[evilmindbulgaria]

From the current Top 100 I can only think of Kohlschreiber who only takes one ball when serving. If he needs to hit a second serve the ball kid throws him another ball.

What do you think about this in general? And what other current players do that?

If I remember correctly, Sampras used to do the same thing back in the days.

[Topspindoctor]

On the other weird ball habits, I remember watching WTA tennis long ago and Steffi Graf used to take two balls, but didn't put one down her panties like most WTA's do today but held on to it during the rally if her FS went it. I suppose the habit died due to prevalence of 2 handed backhands these days, but still it was amusing to watch back in the day. Wonder if any male players did it?

[m9m9m9m9m9]

Mardy Fish and it's annoying as he often misses his first delivery

[Clay Death]

on another note, do you think there is a possibility to speed up the game if they were given just 1 serve?

will it speed up the game or will it slow it down? could such a change happen one day in the sport and why?

[kiriri***]

Melzer and Youzhny are also.

[Topspindoctor]

Originally Posted by Clay Death

on another note, do you think there is a possibility to speed up the game if they were given just 1 serve?

will it speed up the game or will it slow it down? could such a change happen one day in the sport and why?

It would slow the game down because with 1 serve, players will just roll it in to start the point, fearing to miss and lose the point altogether and it will be 100% base line rallies. Players like Isner/Karlovic/Raonic would be playing in futures most likely.

With 2 serves, the possibility of player getting hot on serve exists (because of confidence he has that he still has second serve to hit) and winning service games in 1 minute which speeds up the match...Just watch some of Olderer's matches on grass from long ago when he got hot on serve. 1 minute service holds were a norm for him.

[Clay Death]

Originally Posted by Topspindoctor

It would slow the game down because with 1 serve, players will just roll it in to start the point, fearing to miss and lose the point altogether and it will be 100% base line rallies. Players like Isner/Karlovic/Raonic would be playing in futures most likely.

With 2 serves, the possibility of player getting hot on serve exists (because of confidence he has that he still has second serve to hit) and winning service games in 1 minute which speeds up the match...Just watch some of Olderer's matches on grass from long ago when he got hot on serve. 1 minute service holds were a norm for him.

too good and too funny. i think you are right. some players would be struggling at the futures level if their big serve was taken away.

and again you are right: time saved with having just 1 serve would be easily negated by the fact that they will all be spinning the serve in to start the rally.

there were some who said that it would speed up the game but i also fail to see how it can happen. perhaps it could happen 40-50 years ago but not today.



**one thing we can do is have an exo or 2 where they are allowed just one serve and see how it goes.

if we can have a 1/2 grass and 1/2 clay court for an exo then why not experiment with some other crazy ideas also.

[evilmindbulgaria]

Welcome back, Topspindoctor!

I can't imagine the players only be given 1 serve. However, I have always been curious whether having the ball boy throw you a ball for every second serve does not disrupt your serving rhythm. Are those players wearing shorts without pockets

[Topspindoctor]

I am also of the opinion that taking away first serve (as much as it would please me to see all serve mugs go away) is a bad idea in a modern game, which is mostly played on slow hard courts. Can you imagine the injuries players will have if they have to win EVERY point from the baseline on slow HC (which is probably 10+ shots long)? Most players would be in a wheelchair by the time they hit 30 most likely.

People may flap their mouths about Federer's success due to his "economic gamestyle", but in reality it's his excellent serve that allows him to win matches quickly and wear himself down less. Federer with mediocre serve would have a broken body today, just like Hewitts, Nalbandians, Davydenkos etc.

[Clay Death]

i doubt it disrupts their rhythm otherwise they would stop doing it.

i think it may just have to do with the fact that they can do it. it has probably become a habit with some.

[Clay Death]

Originally Posted by Topspindoctor

I am also of the opinion that taking away first serve (as much as it would please me to see all serve mugs go away) is a bad idea in a modern game, which is mostly played on slow hard courts. Can you imagine the injuries players will have if they have to win EVERY point from the baseline on slow HC (which is probably 10+ shots long)? Most players would be in a wheelchair by the time they hit 30 most likely.

People may flap their mouths about Federer's success due to his "economic gamestyle", but in reality it's his excellent serve that allows him to win matches quickly and wear himself down less. Federer with mediocre serve would have a broken body today, just like Hewitts, Nalbandians, Davydenkos etc.

lot of people dont know this but fed has owned one of the biggest serves ever in the sport.

numbers do not lie: at the very height of his powers, he held serve nearly 90% of the time. he was 2nd only to the great southern ape (roddick).

and then he backed that up with his forehand and his skills at the net.


being able to take care of your serve 90% of the time is simply massive.

[Looner]

One first serve would make tennis the same as table tennis where a fault is a point. But there a game goes to 11 points whilst in tennis it goes to 4. Therefore, I can only conclude it'd be dumb.

[Start da Game]

Originally Posted by evilmindbulgaria

From the current Top 100 I can only think of Kohlschreiber who only takes one ball when serving. If he needs to hit a second serve the ball kid throws him another ball.

What do you think about this in general? And what other current players do that?

If I remember correctly, Sampras used to do the same thing back in the days.

yes sampras used to do the same thing......on the contrary steffi graf used to hold 2 balls in her palm while first-serving.....

[DemiCrayanhan]

I think it was Chris Evert in an interview who said the whole tugging the second ball into one's shorts began when the great Billie Jean complained to the umpire (at Wimby?) that Chris letting the ball drop distracted her during matchplay. Evert would do this so she could hit a two-handed backhand. I don't know how accurate this is but there you go.

If I remember this right, Chris was using this as an example of how the proactive players could change the rules of the game as opposed to today's women who simply bitch about the shriekers to press only. But, that's a whole different can of worms.