Thursday 31 May 2012

no second serve: good or bad thing?

No second serve: good or bad thing?

We here at Tennis Planet UK have been discussing a key issue in the game of tennis, the serve.More importantly what would happen if there was no second serve? Would this prove to be a good or a bad thing? It could be stated that this would make the game more skillful and less reliant on power.

Tennis has changed over the years. Players such as Borg, it could be argued could not adapt or play in the modern game because of increased racket technology placing more emphasis on the serve then in  the past, hence meaning that a tennis match can now be won or lost by the power (or lack of) in the serve.

A point to debate is should we have a one serve only rule .The risk is simply too high to try and hit big serves all the time as you would lose too many points if the serve does not go in. Having no second serves would therefore change the emphasis of the game totally as serves would have less pace and more spin, meaning more rallies and thus resulting in better matches.

Also this would again increase and intensifies the element of drama in tennis.

At certain points throughout the Tennis match , maybe with the score at 40-0, would there be a possibility of a big first serve, which may result in the end of the game? Similarly, with the score at 40-40- who would be brave enough to hit a massive first serve which could again cause a big swing in the game at that point?Imagine the drama in tie breaks?

Would this then result in the change of the type of player that enjoy success in tennis?Would the physical player or possibly taller player have less of an advantage? How would Karlovic who is the tallest player on the ATP world tour ,cope with this rule?

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Olivier Rochus is much shorter and therefore some would say less able to make a pacy serve. So where would he be in the world rankings with no second serve?Would he be helped?

Additionally, with tournaments being 1 serve only imagine the theatre? Would players choke more, thereby adding to the tension and atmosphere of the occasion? Imagine serving for a Major with only one serve?

Would the  matches be much longer due to longer rallies?

Furthermore big rallies are maybe not so prevalent in the game at the moment, as they once where. No second serve would change the game for sure-would it be good or bad?

1 comment:

  1. I think it's a great idea. Never thought of that before.

    I remember when Boris Becker burst onto Wimbledon. It was the first time I remember thinking, "When he gets his serve right, there's no point trying to return it!"

    And the same has happened several times since then...

    I think a one-serve-only game would be great to watch. Why not try to get a tournament together using one-serve, and see what a) the players, and b) the spectators think of it?

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