[Williams Rulez]

Why does Venus have the biggest serve in the women's game? She isn't the tallest woman around, her serve doesn't really have great technique and she is rather skinny. Yet, she has such a huge serve! Anyone can explain why??

 

[Volcana]

IMHO .....

Service velocity is ultimately about racquet head speed. Put differntly, Venus can swing her arm faster than anyone else. However, her lack of musculature works against her. Her control at that speed isn't so good. So while she CAN serve 127 mph, we don't see that go in much.

Serena and Lindsay can't quite match Venus for raw velocity, but as much more muscular people, they have a lot more muscles to control serve with. (Of course, that muscle has to be trained, which both these players have done.)

Still about once a tournament Venus serves the ball, and the oppoent sees nothing. They just hear the ball hit the wall behind them. Useful psychologically, if nothing else.

 

[Guest]

bovina will soon get her <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

 

[Williams Rulez]

Perharps... Bovina is a tall girl! <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

 

[Heavy_Hitta]

Bovina??? Nahhh.. maybe Alexandra Stevenson can do it..Nahhhh! <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

 

[Becool]

I think is the techinique...<br />Venus is tall, but she has the speed in her arm, and still power.. That's why Venus has the fastest serve.

Alexandra, hmmm She'll do it <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

 

[Cashman]

Venus' serve is the fastest, but overall I think Serena's is better because of her placement and consistency. Muscularity is not the reason why Lindsay and Serena have more consistent serves, it's TECHNIQUE. Although Venus' service motion has really improved over the past 2 years, Serena's is still better. Technique with good flexibility for extension is much more important than bulk. Tim Henman and Andy Roddick being good examples of this principle on the men's side. If muscularity made a big difference, bodybuilders would be at top of men's tennis, not slender guys like Guga and Hewitt.

[ December 11, 2001: Message edited by: Cashman ]</p>

 

[Volcana]

Cashman - Are you the general manager of the New York Mets? <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

You're right about the superiority of Serena's technique. But muscle does enter into it. Muscles are the controllers. Now, too much muscle only slows down your shoulder rotation. That's why you don't get body-builder types on the men's side. But have you ever seen a woman who's muscle impeded her tennis playing ability?

Certainly through the Open era, muscular women have had considable success.

Margaret Court<br />Martina Navratilova<br />Serena Williams

 

[Cashman]

Volcana,

You're right that the big, strong women have had their share of success on the tour and strength has played a part. I was just pointing out that technique is needed with strength and can often compensate for lack of natural strength.

And no, I'm not the Mets' GM or I would've been very busy this week ! <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

 

[bulgar]

she is an incredible player, with an incredible serve, she has the fastest serve, because she is really talented and she is really motivated, she belives in her serve, both physically and mentally, she has the convidense to have a great serve and just look at her reach.

 

[Williams Rulez]

lol @ bulgar <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0"> That's so sweet!! <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

I think Venus has a fast serve because she has the amazing ability to *leap* a lot on her serve as well.

 

[Guest]

no, bovina WILL catch up

 

[QUEENLINDSAY]

Venus serve maybe the fastest but I would still go with Lindsay and Serena's serve.

 

[Williams Rulez]

So would I. Venus' serve is not technically correct. <img src="redface.gif" border="0">

 

[Infiniti2001]

The question was why does Venus have the biggest serve, NOT who has the best serve <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> Bottom-line , it's all about racquet speed <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

 

[Heavy_Hitta]

Bovina AIN'T gonna do it! <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> Five Foot, Seven Inch Iroda Tulyganova has a bigger serve than Six Foot,Three Inch Bovina does.

AND Monica Seles has already told you folks what was UP! For all the flaw Venus' serve is said to be, Seles STILL says it's the most leathal on tour. <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">