Hi Gill, thanks for covering. I think you might be overlooking Stef’s tendency to be reticent and secretive on the finer details of his whys. Perhaps it’s part of a wider strategy, such as using pinpoint’s more natural forward momentum to aid serve and volley and his transition game.
Well, in 2010 Rafa Nadal changed his service grip four days before the USO started. JMac asked him about it and Nadal explained that he couldn't win the tournament with his old grip so he changed it. JMac was astonished. Nadal served better than he ever had (faster and harder, up to 139 mph) and won the tournament for the first time, completing his record of winning all 4 majors at 24 yo. He's still the youngest to have done that. Unfortunately the new motion eventually gave him some shoulder issues and he had to back off. Maybe Stef is on to something? But more likely it's easing his back pain a bit.
Mark Philippoussis, Tsitsipas's former coach, was doing commentary on the match on Channel 9 in Aus (or possibly the international commentary picked up by 9) and noticed immediately during the warm up. He said Stef has never served with a pinpoint stance and straight away suspected a back injury in the two or three days prior. AO Radio commentator Chris Bowers sitting behind the glass courtside right next to Stef noticed he was breathing very heavily between points and suspected something wasn't right. I think it is pretty clear Stef was being coy not wanting to give his opponents an advantage when he said it was tactical. Yeah tactical in the sense of disguising an injury.
it’s not really disguising. Pretty everyone everyone knows Tsitsipas withdrew from Finals with a back injury, that was never going away in such a short time.
I think Tsitsipas is changing his serving stance because of his back pain. His toss with the platform seems to be further behind his body than when he serves with the pin point stance. Therefore Tsitsipas arches his back less with the pin point stance which helps his back pain. All this stems from the fact that Tsitsipas dynamic leg, the leg that we favor to vertically jump, is probably the right one or back foot, so his toss is following the back foot which is his dynamic leg. In the pin point stance his right foot is more in front so his toss tends to be further in front. I think thats why his serve looks kind of different than other players. That's something that should have been addressed when he started playing tennis. I heard this dynamic leg theory from the Argentine coach Daria Kopsic.
I don’t get why stef is trying to change his serve. Hadn’t he had one of the best serve percentages last year. If it isn’t to protect his back then why change ur serve and just talk about as if it’s the result of watching other pinpoint stance servers
@@josephlerma4991”Clearly my serve was holding me back from greatness. With this improved serve, and my normal, amazing backhand, all I need to do is completely transform my forehand and I’ll be #1, I swear!” -Tsitsipas, probably
@@josephlerma4991Ever thought he might be changing things because of an injury? Be serious when you say a 25 year old should change to a two hander. He’s not even like thiem who originally used two hands, he would lose way more than he does. You all speak about him like he can’t get into top 100 😂
I'm not convinced by the pin point stance and the top 11 of best servers. Sampras used platform stance and is considered as one of the best servers of all time. McEnroe had the best serve of his time and was platform. 2 out of 3 of the all time big 3 use platform stance (Djokovic and Federer). Last year, Djokovic and Tsitsipas were the best servers in terms of service holds, both platform stance. I don't think pin point or platform stance makes the difference in quality of serve.
I've learned a decent amount about the serve (on a very amateur level, but up to top pros like Mark Kovacs) and haven't heard anything indicating that pinpoint is easier on the back. I think the key factor is whether you're bending from your lower back or thoracic (upper) spine. Lower back bend leads to more pain. It should be fairly stable.
I'm a math guy, I love when people use math/stats in sports, and I like the stuff that Tennis Insights do, but I find it impossible to believe that the top-10 servers list doesn't include Taylor Fritz and Novak Djokovic. Maybe their numbers look less impressive because they play against stronger opponents, on average, but I think they are definitely in the top 10.
I have a question. In terms of Tsitsipas’s crazy over the net shot against Bergs, couldn’t Bergs move his body or stick an arm in between the net and the ball so Tsitsipas couldn’t hit it in the first place?
Maybe Tsitsipas was inspired by Jannik Sinner who has gone back and forth between the pinpoint and platform stance in the last few years. And as talented as he is, perhaps Tsisipas is taking a who dares wins attitude with this change
Tsitsipas surely trolling... by these standards, I'm a completely shit player but I've experimented with both platform and pinpoint... he's probs experimented for the last 20 years of his life - no way "a few days"
This is a terrible sign for Tsitsipas… either he’s injured and trying new things to try to mask it, or he’s experimenting a few days before a grand slam for no reason, which makes me think he’s just mentally checked out. And as many have pointed out, he does not need a better serve. His serve and forehand are as perfect as it gets. Work on the backhand and the slice man.
Now we just need him to come out in the next game and start using a two handed backhand.
Oh I thought that you were gonna say he needs to come out haha
Hahaha 👍🏼
It might actually improve his backhand, who knows?
“A lot of players use two handed backhands and they’re really good. Novak, Zverev, Medvedev. I’m just trying it out.”
It would be an interesting idea to go 2-handed just on the return of serve but play everything else one handed. Has any player ever tried this?
These more frequent videos for the AO have been a real treat! Thanks Gill
Hi Gill, thanks for covering. I think you might be overlooking Stef’s tendency to be reticent and secretive on the finer details of his whys. Perhaps it’s part of a wider strategy, such as using pinpoint’s more natural forward momentum to aid serve and volley and his transition game.
Well, in 2010 Rafa Nadal changed his service grip four days before the USO started. JMac asked him about it and Nadal explained that he couldn't win the tournament with his old grip so he changed it. JMac was astonished. Nadal served better than he ever had (faster and harder, up to 139 mph) and won the tournament for the first time, completing his record of winning all 4 majors at 24 yo. He's still the youngest to have done that. Unfortunately the new motion eventually gave him some shoulder issues and he had to back off. Maybe Stef is on to something? But more likely it's easing his back pain a bit.
It’s definitely to protect his back.
Mark Philippoussis, Tsitsipas's former coach, was doing commentary on the match on Channel 9 in Aus (or possibly the international commentary picked up by 9) and noticed immediately during the warm up. He said Stef has never served with a pinpoint stance and straight away suspected a back injury in the two or three days prior. AO Radio commentator Chris Bowers sitting behind the glass courtside right next to Stef noticed he was breathing very heavily between points and suspected something wasn't right. I think it is pretty clear Stef was being coy not wanting to give his opponents an advantage when he said it was tactical. Yeah tactical in the sense of disguising an injury.
it’s not really disguising. Pretty everyone everyone knows Tsitsipas withdrew from Finals with a back injury, that was never going away in such a short time.
This was brilliant, I couldn't stop laughing 😂😂 I mean, perfectly normal time to practise a new technique isn't, just before a GS. Only Tsitsipas.
Of course it's to protect his back Gill! Tactical?!..He's hilarious, does he really think we believe him?! Good for him, love him!
4:25, you just know Stef is going to produce a weird answer
I think he was not honest. It must have been to protect the back.
I think Tsitsipas is changing his serving stance because of his back pain. His toss with the platform seems to be further behind his body than when he serves with the pin point stance. Therefore Tsitsipas arches his back less with the pin point stance which helps his back pain. All this stems from the fact that Tsitsipas dynamic leg, the leg that we favor to vertically jump, is probably the right one or back foot, so his toss is following the back foot which is his dynamic leg. In the pin point stance his right foot is more in front so his toss tends to be further in front. I think thats why his serve looks kind of different than other players. That's something that should have been addressed when he started playing tennis. I heard this dynamic leg theory from the Argentine coach Daria Kopsic.
I don’t get why stef is trying to change his serve. Hadn’t he had one of the best serve percentages last year. If it isn’t to protect his back then why change ur serve and just talk about as if it’s the result of watching other pinpoint stance servers
Bro is trying to change her serve technique before his backhand, that crazy
@@josephlerma4991yeah, should have changed his backhand aka the main reason for him not winning a slam
@@josephlerma4991his dad was giving him forehand technique tips during the United cup, after he just framed like 5 backhands in a row lol
@@josephlerma4991”Clearly my serve was holding me back from greatness. With this improved serve, and my normal, amazing backhand, all I need to do is completely transform my forehand and I’ll be #1, I swear!” -Tsitsipas, probably
@@josephlerma4991Ever thought he might be changing things because of an injury? Be serious when you say a 25 year old should change to a two hander. He’s not even like thiem who originally used two hands, he would lose way more than he does. You all speak about him like he can’t get into top 100 😂
I'm not convinced by the pin point stance and the top 11 of best servers. Sampras used platform stance and is considered as one of the best servers of all time. McEnroe had the best serve of his time and was platform. 2 out of 3 of the all time big 3 use platform stance (Djokovic and Federer). Last year, Djokovic and Tsitsipas were the best servers in terms of service holds, both platform stance. I don't think pin point or platform stance makes the difference in quality of serve.
I've learned a decent amount about the serve (on a very amateur level, but up to top pros like Mark Kovacs) and haven't heard anything indicating that pinpoint is easier on the back. I think the key factor is whether you're bending from your lower back or thoracic (upper) spine. Lower back bend leads to more pain. It should be fairly stable.
You don't think Phillipousis and Federer bent their lower backs more than basically any pinpoint serve?
To protect his back.
In my experience, changing from one to the other often gives you a quick boost, but then at the end of the day it comes out to be about the same.
I'm a math guy, I love when people use math/stats in sports, and I like the stuff that Tennis Insights do, but I find it impossible to believe that the top-10 servers list doesn't include Taylor Fritz and Novak Djokovic. Maybe their numbers look less impressive because they play against stronger opponents, on average, but I think they are definitely in the top 10.
Great detective work Gil
Tsitsipas: I want to be like Sinner and Alcaraz 🥹
Kind of sums him up really doesn't it...
Cherry on the cake.
Amazing! Today he use a pinpoint serve
I have a question. In terms of Tsitsipas’s crazy over the net shot against Bergs, couldn’t Bergs move his body or stick an arm in between the net and the ball so Tsitsipas couldn’t hit it in the first place?
Idk but I'd think it would be obstruction or hindrance since its Tsitsipas' ball to hit regardless of where the ball is
Maybe Tsitsipas was inspired by Jannik Sinner who has gone back and forth between the pinpoint and platform stance in the last few years. And as talented as he is, perhaps Tsisipas is taking a who dares wins attitude with this change
Oh gill, you should know that when it comes to any injury related matter, stef lies. He can’t help himself. Of course it is to protect his back 🤣🤣🤣
I mean, it makes sense to lie here. He doesn’t want his opponents knowing if his back is still giving him problems.
I feel like its a testament to how unthreatened he felt by Bergs. I can't imagine he'd do this against a top 20 player.
Tsitsipas, please experiment with a better backhand.
Did anyone else think Tsitsipas looked thinner? (and not in a good way?)
Never the most meticulous strategy planning from his team. I think he needs a real coach.
His serve technique does need to change he lands off balance with the platform
He didn’t change folks. I watched his last match, he’s still platform.
Tsitsipas surely trolling... by these standards, I'm a completely shit player but I've experimented with both platform and pinpoint... he's probs experimented for the last 20 years of his life - no way "a few days"
It's obviously a cover up for his injury. Sounds like a little kid trying to lie 😂
. . . Which is not gonna help the rest of his game! Lol
He copied ex buddy kyrios serve.
This is a terrible sign for Tsitsipas… either he’s injured and trying new things to try to mask it, or he’s experimenting a few days before a grand slam for no reason, which makes me think he’s just mentally checked out. And as many have pointed out, he does not need a better serve. His serve and forehand are as perfect as it gets. Work on the backhand and the slice man.
GENIUS! Just work on your weaknesses. You have opened my mind with unique coaching, please contact him to get on his coaching team IMMEDIATELY.
You will be surprised more…. Soon 🔜 🫡… you can’t be 🔝 for no reason..✅