The 8 Stage Model For Teaching The Tennis Serve has been utilized for more than 15 years and the Tennis Serve Specialist (TSS) Certification program which is based on this data and dozens of other tennis related serve data has helped thousands of players and coaches improve their serve.
A new well designed and scientifically rigorous study performed out of a biomechanics lab in France has shown similar data to what we have found in our Kovacs Institute lab as well as on the courts with dozens of Top 100 ATP and WTA players.
Here are the main findings:
•Ground Reaction Forces and Rate of Force Development are not the main correlation with maximal racket velocity or ball impact height.
•It is important for players to develop high vertical and forward “Center of Mass” velocities near take-off to improve “ball impact height” and “highest maximal racket velocity”, respectively.
•Coaches should also encourage their players to synchronize their upward and forward pushing action during the serve to increase “highest maximal racket velocity” (i.e., reducing the elapsed time between the maximal value of Fz (vertical) and the maximal value of Fy (front and back).
•A focus should be for a player to improve relative net vertical impulse during the concentric phase of the leg drive to improve “ball impact height”
Reference: Fourel, Loic1; Touzard, Pierre1; Fadier, Maxime1; Arles, Louis1; Deghaies, Kaies1,2; Ozan, Simon1; Martin, Caroline1. Relationships Between Force-Time Curve Variables and Tennis Serve Performance in Competitive Tennis Players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research ():10.1519/JSC.0000000000004848, July 23, 2024. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004848
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN PRACTICALLY?
The main practical findings highlight that pushing into the ground is not by itself the important aspect of the serve. Going deeper into a knee bend is also not a good coaching cue for most players. The most important aspect is how quickly the player shifts from Stage 3 (loading) to Stage 4 (cocking). This is also related to the vertical displacement of the back hip. The more explosive this movement is the the greater the racket head speed and also the ball contact height. Both are required to maximize serve velocity.
See below LOADING (Stage 3) and COCKING (Stage 4).
If you are interested in learning more in-depth information about the tennis serve, check out the TENNIS SERVE SPECIALIST (TSS) Certification program. It is the most in-depth science drive, yet practical educational program on the serve.
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