[Q] Dear Heath, Congradulations on your splendid video lesson on the SERVE. I need further elucidation on some areas and would appreciate your expert comments. 1.Grip:Is the eastern backhand grip more suitable for the kick serve and the continental for slice and flat serves. 2.Ball toss:Should the palm be facing up skywards or turned inwards facing the backfence.Should the elbow be locked in extension or be slighty flexed. 3.Swing path:Conventional teaching advocates brushing up from 7to1o clock for kick serve(vertical path)and a 3 to 9o clock for the slice (horizontal path).However your recommendation of 9 to 2 for the kick serve and 7 to 2 for the slice seems to be just rhe opposite. 4.Followthrough:Your video demonstrates the finish with the left arm(nonhitting)swinging backwards.Some of the great kickservers like Edberg finish eith the arm clasping the chest.Is this variation acceptable. Thank you. Bakthan.

[A] Bakthan,

I will answer your questions in order. 1. The continental grip is suitable for the kick, slice and flat serves however there is nothing wrong with moving the grip towards the eastern backhand a bit if one would like to more easily add spin.

2. the right hand palm should be facing skywards during the execution of the toss and the elbow should typically be locked in extension.

3. 7 to 2 'oclock is referenced in the beginning of the upswing as the racquet is in a different position at this time compared to referring mainly to the "hand position" right before achieving the hammer position. the kick serve hand postion as demonstrated by the clock graphics on my video show the right hand at the beginning of the upswing coming from behind the head closer to the 9 o'clock position and swinging up and out to the right going to the 2:30 to 3 o'clock position. When I am using the clock I am referencing the hand and forearm positions so my teachings might be a bit different than conventional teachings as I am using real live video frame by frame and marking my findings for all to see for themselves. So to clarify basically all spin serves are simply different degrees of swings from left to right and the flat serve is a more linear swing path. The more spin wants to hit the more left to right one should swing and of course when swinging left to right one always has to go "up" to make contact.

4. Throwing the left hand back is a new variation on the ending that I have now incorporated into our system as through experimentation with my students I have found that it has greatly helped in faster footwork positional recovery after hitting the serve as it helps in maintaining better balance as well as seems to act as an anchor to the forward momentum generated by the serve. It is not that leaving the left arm tucked into the chest is bad it is just not as efficient in my personal opinion for optimal footwork recovery after the serve. I am constantly pushing the envelope in trying to find more biomechanically efficient techniques and when I find one and test it I implement it into our system.

[Q] Dear Heath is it true on the two-handeded back hand after contact the left hand takes over and drives the ball? or right hand plays a roll as well.Your comment will be appreciated.

[A] Vrej,

First of all I think I know what you are getting at however one physically cannot drive a ball after contact because the ball has already left the strings. I think you are referring to the left hand finishing possibly in the extension ending we are seeing predominantly on tour these days. The right and left hand act together before and through contact but most pro players of today are left hand dominant on their backhand. This is why you see the palm facing the side fence often on the ending as the left hand naturally will pronate and even the stretch shortening cycle is seen with the left hand during bottom of the downswing. So although the right hand is being used the left hand is more dominant. Primarily focus on meeting the left hand reference points throughout the backhand stroke such as the left arm should be straight at contact and the extension ending with the left arm should be met and you will be right on track with the top backhanders in the world. Let me know if this is what you were getting at. Thanks for the great question!

[Q] Dear Heath, I immensely enjoyed and benifited from studying your video instruction on millennium forehand. Is there an identical windshield wiper stroke that can be used for the one handed topspin backhand...let us say a millennium backhand? Please comment. Thank you. Bakthan

[A] Bakthan,

The technique for the one handed backhand is a different technique than the millennium forehand mainly due that one has to reach across from the right side of the body to the left side of the body in order to execute a backhand therefore the biomechanics are quite different. The backhand swing path is linear before and through contact and then circular after contact, however the one hander predominantly end up high and never down low by the hip like one of the variant endings of the millennium forehand.

[Q] The 2 handed backhand grip. Players have three main grips. First two Forehand grips, Second 1 hand full backhand(main hand) and 1 hand forehand, Third 1 hand continental(main hand) and one hand forehand. The question is how do the players get the racket head vertical at impact if they all have different angles of racket face on the take back due to the grip. Second question do most of the best double handed backhands use the continental grip and if they do would you coach this grip to your pupils

[A] Derek,

Not all players will need to get their racquets completely vertical by contact if they are hitting with a more closed face backhand grip and applying excessive topspin. The racquet face will be slightly closed at contact. I am not sure what you mean regarding the two forehand grips for a backhand. Maybe you could clarify a bit more. Possibly you mean both hands in the eastern backhand grip position. The most common grip that I have studied and being used on tour by the biggest backhand strikers in the world such as Safin and Agassi, and the only one I coach for my two handers is the two handed backhand with the left hand in eastern grip and the right hand continental grip. I do however teach on the return to hold the right hand with a semi-western grip and the left in an eastern backhand grip while in ready position so as one can easily let go of the racquet for a forehand and quickly rotate the racquet to the continental grip if the ball comes to the backhand. I would not worry too much about those who have extreme grips and merely learn and mimic the grips of the most consistent and powerful backhands in the world such as Safin, Agassi, Nalbandian, Ferrero, Moya all of which have the contintental/eastern grip combination. Thanks for the great question Derek.

[Q] I notice many players bend forward to receive serve such that the upper body is virtually paralell to the ground. Then they straighten up again just before the server strikes the ball. Is there a reason for this? Thanks, Jim

[A] Jim,

I think it is a comfort thing more than anything else. To my knowledge there is no bio mechanical advantage what so ever in doing this as it does not do anything to activate the athletic stance so I truly feel it is merely a ritualistic movement some players do that makes them feel in tune with the rhythm of the serve. Just as many baseball pitchers have specific set routines as do many servers in tennis we this done by some returners.

[Q] Good Morning Heath: Yesterday I was at the Hall of Fame Tournament in Newport,RI. While observing the action I noticed that several of the players distinctly turned their heads counter-clockwise during the service motion (righthanders).Now I heard suggestions that this manner of turning the head is Bio-Mechanically Superior then the more commonly held view of keeping your head still on the serve.Whats your take? Thanks John

[A] John,
Every player that I have studied through video analysis that I can think of does turn their head counter clockwise as they hit the ball on the serve. I think the "head still" verbage your are speaking of might be interpreted as the instant at contact of which the eyes are looking up at the ball and the head is momnentarily still or quiet, but by no means should the head remain still in a static position all the way through the service motion as this will inhibit the release of the kinetic chain...the head is only still for that brief instance at contact and then should naturally flow with the motion of the serve. I think John however you are a wise man and are learning the correct way. I encourage all students of the game to learn through observation of the best players in the world and not so much by heresay. Many coaches do coach proper technique but not all coaches are up to date on the game of today and that is why I encourage you and everyone else to validate what you are being taught through the studying of the top players. They are at the top of the game for a reason and mimicking their fundamentals makes logical sense for all of us. That is one of the reasons we created this site and is the primary basis of "The ACE System" of coaching. Great observation and you are the first to ask this insightful question. I am impressed with your attention to detail!

[Q] In your PROnalysis on the 2 handed backhand you mention that once the weight comes onto the right foot it stops transferring and "fights against a stationary axis". Would that same principle apply to the one hander as well?

[A] Dickie,

Not only does it apply to the one handed backhand but it applies to every stroke including forehand, slice backhand, and serve. Learning this technique is instrumental in obtaining proper balance as one strikes the ball. The body should always be quiet as the racquet rotates around this stationery axis. It is also one of the key factors in acquiring optimal power. Thanks for the insightful question.

[Q] Heath: Amazing Site! I would like to direct my Question with regard to the Pronalysis on the serve. Could you explain in greater detail the concept of the server turning his trunk on his axis. Thanks john

[A] John,
Great Question and one that i will elaborate upon with an article in the near future as it can be rather complicated to explain witout visual aid but it is simple to actually learn. I will try and give you the short explanation here. One of the primary keys to achieving power in every stroke including the serve is learning how to create a stationery axis for the racquet and body to rotate around. The basic concept is as such: you store kinetic energy through the coiling of the body as the racquet goes back into it's take back phase (number 1 position in the ACE System), then as you begin to release all of this kinetic energy as you uncoil the body which in essence all this momemtum is beginning to unwind and build as you approach contact...you will then need an anchor point for the body to fight against which will throw the racquet towards impact with a greater force as in inertia.

A good example of inertia and the concept is when you are in a car traveling 50mph and the car hits a phone pole or another car. The car immediately stops as it is acted upon by the other force but the people and everything inside do not and are still going at 50 mph. If they do not have their seatbelts on then they might go through the windshield. This is the application. as all of the momentum produced by the uncoiling of the body occurs during the serve and the racquet begins to approach contact you should fire the core muscles (contract the stomach muscles). This will create a brief pause or anchor point. At this moment the forward movement of the uncoiling body parts is paused except for the arm and racquet and the racquet will be thrown and rotate around this stationery axis. I will write a much more indepth article in the near future to better explain as this is a bit tough to explain without visuals. GREAT QUESTION!

[Q] On the other extreme from the previous question. What kind of stroke should not be tought to children at edges 8-10. I hear mixed versions, some saying that certain grips and techniques should be introduced later due perhaps to potential injury, other say it is fine as long as the child can incorporated such grips and techniques and s/he does not overdo a particular stroke or move. I would appreciate hearing from you about this. Thanks, Jaime

[A] Jaime,

In 1994 I opened ACE Academy and had 6 students all of which were 9,10,and 11 years old. I taught the continental grip for the serve, the semi-western grip for the forehand and the eastern grip for the backhand. The academy quickly grew to 8 locations covering 4 states within 2 years of which all academy locations used the same grips and technique as it was a required part of the system because we concluded these were the most efficient grips technique for each stroke for our players to develop a game without any limitations.

Many coaches have different opinions such as starting the young one's out with a western grip on the serve and working it over to the continental grip over a couple years time. I believe however and have proven through results that our students although they might miss every serve for a month at 8 years old with the continental grip, after a month of persistence they get it down and have the slice, kick, and flat serve mastered in two years time just when other players are learning the continental grip. I also believe in teaching a professional style all court agressive game from day one as well. Within four years of starting my Academy I had 7 of my 8 private students ranked top 10 in the United States and my 8th student was ranked 13th. All of them were winning national tournaments playing up in age divisions because of their accelerated development. Ashley Harkleroad won the Easter Bowl 14's at 12, Ally Baker won the following year Easter Bowl 14's at 12, Tanner Cochran won the 18's National Claycourt Title at age 14 and so on, all of which were taught using the ACE System. So my advice is to again mimic the professional game from day one with the grips that I mentioned above for each stroke as this is what the best technique practioners in the world are using.

The way I look at it is if one teaches a professional game style right from day one and the child has a desire to one day pursue a professional career then they simply will be using their time more efficiently as they will be practicing exactly the same game they will need when they turn professional right from the beginning rather than wasting years of developing a game that they will not use. Not one of my students has ever had a career threatening injury and every private student that I have ever worked with for more than 12 months time has achieved no less than a top 25 ranking in the United States all using the ACE System philosophy. The key is to do it the right way from the beginning and if practices are efficiently layed out then you will not need to practice more than 2 hours per day.

[Q] I am a 40-year-old "B" level player who loves to play the game of tennis. I have only been playing tennis for 4 years, but I play 3 times a week and love it. I take lessons once in awhile but the coaches that I have taken lessons from tell me not to try and copy and hit the ball like the pros because it is too stressful upon the joints. Is this a true statement because I want to have a backhand just like Roger Federer!

[A] Pro players are pro players for many reasons but one of them is that they have superior technique in contrast to that of a novice player among many other things. If your coach is telling you not to copy pro players technique I recommend you find a coach who supports mimicking professional players fundamentals as their technique is a lot less stressful on the body than the typical novice of which many times uses poor technique that can lead to injury. I know a lot more novice tennis players with tennis elbows than I do players on tour that is for sure. Lastly if your coach is telling you this, generally it is because he or she might not be aware of exactly how to coach the modern day game and might still be coaching as they were taught to play the game of which it is important that you find a coach that is up to par with today�s technical advancements in the game of tennis if you truly want to reach your tennis potentials.