Visual Illusions In Tennis Serves

We’re still on the topic of the visual learning of tennis and the most common visual illusions we experience. Today, we’ll take a look at the most common misinterpretations of technique in tennis serves.

If you missed the previous installments of the tennis illusions series, check out the forehand and backhand backswing illusions and the rest of the ground stroke illusions first so that you will better understand why you might misinterpret what you see when observing a tennis stroke.

Illusion #1 – Weight Transfer Is Not Forward – Back – Serve

Illusion: When we look at a player in the trophy position preparing to begin an upward swing toward the ball, it seems as if the player is leaning backwards.

It then appears as if the player is driving into the serve from this backwards leaning position.

So, the weight transfer from the initial serve stance makes it seem as if the player is putting weight on the front foot, transferring it to the back foot (leaning backwards), and then going straight into the upward service motion toward the ball.

Reality: If the player attempts to serve like that, the serve will lack power because gravity will pull on the upper body, which is leaning backwards.

In reality, the player transfers weight one more time from the back foot to the front foot (or both equally) before driving up into the ball.

The weight transfer is therefore from the front foot to the back foot, and immediately to the front foot again. Then, the service motion toward the ball begins.

Illusion #2 – The Follow Through Is Not to the Left (for Right-Handers)

Illusion: As the player finishes the serve, in most cases, it seems that the racket ends up on the left side of the player’s body.

We may misinterpret this as the player having to swing from the contact point toward the left side of the body.

Reality: If the player swings from the contact point to the left, it won’t be possible to hit the ball cleanly with good power. The player will also move the arm toward the body, which will be uncomfortable.

In reality, we don’t initially swing to the left. Instead, we swing forward (and even somewhat to the right) because we are giving the ball direction with the racket and because pronation and internal shoulder rotation are occurring.

After we complete the forward swing, the body starts to uncoil and rotate, and the right shoulder comes forward. This motion then moves the right arm and the racket to the left.

At this point, the right arm also relaxes and swings freely to the left.

Thus, the entire move to the left is largely created by body rotation and the final relaxation of the right arm, not by forcefully swinging to the left.

Illusion #3 – The Elbow Is Not Low

Illusion: When we observe a player in the trophy position just before swinging upward, we can see that the elbow of the hitting arm is relatively low to the body.

We may misinterpret this as a dropping of the elbow to get into the trophy position.

Reality: If the player intentionally drops the hitting arm’s elbow, it will not be possible to execute a serve with a good throwing motion therefore the serve will be weak.

The illusion of a low elbow is due to the player tilting his or her body backwards in the trophy position.

If the player straightens up while keeping both arms in the same position, we can then see that the elbow is just below shoulder height.

The reason the elbow appears to lower is simply a body tilt and not the actual movement of the elbow.

Illusion #4 – The Racket Is Not Vertical in the Trophy Position

Illusion: If we look at the racket orientation when the player is in the trophy position, we often think the racket is vertical.

We may misinterpret the player as trying to hold the racket vertically with the hand in relation to the forearm.

Reality: If the player is holding the racket vertically with the hand and then tilt the body back, as one normally does when loading for a serve, the racket face will also tilt backward and open up.

We call that the “waiter’s serve” position, and it’s one of the most common mistakes in tennis serve techniques. It is also difficult to correct.

If the player positions himself in the trophy position so that the body tilts backwards with the racket vertical and then straightens up, we will see that the racket is now diagonal in the hand (closed).

So, the hand does not hold the racket vertically in relation to the forearm but at an angle.

It is only because we tilt the body backward that the racket moves from an initial closed orientation to a vertical position.

Illusion #5 – We Don’t Face the Court at Contact

Illusion: If we observe a player completing a serve from a front or side view, we will see that the body is turned with the shoulders at more than 90 degrees. Thus, the player does not appear to be facing forward but turned slightly to the side.

Since the whole serve movement happens quickly, it seems as if the player is facing forward when making contact with the ball.

Reality: If the player faces forward at contact, it won’t be possible to deliver maximum power to the ball because the player’s shoulders are in an uncomfortable position.

In reality, we face the ball, which means the body is angled at around 45 degrees to the side at contact.

The body actually decelerates and stops at that position for a split second to transfer momentum to the arm, whose motion then accelerates.

After the arm motion starts decelerating after contact, the body begins to move forward again.

All this motion happens in a split second, making it difficult to see. In fact, it is a natural sequence of movements that we develop subconsciously from throwing objects, such as stones, sticks, or balls, in childhood.

Illusion #6 – We’re Not Arching the Back

Illusion: When we observe the player in the trophy position, it seems that the body is tilted backward. We can misinterpret that position as the player arching the back to “lean” backwards.

Reality: If the player arches the back, it will result in weakness in the lower back because gravity will pull the upper body down as it leans backwards.

Now, the player cannot push strongly upward into the serve because of having to fight against his or her weight. Therefore, the serve will be weak.

In reality, we don’t achieve a tilted body position by arching the back but by pushing the knees forward and bending them.

We still maintain a perfectly straight and firm lower back while we push our knees forward, and that provides strength as we begin upward movement toward the ball.

Conclusion

This article on visual illusions in tennis serves as the last of the tennis illusions series that began some time ago with the videos of the pros in which the rackets were digitally removed.

That helped us see the actual arm movements in space without being distracted by the racket’s movement.

We also recently covered the forehand and backhand backswing illusions and other common stroke illusions that cause us to misinterpret what we see.

Most people learn tennis visually. Accordingly, it is crucial to have the correct mental image of a tennis stroke.

Feel free to revisit this series to discover new nuances of tennis strokes.