From: Kim Shanley [kshanley@tennisone.com] Sent: Monday, January 29, 2007 7:42 AM To: mclennan@tennisone.com; jmargolies@tennisone.com Subject: Re: australian open article Jim, I see this as the Feb. 7th newsletter....now we can focus on the Feb. 7th lead article....are you going to continue with your spring training series? Film Thurday? Regards, Kim At 02:45 PM 1/28/2007, Jim McLennan wrote: >Australian Open - all about the Second Serve > > As Roger Federer and Serena Williams swept to victory, both >matches were ruled by the serve. In the men's final, Gonzalez served >reasonably well, but was unable to do anything against Federer's >delivery. In the women's lopsided final, Serena served extremely well, >but Maria had recurring problems with her delivery, and paid dearly. >And in this instance it led to many one and two shot rallies. Serena's >deadly serve was often unreturnable. Maria's second serve, on the >other hand, was often returned with outright winners. A look at the >match statistics reveals interesting parallels (and they have been underlined). > > Match Summary > Sharapova (RUS) Williams >(USA) >1st Serve % 24 of 47 = 51 % 33 of 49 = >67 % >Aces 3 7 >Double Faults 6 2 >Unforced Errors 13 11 >Winning % on 1st Serve 16 of 24 = 67 % 26 of 33 = 79 % >Winning % on 2nd Serve 6 of 23 = 26 % 10 of 16 = 63 % >Winners (Including Service) 12 28 >Receiving Points Won 13 of 49 = 27 % 25 of 41 = 61 % >Break Point Conversions 0 of 2 = 0 % 4 of 6 = 67 >% >Net Approaches 5 of 6 = 83 % 9 of 11 = 82 % >Total Points Won 35 61 >Fastest Serve 183 km/h 197 km/h >Average 1st Serve Speed 167 km/h 178 km/h >Average 2nd Serve Speed 139 km/h 149 km/h > > >Match Summary > Federer (SUI) Gonzalez (CHI) >1st Serve % 50 of 86 = 58 % 77 of 127 = >61 % >Aces 5 6 >Double Faults 1 3 >Unforced Errors 19 28 >Winning % on 1st Serve 41 of 50 = 82 % 53 of 77 = 69 % >Winning % on 2nd Serve 28 of 36 = 78 % 23 of 50 = 46 % >Winners (Including Service) 45 31 >Receiving Points Won 51 of 127 = 40 % 17 of 86 = 20 % >Break Point Conversions 3 of 10 = 30 % 1 of 1 = 100 % >Net Approaches 34 of 43 = 79 % 14 of 22 = 64 % >Total Points Won 120 93 >Fastest Serve 205 km/h 209 km/h >Average 1st Serve Speed 189 km/h 176 km/h >Average 2nd Serve Speed 148 km/h 141 km/h > > > To my eye, both matches hinged on the serve. Larry Stefanki >remarked that Gonzo couldn't read the Federer toss as he had been able >to do in earlier matches, and the disguise in Fed's delivery is >reflected in the incredible percentages of winning points on both his >first and second serves. The match was punctuated by incredible shot >making on both sides of the net, but the tale of the tape was clearly >the serve and return. In the women's match, I find it incredible that >Sharapova served at 51% on her first serve, offered 6 doubles faults, >and won just 26% of the points on her second serve. Further, using the >Australian Open serve statistics on second serve placement, in the >deuce court Maria served wide twice and to the middle of the box twice, >in the ad court she served to the "T: three times and to the middle of >the box 8 times. Perhaps Maria was trying to keep it from Serena's >backhand, but to my eye this was an unfortunate example of a server without the confidence (or skill) to fire the ball into the corners. > > > The serve and confidence are inextricably linked. When >serving well, we tend to become more confident, when serving poorly >one's entire game can and often does go into the tank. And on the >other hand, equally, when confident we tend to serve better. Even in >the men's finals, after Federer captured the first set, his serve percentages improved markedly. >But let's take a look at Maria's serve. The author is by no means an >expert on the serve, but there are a number of features that may be >contributing to her difficulties. > > Luke Jensen said that Michael Joyce and Maria's father Yuri >worked at length on Maria's serve just before the finals. Their intent >was to have Maria "swing up" and "keep her head up." I have looked >through our pro strokes footage and I find examples of Maria doing just >that (and presumably serving well) and examples when she is pulling >both her head as well as the swing down. But the question for me >remains, is this "down thing" a symptom or cause. I believe it is a >symptom, and cannot be treated much less corrected until causes earlier >in her motion are addressed. Sampras and Federer (and even Serena) do >not move their feet, and both appear to cartwheel up and into the hit. Further, both men use relatively low tosses, >where the motion is continuous and fluid. If you pick a spot on the back >fence to reference the top of Roger's head, you notice at impact that >his head was moving up a moment before impact, and his head peaks (much >like a ball tossed up in the air) at impact. Compare and contrast with >the deliveries of Maria and Venus, where both move their feet, both use >overly high tosses, and both bend forward at the waist during the hit >(rather than cart wheeling up). When serving the delivery should be >balanced, fluid and rhythmic, and everything should be about moving up >and hitting up and into the ball. Certainly that can be said of Serena >and of Roger. But the closer you look at Maria and Venus (because they >have so much in common) there appears to be real questions about their balance and their rhythm. >Were I to advise Maria or Venus, or for that matter you, I would >suggest copying the style of Roger, or Pete, or Serena. Keep your feet >still during the delivery to improve balance. Lower the toss to >improve the rhythm of the swing. And turn your shoulders up and into >the hit (cart wheeling) rather than bending forward and down at the waist. > > >Jay - the following three pro strokes examples serve to contrast the >three deliveries. I am not sure where to insert them within the article. > >http://www.tennisone.com/club/prostrokes/federer/serve/afed2seraclf.php > (caption - Roger moves up and into the hit) >http://www.tennisone.com/club/prostrokes/sharapova/serve/asharapova-1serdof. >php > (caption - Maria pulls slightly forward and down at the hit, >but even the slightest imperfections can be magnified on the grand >stage) http://www.tennisone.com/content/prostrokes/venus/Serve/venus1df.php > (caption - Venus way off balance at impact) > > >Jay - I captured both of these from the Australian Open website and >they are listed as Getty images - I am not sure if we should use them >and defer to your judgement > > > > > > > > > > > > > >