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Comparing Pronation - Flat to Kick Serve Mechanics

By Jeff Counts (Hi-Tech Tennis) · Hi-Tech Tennis 240 FPS Optical Archive · Original Lesson ↗


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240 FPS Optical Kinematic Checkpoints

Camera & Framing
240 FPS High-Speed Shutter (1/2000s) · Side / 45° Oblique Plane
Kinematic Trigger
Sequential kinetic chain uncoiling from ground reaction to terminal impact
Angular Velocity
Internal shoulder rotation & forearm pronation peaking at contact plane
Jeff Counts (Hi-Tech Tennis) Analysis Note: Professional strokes maintain head and eye stability for 2-3 frames (approx. 12ms) through impact, ensuring absolute repeatability without compensatory wrist manipulation.

I shot Chris Guccione's serve this summer while he was playing doubles with Lleyton Hewitt. Chris has an enormous serve and, at 6 ft 7, can do serious damage with his serve and volley play. I took the arm action of Chris' first and second serves and compared them side by side so that we could compare the differences between the flat serve and the spin/twist serve.

The first big difference is the angle of approach to the ball. Chris is in the "Big L" position for both first and second serves, but the "Big L" for the first serve has the racket parallel with the side of the court, butt cap directly facing forward. When he prontates from this position, the racket will meet the ball flat on for a big, flat serve. Then the racket and arm will extend forward into the court as the racket and arm also continue pronating outward.

The second serve has the butt cap facing more to the left. Instead of pronating flat onto the ball and extending forward into the court, Chris will use this angled approach to twist his hand and forearm almost directly to the left - imparting both topspin and kick to the ball.