Sampras' second serve

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10-30-2009, 01:10 AM
Lawn Tennis

Sampras' second serve

It is common knowledge that his first serve employed a mixture between Continental and Eastern Back-hand. Does anyone know what grip Pete Sampras used for his second serve? The Sampras' second serve is regarded by many as the best second serve of all-time. And I definitely would have to agree with that.
12-16-2009, 01:56 PM
LeeD

Do you think he actually changed his grip specifically for his second serve?
I suspect he used exactly the same grip, conti turned towards EBH, for both serves, only adding a slight wrist cock which accounted for more spin on his second serves.
He moved his body under his toss, so strikezone location is hard to pinpoint without vids.
CONFIDENCE was his strength. He could conjure up a fast topspin serve for his second serve when he had confidence. Otherwise, his topspin second serve was "more or less normal" speeds, maybe 80-90 mph.
Most S/V players tended to not wander too far from their chosen volley grips for other strokes.
12-18-2009, 07:30 PM
tennisking1

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeD

Do you think he actually changed his grip specifically for his second serve?
I suspect he used exactly the same grip, conti turned towards EBH, for both serves, only adding a slight wrist cock which accounted for more spin on his second serves.
He moved his body under his toss, so strikezone location is hard to pinpoint without vids.
CONFIDENCE was his strength. He could conjure up a fast topspin serve for his second serve when he had confidence. Otherwise, his topspin second serve was "more or less normal" speeds, maybe 80-90 mph.
Most S/V players tended to not wander too far from their chosen volley grips for other strokes.

I think he meant he gripped it somewhere in that vicinity. I never hit with him at Saddlebrook, but I watched him hit a few times. He just stayed turned a little longer on his kickers, but he was pretty much the same on his serves. He went around it and didn't open his body up so quickly or as much as his slice or flat serves. Pretty well disguised serve.
12-18-2009, 08:32 PM
Lawn Tennis

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeD

Do you think he actually changed his grip specifically for his second serve?
I suspect he used exactly the same grip, conti turned towards EBH, for both serves, only adding a slight wrist cock which accounted for more spin on his second serves.
He moved his body under his toss, so strikezone location is hard to pinpoint without vids.
CONFIDENCE was his strength. He could conjure up a fast topspin serve for his second serve when he had confidence. Otherwise, his topspin second serve was "more or less normal" speeds, maybe 80-90 mph.
Most S/V players tended to not wander too far from their chosen volley grips for other strokes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tennisking1

I think he meant he gripped it somewhere in that vicinity. I never hit with him at Saddlebrook, but I watched him hit a few times. He just stayed turned a little longer on his kickers, but he was pretty much the same on his serves. He went around it and didn't open his body up so quickly or as much as his slice or flat serves. Pretty well disguised serve.

This is what I figured. I really can't see much of a difference other than maybe a modestly closer toss compared to his first. Of course, his kick serve stood out from his first serve, but when he hit a topspin slice second, it was 90% of a first serve! :eek: