The Science Behind Andy Roddick's 155 MPH Serves (Pro Analysis) 

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Roddick had this legendary serve at only 6'2! I think the timing of his serve was perfect. Everything seemed to explode at once - the hip drive, the shoulder, the whippy arm. A masterpiece of a serve.

new racquetflex vid is always a good day

Roddick was quoted as saying he felt he hit with his legs which sounds ludicrous but was his swing focus

Thanks for your great discussions on the biomechanics of tennis. You are very good at pointing out key positions that pro's achieve that most amateur players will benefit from in their motion. I have patterned my serve after Roddick and Sampras but have found Roddick's motion to be easier on my body. I am in my 50's and the body is more brittle than in years past. The key thing I have learned from Roddick's motion is to fully load the right side with a good knee bend coordinated with a right shoulder shoulder drop coupled with the left arm coming completely over to the right side of your body. This creates a massive upper body core compression, coiling of the torso, and preloading of the legs that few if any amateur players possess and many pro's lack as well. For me the racquet head speed comes from keeping the right arm and shoulder very relaxed and using the upward thrust from the legs (ie kinetic chain) to initiate the initial movement of the racquet. The only focus on my arm is to finish fast by "CRACKING THE WHIP". Arm injury for me has always been the result of excessive tension in the wrist, elbow or shoulder in combination with using arm muscles to generate pace. Staying relaxed and using the bigger muscles of your base creates the effortless power that is easier on the body and prevents injury for me. The challenge is managing the timing of the release and the finish. I think this is why Roddick's toss is so simple and compact coupled with a very consistent and balanced landing on his left foot. He starts simple and finishes simple which creates less room for variation in between. I used this same philosophy of being compact but relaxed in the start and balanced at the finish when working on both pitching and hitting for Little League kids. Biomechanics of hitting and pitching a baseball have many things in common with the tennis serve and has been a good foundation for my personal development in the tennis serve. Love your videos and I am in awe of your demonstrations for any given technique.

I heard a broadcaster say that Roddick actually developed his unique delivery when he and some friends were making fun of another player's service motion. They were goofing on this one guy's horrible-looking motion when they started to notice that their serves had a LOT of POP! Roddick stuck with it and turned it into a venerable tennis career. To bad for him that a Certain Somebody showed up, otherwise he would have won numerous majors. I always liked Roddick's game, but also his personality. He seemed like one of the nicest guys on tour, always liked to laugh and goof around. Hence his serve. Another charming RF video. Uh, Racket Flex, not... a Certain Somebody (heavenly choir music) with those initials.

Could you do a video about the best kick serves on tour?

Roddick had a freak shoulder just like Sampras, as said by his orthopedic surgeon. Roddick has the most external rotation ever measured on tour he attributes it to leg drive, but physics says that it only accounts for a small percentage, especially at a recreational level.

This was the most helpful serving video I’ve ever seen! Thank you!!

Yes definitely cover Roddicks 3 power moves in the next video! I love your videos and content👍

Interesting. I'm just trying now to incorporate as much Roddick on my serve as I can. I have identified some key aspects 1) abbreviated toss from shoulder height 2) crouch start 3) trophy position bent knees onto both feet 3) non-racquet arm straight up 4) almost tucked elbow with racquet head down. Of all these, I find (1) and (2) hardest to incorporate. I noticed the 1999 Roddick, as you showed, did (1) and (2) differently along with (4). He had a more traditional toss starting down at the waist and less of a crouch. If you want to toss the exact way Roddick does you''ll need the crouch to build the momentum for the toss instead of the toss starting low as it is done traditionally. Also, the non-racquet arm in the trophy position slams down explosively as well as the shoulder rotation which helps you see the ball. For me, I'm trying to incorporate (3) and (4) as they are easier, and take a hint from (1) and (2) to abbreviate the toss without the extreme version Roddick uses, but that's just because it's awkward for me. First things first

your instructionals are so good hope we get a new one soon, thanks!

Flex and that bicep is gonna rip that sleeve. Great video

just listen to Roddick's analysis of his own serve. Its the legs...the power comes from the legs......see any great server and his words will ring true.

Fantastic Analysis! thumbs up! thank you

Your videos are truly helping my entire game

Great breakdown as usual.

I'm a little late to your upload, but I was the original sub that suggested the idea for you guys to do a full breakdown of Roddick's serve, as my abbreviated backswing is very similar. My RCs are strong and in good shape, so I hope to apply some of your future Roddick tips to beef up my serve. Thanks, RacquetFlex!

This is the correct instruction of using body turn to generate the pro drop. Most instructors don't know this secret instead of teaching using racquet to topple the birthday hat... LOL. This creates tension on the shoulder muscle hence render the natural pro drop tense, slow and weak.

Insightful analysis.

Andy once said his serve TURNED HIS SHOULDER INTO HAMBURGER!!!

Break down the key power moves, please. The technical precision and wisdom in your vids is excellent (from a fellow coach). Thanks.

Love it! And super personality. x-ray cam too!

Love roddick's unique serve. Excellent breakdown. More like this please

Appreciate the analysis here and the attention to scientific detail. You guys have a great channel here!

You guys do great work, need to expand on the e-mail side of things, great opportunities there (from someone who runs a newsletter)

Yes pls more! Always loved Roddick as a player. His serve was immaculate, both first & second serves. Sucks he was overshadowed by the top 4 at the time, but his last form before he retired seen in his last Wimbledon against Federer was incredible. He should’ve won that tbh. It would’ve been great, but what dumb luck to get a bad bounce.

Yes more Roddick 🎾

Nice job!

Good video 🎉

Riddick had shoulder injuries in 2011(Paris), 2010, 2009(Shanghai), in 2000 he saw a specialist about his elbow which was said to be caused by his shoulder. Just watching Roddick serve looks painful. I tried it once and didn't feel natural.

the key to avoid shoulder injury with explosive motions like that is to follow through, for serving motion specifically, if you serve explosivly and don't follow through all the way, your infraspinatus and teres minor muscles will have to activate to stop the internal rotation of your shoulder, which overtime will put a lot of strain on these 2 muscles, and eventually you will experience pain and stifness with backtake of your racquet with forehands. The same thing can happen with forehand strokes with bad follow through. Follow-through is important to desipate kinetic energy through circular motion

One thing that is humorous in regard to Roddick's serve is that he was frustrated serving against Andre Agassi as Agassi seemed to be able to read his mind as to what direction he was going to be serving. Many years after Agassi's retirement he told Roddick the secret that made Roddick have one of those slap your forehead moments. Agassi noticed that Roddick would stick his tongue out as he started his serve in the direction his serve would be going.

We already made it, go like the video! 😂 I enjoy y’all’s videos so much. Keep it up!

Federer handled him easily... Roddick changed his serve from a flat to a slice when he played Federer, because Federer was returning his flat serve easily. Roddick's slice serve was so easy to return, Federer had Roddick out of position a large percentage of the time. This is why Andy roddick's match percentage is low when he played Rodger. Andy should have concentrated more on placement and variety than just banging the ball in.

"... we really want to make it ... ...we already made it!" LMAO that comedic timing. GG WP

Great quality videos, sadly underrated.

I think Roddick maximized his power sources for sure but it did wear his body down. He retired at age 32 which is earlier than the average for a top tennis player. He had many injuries which led to his retirement. I think his back took the worst of his service technique. It's hard to watch him serve because of the snap on his back. Thanks for the video.

uau amazing new look

Really liking that skeleton model Power vectors would be the dream

Do serena serve pleaae

Make it happen guys!❤

back when I started learning tennis, I would try to copy Roddick's serve and out of a 100 tries, like one would go right. But god damn if that one wasn't an absolute ace. now that I'm kinda better than I was back then but still with a shitty serve, I might just try relearning this properly. Thanks for the video!

Could you do a video on the science of the best serves in the WTA? Their biomechanics are more viable for mere mortals who play competitive tennis at the recreational level.

Any thoughts on Shelton? It seems to me that he accelerates from a similar position to Roddick.

I copied Andy's serve back in the day. I had a long layoff, (2 new hips) and when I got back to playing I decided to re-tool. I've watched so many videos, tried to copy Fed's, and many others. I got so far away from Andy's and today went back to it thanks to your video. Hitting the fence again. Your videos are by far my favorites. Thanks so much!! Mark

I've been trying to copy this serve for a year or so now. I can shadow swing it identically .... but when i have an actual ball in hand.... I can't do his toss... his toss baffles me. That little jerky motion as he tosses the ball.... THAT PART IS messing me up... but i dont want to change anything in his serve... i want to keep it as is.... anyone been trying to get this serve? Does he dip the racket head down or is that a consequence of pulling the handle up right as he is about to toss? I just can't get that part smooth and consistent.

2 from older days with abbreviated backswing (I suspect) - Goran (no last name necessary), and Kevin Curren (remember him?)

Funny enough. Every one from Alcaraz to Ben Shelton is doing this now. Definitely a great techique to use.

Roddick just delivered power to return his serves, his second serve was very short and easy to return

Andy Roddick number 20 !

Love how you explain technique in a fun kind of way.😂

anyone know what tension he strung at?

The story goes RODDICK was practicing serve and out of frustration picked up a ball and twatted it as hard as he could. Then thought that was a pretty good serve . So kept the motion

All these details about how the serve should work but 95% is simply how you are built. Like Serena said, I just toss it and hit it!

It is the same motion as a badminton or volleyball smash where they are pronating their forearm not rotating it.

Yeah but the key thing that wasn’t mentioned and often overlooked is his knee bend. Most of that power comes from the legs and you didn’t mention it really. Yeah the arm matters, racquet headspeed and all that but we can’t overlook the power he gets from his legs. I thought you talked about the swing too much and didn’t mention balance and legs

Thanks for the video. I see you are using a Yonex EZone Gen 7. Is it the 98 or 100?

When all the serve motion explode at once. that is a terrific timing, and that is what you have to achieve to have a powerful and efficient serve.

please more roddick please

🎾🥇

i think , the reason for his power is this trophy position.

Bro, this guy served so hard he hurried the ball in clay 😳

A shame Federer didn't find one of these serves at 40-15 against Djokovic- I guess the Tennis God's were not on his side at all!

This guy misses an important point that of hip-rotation. It's refreshing that he didn't force the notion - pronation is needed for a powerful serve, but then he probably assumes this to be true - when in fact, it is not. The neutral wrist serve is the fastest way to extend the forearm in a throw or serve. Roddick was also said to have some degree of hyoermobility in his wrist, which lends itself to a faster serve. Physics know-how if only these tennis people knew-how.

Andy Roddick’s serve mechanics worked well for him. Teaching another athlete to consistently execute in this manner is very difficult to accomplish. Accomplishing this motor programming requires the instructor to understand the sequential motor programming utilized in the mechanics internalization process.

Sick serve! Too bad his return game wasn't the greatest. Imagine Djokovic with a serve like Roddick.

Let’s ask Roddick?

Roddick had freak shoulder flexibility and still had his career curtailed because of this service motion. Teaching recreational players to copy any or part of his shoulder motion is reckless.

andy had a great first serve...unfortunately the rest of his game was under development..how he got by with that b-hand is a mystery to me...his return game was horrible..his post-match interviews were better than his tennis game

Confusing video man. You show roddick a right-hander, you demonstrated with your left hand, and you served right handed????🤷‍♂️

Mid video for people who don’t know tennis, anyone who knows tennis know this is bs and just for views. Cringe good for content but bad for learning

this was a big waste of time. there's nothing new here about AR's serve; nor anything that we can use for our own service motion. It's a lot of jargon and no juice. all sizzle and no steak

what is the utr of you two? As in, you can practice at a very high level seemingly, but do you have the goods in tournaments?