Service is the opening gun of tennis. It is putting the ball in play. The old idea was that service should never be more than merely the beginning of a rally. With the rise of American tennis and the advent of Dwight Davis and Holcombe Ward, service took on a new significance. These two men originated what is now known as the American Twist delivery.
Sometimes we like someone or something so much that we want things to happen that are unrealistic. Is this type of group phsycosis happening in tennis today with Roger Federer’s feats? Do we all like Roger Federer so much that we want him at all costs to be the best player ever? It’s possible.
Nevertheless, as much as I like Roger Federer, his game, his tacticts, his nimbelness around the court, his fantastic eye, his fluid style, the reading of his oponents game and intentions, in spite of all those fantastic assets and all the exploits that Federer has accomplished, I have to accept math and unless math is wrong:
“Hit the ball away from your opponent into the gaps and not to him unless you mean it as a surprise. You achieve this largely by hitting for the lines. Learn to put the ball where you aim it.” Mr. Harry Hopman (The best tennis Coach of all time!)
This quote at first seems to be over simplistic but, once you start watching match play even at pro level you start to see how meaningful it is!