Women's tennis and one of the most frustrating aspects of any sport - the serve. Radwanska v Errani in focus
I was brought up following women's tennis in the Graf era. Such competitors I used to love were Graf herself, Seles, Vicario and then more latterly the era of Pierce, Davenport etc. Never in all my time following women's tennis, some times more closely than others, have I ever seen the epidemic problem of the utterly atrocious women's serve, and their insane inability to hold their own service games. It is reaching a laughing point quite simply. I could go on and on with examples from almost every match over the last few years, but the pinnacle surely has to be yesterday's Agnieszka Radwanska v Sara Errani match.
Here is the first set of yesterday's match. Radwanska is on the left and Errani on the right. As you can see, Radwanska had break points against her the very first game of the match, but she came through this to take it. Errani then sealed the second game to make it 1-1. Then, rather unbelievably, we had a string of TEN consecutive breaks of serve in the set proper, before Errani lost it completely in the tie break losing serve FOUR times. This stuff is just unbelievable even for women's tennis.
This type of thing is nothing new of course (in the latter years), but what is striking is that the frequency that it is happening is almost bordering on the laughable. This type of thing is now becoming second nature.
So why is this problem so contagious? Is it that the women don't take the serve as seriously as anything else? I find this hard to believe. In the professional era you would think that most athletes would be looking to add to every aspect of their game. So what is the problem? Surely it was NEVER like this years ago and even in recent history with such greats as stated at the start of this post.
The serve is a static point which makes it all that much more mind-boggling. Fitness and physique have reached an all-time high level, and the intensity of some of the matches is of a high level. So why when in virtually all other areas of the women's game, do they struggle so poorly with holding their service games? Laura Robson is a prime example. I believe it has to do with the mentality first and foremost and the lack of expert coaching in this department. Robson for example unquestionably has the array of ground strokes and power to match to be a serious contender. But what unravels her faster than anything is her atrocious service game in which she literally at times can't land it in the box.
Firstly, I believe that the modern day woman tennis player relies too much mentally on their coaches and support staff. Their body language at times when they sit in their chair's between points wreaks of a shriveling flower. They are slumped, shoulders down, bordering on bursting into tears as their coaches tell them this, that and the other. Coaches are fine; but it seems most women are incapable of thinking for themselves on the court and therefore lack the necessary mental steal and determination when things go sideways. It's like they have been molly-coddled far too much. This then impacts mentally, and especially on thinking points.
The serve is perfect example of a mental point over a reflex point. If you have mental issues, then the serve is probably the first thing that will go askew. The player has to get a ball, bounce it, and momentarily 'think' what she is going to do with a flood of emotions and fears. When actually in the point the players can rely on reflex and intuition and are therefore in free-flow mode. But why do even the top women players struggle with it? Radwanska and Errani are Top Ten players, so just how the hell do these girls contribute to 10 consecutive lost service games?
Combined with the mental side of the service game, MUST come the coaching aspect, and I firmly believe that these players are not coached enough specifically in this area, or do not practice their serve enough combining all the technical aspects (rhythm, leg bend, ball toss, striking). The evidence is there for all to see. I mean just how much better would most of these girls be if they had only a half decent service game?
For me, there is little excuse for it. After all, like I say, it is static point in which the variable are almost exactly the same each and every time. Personally, although the women's game is more 'exciting' than ever before, it is becoming a little bit of a side joke in terms of some of the more technical aspects that make you respect the game. This match yesterday was just a microcosm of almost every women's match today.
This type of thing is nothing new of course (in the latter years), but what is striking is that the frequency that it is happening is almost bordering on the laughable. This type of thing is now becoming second nature.
So why is this problem so contagious? Is it that the women don't take the serve as seriously as anything else? I find this hard to believe. In the professional era you would think that most athletes would be looking to add to every aspect of their game. So what is the problem? Surely it was NEVER like this years ago and even in recent history with such greats as stated at the start of this post.
The serve is a static point which makes it all that much more mind-boggling. Fitness and physique have reached an all-time high level, and the intensity of some of the matches is of a high level. So why when in virtually all other areas of the women's game, do they struggle so poorly with holding their service games? Laura Robson is a prime example. I believe it has to do with the mentality first and foremost and the lack of expert coaching in this department. Robson for example unquestionably has the array of ground strokes and power to match to be a serious contender. But what unravels her faster than anything is her atrocious service game in which she literally at times can't land it in the box.
Firstly, I believe that the modern day woman tennis player relies too much mentally on their coaches and support staff. Their body language at times when they sit in their chair's between points wreaks of a shriveling flower. They are slumped, shoulders down, bordering on bursting into tears as their coaches tell them this, that and the other. Coaches are fine; but it seems most women are incapable of thinking for themselves on the court and therefore lack the necessary mental steal and determination when things go sideways. It's like they have been molly-coddled far too much. This then impacts mentally, and especially on thinking points.
The serve is perfect example of a mental point over a reflex point. If you have mental issues, then the serve is probably the first thing that will go askew. The player has to get a ball, bounce it, and momentarily 'think' what she is going to do with a flood of emotions and fears. When actually in the point the players can rely on reflex and intuition and are therefore in free-flow mode. But why do even the top women players struggle with it? Radwanska and Errani are Top Ten players, so just how the hell do these girls contribute to 10 consecutive lost service games?
Combined with the mental side of the service game, MUST come the coaching aspect, and I firmly believe that these players are not coached enough specifically in this area, or do not practice their serve enough combining all the technical aspects (rhythm, leg bend, ball toss, striking). The evidence is there for all to see. I mean just how much better would most of these girls be if they had only a half decent service game?
For me, there is little excuse for it. After all, like I say, it is static point in which the variable are almost exactly the same each and every time. Personally, although the women's game is more 'exciting' than ever before, it is becoming a little bit of a side joke in terms of some of the more technical aspects that make you respect the game. This match yesterday was just a microcosm of almost every women's match today.