe and watch the best players in the world. Learn from them.
World class athletes are always striving to improve. If there is a way to hit a better, more powerful and effective serve, forehand or backhand, you can better believe that they are all willing to leave their old ways of doing things behind. World class athletes say, “Show me and teach me how to do that.” And then they do it. USTA league players say, “This doesn’t feel right. I have a match tomorrow night. I need two or three months to dedicate myself to doing just this.”
Every day you play the game of tennis is the right time to work on making changes to your game. There is never going to be the RIGHT time. So do it today or the next time you’re on the tennis courts playing. World class athletes get to the highest levels of the game because their minds are always open to the possibilities that they’re physically and mentally capable of improving every day. Even if that means making changes to their games.
nd watch the best players in the world. Learn from them.
