I was 5-1 and 30-40 down once and hit an underarm serve ace. My opponent then fell apart and I won the set in a tiebreak. He then refused to shake my hand aftet the match and said I lacked honour. Best ace Ive ever served IMO
There are only a few scenarios where I use an underhand slice serve. 1) I am up big and want to win a game while simultaneously psychologically disturbing my opponent. The underhand Ace is especially damaging! 2) I have a chance to win but have lost complete confidence in my regular serve (usually due to fatigue) and just need to get my 2nd serve in via tapping the ball in with an underhand. 3) My opponent has pitched a tent, lit a campfire, and is roasting marshmallows while sitting in a reclining chair in his campground far behind the baseline. And I want him to break camp and become uncomfortable by forcing him forward.
I developed a couple of underhand & side-arm serves. Full swings, no big surprises. When you’re older it’s much easier on the arm. Just another good serve the opponent has to think about. I mix ‘em in occasionally with 3.5’s and older 4.0’s with first serve efficacy.
If you hit a drop shot every point, it also becomes a bad play. Using it occasionally as a surprise move is what makes it an effective tactic. The same principle would seem to apply to the underhand serve. If your serve is big enough to make your opponent back way up, throw in an occasional underhand serve. If, on the other hand, the person is already attacking your serves, throwing in the underhand is just asking for trouble.
My coach used to do an underhand serve, for a prank! I only use the underhand serve, very rarely, but I am able to hit the underhand serve because I have been practicing the underhand serve, for decades. Mostly because I like to have fun when I play tennis and I like to laugh and joke. The club members love it, when I hit the underhand serve. You are right I seen a player use the underhand serve in a match, and it pissed off their opponent, and they lost the match. Great video coach! I live in a Florida and it’s been pouring rain here, it’s a great day for stringing my racquets. Hahe
Doesn't every stroke in tennis have some level of surprise factor? If a player would always serve flat wide, they would also likely lose all their service games
I use a UhS when the sun is in a position that makes a nomral serve very difficult ie when the ball toss goes right in front of the sun. So my opponents at recreational level know its coming but without the need for disguise I can impart a lot of spin, which is helpful. With less athletic oppoonents it's also possible to deliver a backhand slice service !
It's theoretically a legit mixup tactic against someone who stands 15 feet back to return, if you actually practiced it seriously and could hit an effective one pretty consistently (which I don't think anyone on tour has done yet, so yeah the guys who do it at big moments are totally screwing around). Not to be used frequently though, the only advantage of it is surprise. As for being unsportsmanlike, I think that's a completely arbitrary judgment. If it actually became a commonly used tactic, people would start to adapt and be mentally prepared for it, and eventually it would just be another part of the game. People only dislike it so much because of the general attitudes of some of the players it's currently most associated with.
I believe at recreational level it is effective as people are always not fitter to run unexpectedly to return the descent underarm serve, getting point on underarm serve is fun.
In theory meaning in what would be a nash equilibrium of tennis serve %'s, the underhand serve imo would be a non 0% play for a very fast server and maybe 0% for a subpar server. For Kyrgios for example, his serve is so threatening that players try to exploit that fact by returning deeper. The underhand serve serves to actually strengthen the regular serve, it's not about the underhand serve. It makes the overall strategy stronger. Once a player is "ready for" the underhand serve, as you speak of, that is when they're now less ready for the regular serve, and this is a subtle point that you missed I believe.
I am a little surprised by Nick's comments and poor underhand serve he showed. On ad side it could work well, provided that you are a big server like Nick described, and you can put enough spin on a low ball. Doing it once or twice in a match could keep your opponent honest. The real problem is that most people don't practice this. I tried it a few times when my opponent is really far back, but failed to serve low/short enough and my opponent was able to hit a nice return. So it is not a bad serve, but under practiced (perhaps over used).
Yeah even at my crappy level, I'm seeing it more. In my last tournament, I actually saw it from two different people. It was an absolutely horrible idea. I destroyed those balls.
Not just a bad tactic but a insult to the sport. The serve should be powerful, elegant and force-projecting shot not some gimmick joke act. People will remember the big servers not the underhand Honestly it should be made illegal pure and simple. Those 'bros' & co who do it as a tactic should stick to their toxic social media 'accounts'. Sadly this 'joke culture' has infected even tennis for sometime but we know where all their attitudes are headed to..
if the surprise factor was a thing, most atp players would do it from time to time, since this shot is so easy, not requiring any relevant skill. never seen a grandslam winner doing it.
Hitting just any underarm serve is easy, hitting a genuinely effective one that lands super short and stays low on command is not so easy. Most players don't ever do it because they aren't practiced enough at it to do that, though there's no good reason to really since limited practice time is much better spent on other things.
@@Tan12 I dont think any high level player lacks the skills for hitting an underarm serve. But I agree with you that they would not wast their precious time of training in a such useless shot.
@@Bruno-tb9rsAgain, they don't lack the ability to hit a good one some of the time, but without specific practice even the pros are unlikely to be able to reliably hit a good one on command and under pressure like with any type of normal serve.
The only reason the underhand serve works is because the opponent is still waiting for a ball toss and doesn't think the point has started yet. It's the equivalent of a fighter reaching out to touch gloves at the start of a round but then going for a punch instead. Technically legal but definitely unsportsmanlike. Just make a new rule: "All serves must begin with a toss of the ball above the head". If you can still win points with a drop-serve after tossing the ball up then go right ahead.
That’s not the only reason. It’s also used to keep players from backing up to the wall to have a lot more time. It should continued to be used because it’s like a drop shot in that sense
it would be good for tennis to somehow eliminate powerful serves from courts.. becasue they make tennis boring.. serve should be treated as a way to introduce the rally and not as its finish..
@@jayp123This exactly makes it a complicated issue. In fact, probably the best way to weaken both the serve and the return would be to raise the height of the net by some amount but this would also change the game in other ways.
The X Factor that Drives Djokovic
👉 th-cam.com/video/5H7swKPYM8o/w-d-xo.htmlsi=oO5ZKPa3naYKp9jO
I was 5-1 and 30-40 down once and hit an underarm serve ace. My opponent then fell apart and I won the set in a tiebreak. He then refused to shake my hand aftet the match and said I lacked honour.
Best ace Ive ever served IMO
😂 Good job.
There are only a few scenarios where I use an underhand slice serve. 1) I am up big and want to win a game while simultaneously psychologically disturbing my opponent. The underhand Ace is especially damaging! 2) I have a chance to win but have lost complete confidence in my regular serve (usually due to fatigue) and just need to get my 2nd serve in via tapping the ball in with an underhand. 3) My opponent has pitched a tent, lit a campfire, and is roasting marshmallows while sitting in a reclining chair in his campground far behind the baseline. And I want him to break camp and become uncomfortable by forcing him forward.
😂
❤
If someone starts standing too far back it's fun to check them with a little underhand
I developed a couple of underhand & side-arm serves. Full swings, no big surprises. When you’re older it’s much easier on the arm. Just another good serve the opponent has to think about. I mix ‘em in occasionally with 3.5’s and older 4.0’s with first serve efficacy.
If you hit a drop shot every point, it also becomes a bad play. Using it occasionally as a surprise move is what makes it an effective tactic. The same principle would seem to apply to the underhand serve. If your serve is big enough to make your opponent back way up, throw in an occasional underhand serve. If, on the other hand, the person is already attacking your serves, throwing in the underhand is just asking for trouble.
My coach used to do an underhand serve, for a prank! I only use the underhand serve, very rarely, but I am able to hit the underhand serve because I have been practicing the underhand serve, for decades. Mostly because I like to have fun when I play tennis and I like to laugh and joke. The club members love it, when I hit the underhand serve.
You are right I seen a player use the underhand serve in a match, and it pissed off their opponent, and they lost the match. Great video coach! I live in a Florida and it’s been pouring rain here, it’s a great day for stringing my racquets. Hahe
☔️💯
You see more underhand serves because return players stand all the way at the wall of the court, meters behind the baseline.
Doesn't every stroke in tennis have some level of surprise factor? If a player would always serve flat wide, they would also likely lose all their service games
Depends on where the ball is placed my friend.
I use a UhS when the sun is in a position that makes a nomral serve very difficult ie when the ball toss goes right in front of the sun. So my opponents at recreational level know its coming but without the need for disguise I can impart a lot of spin, which is helpful. With less athletic oppoonents it's also possible to deliver a backhand slice service !
If you’re playing an opponent who plays their best when they’re pissed off, it may not be the best tactic ha ha.
good day,Inttuitive!fantastic drone-
It's theoretically a legit mixup tactic against someone who stands 15 feet back to return, if you actually practiced it seriously and could hit an effective one pretty consistently (which I don't think anyone on tour has done yet, so yeah the guys who do it at big moments are totally screwing around). Not to be used frequently though, the only advantage of it is surprise. As for being unsportsmanlike, I think that's a completely arbitrary judgment. If it actually became a commonly used tactic, people would start to adapt and be mentally prepared for it, and eventually it would just be another part of the game. People only dislike it so much because of the general attitudes of some of the players it's currently most associated with.
I believe at recreational level it is effective as people are always not fitter to run unexpectedly to return the descent underarm serve, getting point on underarm serve is fun.
Medvedev's trying it against Tsitsipas on match point at the French Open was a real chaos move and the exception that proves the rule I suppose...
Medvedev had given up on that match already, he was just screwing around
Davidovic Fokina failed underhand serve against Rune in Wimbledon 5th set tiebreak was the most epic one
In theory meaning in what would be a nash equilibrium of tennis serve %'s, the underhand serve imo would be a non 0% play for a very fast server and maybe 0% for a subpar server. For Kyrgios for example, his serve is so threatening that players try to exploit that fact by returning deeper. The underhand serve serves to actually strengthen the regular serve, it's not about the underhand serve. It makes the overall strategy stronger. Once a player is "ready for" the underhand serve, as you speak of, that is when they're now less ready for the regular serve, and this is a subtle point that you missed I believe.
Brings me back to when we first picked up a racquet
moon ball like ? Nadal/Djokovic do them sometimes. What about 1st/2nd serve? Should we use it on 1st or 2nd serve? or both :)
I don’t like it simply because it makes returning at the highest levels just that much harder. It’s a brilliant play though
I am a little surprised by Nick's comments and poor underhand serve he showed. On ad side it could work well, provided that you are a big server like Nick described, and you can put enough spin on a low ball. Doing it once or twice in a match could keep your opponent honest. The real problem is that most people don't practice this. I tried it a few times when my opponent is really far back, but failed to serve low/short enough and my opponent was able to hit a nice return. So it is not a bad serve, but under practiced (perhaps over used).
Martina Hingis vs Steffi Graf in French Open Final 1999.
It’s an excellent strategy to try once a match if you’re up at least 3 games and it’s 40-0.
(And you’re not on the ATP Tour 😉)
I use it against better players in the first serve when its 40-30 and want to end a difficult game. If I miss I still have a second serve.
Miroslav Mecir did it long time before Michael Chang, because his normal service didn´t work anymore... happened to him several times...
Yeah even at my crappy level, I'm seeing it more. In my last tournament, I actually saw it from two different people. It was an absolutely horrible idea. I destroyed those balls.
when it's OK with rulebook there is no good or bad. It's can be just effective or not
you find a video on youtube where an ITF match is played and a player wins a game with "underhand serves" only!
Between the leg underarm like kyrigois
It's an underhand tactic...
Nice!😂
Nice
I just came home and did around 10 in 3 sets lol
Not just a bad tactic but a insult to the sport. The serve should be powerful, elegant and force-projecting shot not some gimmick joke act. People will remember the big servers not the underhand
Honestly it should be made illegal pure and simple. Those 'bros' & co who do it as a tactic should stick to their toxic social media 'accounts'. Sadly this 'joke culture' has infected even tennis for sometime but we know where all their attitudes are headed to..
Gimmick is right 💯💯
Where are their joke attitudes headed to?
I think it is disrespectful to the opponent and it often reflects a lack of confidence in the player delivering the underarm serve.
McDonald held serve while only doing underhand serve in a challenger
He was literally unable to serve properly
@@mattiastennis so?
if the surprise factor was a thing, most atp players would do it from time to time, since this shot is so easy, not requiring any relevant skill. never seen a grandslam winner doing it.
Hitting just any underarm serve is easy, hitting a genuinely effective one that lands super short and stays low on command is not so easy. Most players don't ever do it because they aren't practiced enough at it to do that, though there's no good reason to really since limited practice time is much better spent on other things.
@@Tan12 I dont think any high level player lacks the skills for hitting an underarm serve. But I agree with you that they would not wast their precious time of training in a such useless shot.
@@Bruno-tb9rsAgain, they don't lack the ability to hit a good one some of the time, but without specific practice even the pros are unlikely to be able to reliably hit a good one on command and under pressure like with any type of normal serve.
There’s nothing wrong with it
The only reason the underhand serve works is because the opponent is still waiting for a ball toss and doesn't think the point has started yet.
It's the equivalent of a fighter reaching out to touch gloves at the start of a round but then going for a punch instead. Technically legal but definitely unsportsmanlike.
Just make a new rule: "All serves must begin with a toss of the ball above the head".
If you can still win points with a drop-serve after tossing the ball up then go right ahead.
That’s not the only reason. It’s also used to keep players from backing up to the wall to have a lot more time. It should continued to be used because it’s like a drop shot in that sense
absolutely legal & absolutely ungentlemanly
Tell this to Pickleball players
I only dislike when kyrios fakes it and then serves his heater.
it would be good for tennis to somehow eliminate powerful serves from courts.. becasue they make tennis boring.. serve should be treated as a way to introduce the rally and not as its finish..
Well if serves were slower a lot of players returning the serve would try hitting more winners and finishing off the points faster
@@jayp123This exactly makes it a complicated issue. In fact, probably the best way to weaken both the serve and the return would be to raise the height of the net by some amount but this would also change the game in other ways.
There are many opinions and this is certainly one of them
Non stop rallies are also boring. I want a mixture of aces, quick points, and epic rallies in tight situations
As a dude with a 5.0 serve but 3.0 groundstrokes I dont agree with you