Has Zverev "Fixed" His Second Serve?

[johnyandell]

My opinion:

https://www.tennisplayer.net/members/tour_strokes/john_yandell/alexander_zverev_serve/

[doctorhl]

John: I forgot reading about your earlier analysis and how It so clearly revealed the shoulder setup and rotational problem that play a bigger role than any problem he might have had with racket face positioning. That open shoulder position at contact sure could force over- emphasis on arm/hand manipulation to generate speed. Amazing how the Federer model can work from the ground up and time the rotation and extension of body segments so perfectly that Federer really doesn’t have to physically interject “participation” in the serve to generate speed/accuracy. I wonder how coaches teach kids to develop a trust in motor memory and smooth play in their development when losing points—the “Muscle Panic” usually sets in. But, some are more mentally suited to the Nadal grind I suppose. Would be interesting to see a Federer versus Nadal golf swing.

[jimlosaltos]

My opinion:

https://www.tennisplayer.net/members..._zverev_serve/

Great piece with links to other interesting articles, John.

I suspect the trap is convincing Zverev to tinker with his serve when his first serve is one of the most effective in the world. How do you convince him to risk his first to save his second?

[seano]

John -

Totally forgot you had all these analysis of the pros strokes, will have to reread them all. Great insight. Will get a good feel for your seminar at the USPTA National Conference this year, with Rublev's serve, Gauff's Forehand and Raonic's Backhand.

Sean

[johnyandell]

Almost like being there and you got to avoid Vegas...

[glacierguy]

No, he hasn't. Exhibit A, quarter final loss to Fritz at Indian Wells.

[don_budge]

My opinion:

https://www.tennisplayer.net/members..._zverev_serve/

From the article:

"There are two related technical issues. First, Zverev has very little body turn away from the ball in his windup. Second he is over rotating his torso during the upward swing so it is virtually parallel to the net at contact. These issues are in turn related to his starting position and his stance."

"But for Zverev that would mean moving from his pinpoint stance to a platform. That would be a big change in the feeling of the motion."

"But it also stuns me that some players still have glaring technical flaws. These aren't cosmetic. They often seem directly related to the effectiveness or lack of effectiveness of certain strokes."

Alexander Zverev's problems with his serve...first and second...originate in a less than optimal/perfect setup position from where to begin his swing. If you setup incorrectly the motion becomes a series of compensatory moves. Ideally you scrap the whole train wreck and go back to the drawing board. Realistically what will happen is there will be micro interventions that will create another problem in the motion. It will work for a time but in the long run if it isn't "Fundamentally Correct" (FC)...it is designed to fail. The service motion is somewhat of an upside down golf swing. You don't see any professional golfers that have some obtuse movements in their delivery of the club head to the ball. No...they all look basically the same. Setup, backswing...transition to forwards swing...swing and follow through.

You don't find many Fundamentally Correct service motions, they are virtually nonexistent in professional tennis any longer. The last one I remember was none other than...Roger Federer. The Living Proof no less.

Great piece with links to other interesting articles, John.

I suspect the trap is convincing Zverev to tinker with his serve when his first serve is one of the most effective in the world. How do you convince him to risk his first to save his second?

This is a post that I started but never finished with my final thoughts on the matter.

[don_budge]

No, he hasn't. Exhibit A, quarter final loss to Fritz at Indian Wells.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMQeYzphIzY

Yes...Exhibit A. Leave it to glacierguy. The rest are asleep at the wheel. Question...how is Zverev going to correct imperfections or unreliability in his second serve if he doesn't correct his imperfect way of delivering the ball. The stats are misleading regarding the service motion/game/tactics. You cannot measure nerves. Of all the imperfect motions on tour...they work most of the time. Why? Because these guys are very athletic and the modern game is not as dependent upon the serve in the way the classic game was. Most are impressed with speed or statistical analysis. But there is another factor.

The false narrative is that he has a great first but the second needs work. The reality is that he has an imperfect service motion and it isn't always going to go off the track, but the ironic thing is that one day when he needs it most it is going to derail. It is going off the track. Sometimes nerves have a funny way of rearing their ugly little head. Right out there for everyone to see. It certainly did as Zverev attempted to just do what should be a routine challenge...serve out the match. He tried and his serve let him down. Was it his second serve? Didn't he have to miss a first serve to attempt the second? His serve let him down. When he needed it most. This is in his head now...brewing for another meltdown in the future.

I have seen this happen to many players and serving out a match is a tricky situation. The seeds of doubt just somehow seem to creep into your mind and the mind sends out bad vibrations to the body. The body knows that the motion is designed to fail in a pressure situation and it is a self fulfilling premonition. Prophesy. Fascinating display by Zverev...to validate everything I have ever written about the frictionless service motion. Much like the golf swing. If it is flawed...it is just a matter of time. Circumstance.

[stroke]

I think Alex could incorporate more shoulder turn, particularly on his 2nd serve, without a big change to a platform. Goran certainly had no problem hitting a kick serve and I think he actually brought up his back foot past his front foot sometimes. Nick has no problem with a kick either with a similar motion. Roddick had a massive kick serve with pretty much a very narrow platform. Certainly Alex could try to work into a more Roddick like setup, either by starting from that position or bringing his back foot up to that set up.