Iga Swiatek Serve Analysis (new vs old technique & problem areas)
TLDRIn this video, the focus is on tennis player Iga Swiatek's revamped serve for 2024. Known for her baseline prowess rather than a powerful serve, Swiatek's average first serve is 103 mph with a top speed of 114 mph. Her serve is characterized by variety and precision, not just power. The video explains the technical aspects of her previous serve, including her fluid motion and full extension of the arm. The new change involves a 'reverse lag' technique where the racket is taken up before the ball toss. Despite the change, Swiatek still exhibits some technical flaws such as a small racket drop leak and an elbow position that's too high. The video suggests that correcting these could increase her serve speed by 1-5%, which could be particularly beneficial on grass courts. It concludes by advising recreational players to work on similar issues to improve their own serve.
Takeaways
- πΎ IGA, a top WTA player, is known for her baseline skills rather than a powerful serve.
- π Her serve is characterized by variety, including slicing, kicking, and flattening the ball, rather than just speed.
- β±οΈ IGA's average first serve speed is 103 mph, with a fastest serve recorded at 114 mph.
- π― She achieved a 65% first serve percentage in both 2022 and 2023.
- π Prior to changes, her serve motion was fluid and continuous, with a full extension of the arm during the trophy phase.
- π€ΈββοΈ IGA serves with a pinpoint stance and is known for her explosiveness on the serve and baseline.
- π€ The term 'reverse lag' is introduced, where the racket is taken up before the ball toss, which is different from IGA's previous motion.
- π The new service motion involves taking the racket up first and then tossing the ball later, a change from her previous rhythmic motion.
- π‘ The video suggests that maintaining rhythm and a full takeback in the serve can help build momentum and improve serve speed.
- π οΈ IGA's serve still has room for improvement with issues like a small racket drop leak, a straight arm in the trophy phase, and an elbow position that's too high.
- π Despite her suboptimal serve, IGA's success shows the complexity of tennis where other skills can compensate for less than perfect techniques.
- π Making small adjustments to her serve could potentially increase her serve speed and effectiveness, especially on grass courts.
Q & A
What is the main focus of the video?
-The main focus of the video is to analyze the changes made by a tennis player, referred to as IGA, to her service motion and to discuss the general aspects of her serve.
Why does IGA not rely on a big powerful serve to win matches?
-IGA does not rely on a big powerful serve because she is one of the best baseline players on the WTA, and she uses variety on her serve to win points from the baseline.
What is IGA's average speed on her first serve and her fastest serve speed?
-IGA's average speed on her first serve is 103 mph, and her fastest serve has been recorded at 114 mph.
What percentage of first serves did IGA get in play in 2022 and 2023?
-In 2022 and 2023, IGA got 65% of her first serves in play.
How did IGA's service motion look before the changes?
-Before the changes, IGA's service motion looked fluid and continuous, with a full extension of the arm when the racket went backwards and into the trophy phase.
What is the term used to describe the new service motion technique that IGA has adopted?
-The new service motion technique that IGA has adopted is called 'reverse lag'.
What is the difference between a regular lag and a reverse lag in tennis?
-A regular lag is when the ball is tossed first while the hitting arm lags behind. In contrast, a reverse lag involves taking the racket up first and then tossing the ball later.
What are the two main mistakes that IGA still makes in her new service motion according to the video?
-The two main mistakes that IGA still makes in her new service motion are a small racket drop leak and having an elbow position that is slightly above the level of the shoulder.
What is a 'racket drop leak' and why is it problematic?
-A 'racket drop leak' is when the racket drops prior to the body unloading. It is problematic because it can cause a loss of range of motion and prevent the player from maximizing serve power.
What could potentially improve IGA's serve speed if corrected?
-If IGA corrects her pinpoint stance timing, drops her elbow, and addresses the racket drop leak, her serve speed could potentially increase by 1 to 5%.
How does the video suggest recreational players can benefit from analyzing IGA's serve?
-The video suggests that recreational players can benefit by identifying and working on similar mistakes in their own serve, such as an elbow position that's too high, a straight arm in the trophy phase, incorrect timing of the pinpoint stance, and a racket drop leak.
Outlines
πΎ Analysis of Iga Swiatek's Serve Evolution
This paragraph discusses the changes in tennis player Iga Swiatek's serve technique. It starts by explaining that Swiatek is a spot server, relying on variety and placement rather than power. Her average first serve speed is 103 mph, with a fastest serve at 114 mph, and she has a high percentage of first serves in play, at 65% in 2022 and 2023. The serve is described as fluid and continuous, with a full extension of the arm during the trophy phase. Swiatek's serve is also characterized by a pinpoint stance and a unique string turn. The paragraph then outlines the changes Swiatek has made to her serve motion, specifically the adoption of a 'reverse lag' technique, where the racket is taken up first before the ball is tossed. The summary notes that despite the change, Swiatek has not corrected two key issues in her serve: a small racket drop leak and an unorthodox loading position with a bent toss arm and turned hitting arm.
π οΈ Identifying and Addressing Serve Flaws in Iga Swiatek's Technique
The second paragraph delves into specific technical flaws in Swiatek's serve and how they could be improved. It mentions that a small racket drop leak is still present in her serve, which could be due to the timing of her pinpoint stance and the straightness of her arm during the trophy phase. The paragraph explains that the ideal serve involves having the back foot go up as the racket goes into the trophy phase, with the arm bending and the hand closer to the head. It also points out that Swiatek's elbow position is too high during the trophy phase, which is not optimal for serving. The speaker suggests that correcting the timing of her stance, reducing the straightness of her arm, and lowering her elbow could potentially increase her serve speed by 1 to 5%. The paragraph concludes by acknowledging Swiatek's success despite these flaws, indicating the complexity of tennis and the fact that even slight improvements can make a difference, especially on grass courts where she has been less dominant.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘IGA
π‘Baseline Player
π‘Serve
π‘Variety
π‘First Serve
π‘Trophy Phase
π‘Pinpoint Stance
π‘Explosiveness
π‘Racket Drop Leak
π‘Reverse Lag
π‘Rhythm
π‘Elbow Position
Highlights
In 2024, Iga Swiatek introduced a new service motion called 'Motion'.
Swiatek is not a big powerful server but relies on variety and placement on her serve.
She is one of the best baseline players in WTA history.
Swiatek's average first serve speed is 103 mph, with a fastest serve at 114 mph.
She achieved a 65% first serve percentage in 2022 and 2023.
Her serve used to look fluid and continuous with a full extension of the arm.
Swiatek serves with a pinpoint stance and turns her strings towards the other side of the cord.
She is known for being very explosive on her serve and has a deep knee bend.
Swiatek's loading position looks awkward but is fundamentally sound.
She can mix up her serve by kicking, slicing, and flattening it out.
Swiatek has changed her service motion by getting rid of her take back and introducing a 'reverse lag'.
A 'reverse lag' is taking the racket up first and then tossing the ball later.
Most players benefit from a rhythm on the serve with a longer takeback.
Swiatek's new serve lacks rhythm and may affect her momentum and acceleration.
She has not corrected two mistakes in her serve: a small racket drop leak and a high elbow position.
Swiatek's serve could potentially be improved by 1 to 5% with corrections.
Despite having a great serve, Swiatek's serve is not perfect and could be better.
Her weakest surface, grass, could benefit from improved serving for more free points.
Recreational players can learn from Swiatek's serve mistakes and work on improving their own.
Transcripts
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