i've always wondered about this one. i noticed that when many players serve the high service, their preparation have their elbow raised with their upper arm almost forming a straight line horizontal to the ground. while not too out of the ordinary, i tried it and find it less natural. is it just a styling issue, or is there an advantage to raising the elbow during long service? others who do similarly are Hendrawan, Gade, and i am sure many others as well.
Is this a deceptive technique allowing the player to serve backhand at the last moment, or forehand as planned - depending on opponent reaction? Just a wild guess.
yes, that's how i would see it too. I too do that while performing forehand short serve and other deceptive varieties using this as the base form. Because the service rule require the service hand above the frame, raising the service arm and elbow allow the shuttle to be served at the highest point legally.
It could also just have to do with their style. Maybe they think it looks cooler having the arm raised like that.
That is how Xia stands for his short forehand serve, and flick forehand serve. When he does the high forehand serve, he holds the shuttle further out in front of him. When I do a high forehand serve, I hold it out in front of me, in line with my shoulders, with the arm, comfortably bent. The racket arm is pointed out, but comfortably bent and at 45 degree (roughly) angled down from the shoulder line. I think what is more important however, is that: 1.You hold onto the shuttle just below the cork (not hold onto the tips of the feathers, as in a backhand serve) 2.You hold the shuttle so that you drop it vertically, and the swing of your racket will connect with it.(Ihave seen many people be inconsistent with there service, because they, throw the shuttle, so the trajectory is messed up, and you cannot be as consistent as knowing the shuttle is travelling directly down. 3.The racket follows through, like a golf swing. Remember just to find where the serve feels good, and do the same everytime. I never try gain the advantage with a serve (deceptive), but merely make it consistent. Even if they know where it is going, if the quality is good, they will not be able to put you under much pressure. (If serving short, then must be below the level of the net immediatley after, if serving high, then make sure is on the back line, travelling as vertical as if possible. Unlike tennis, We do not try win from serve, we aim to give the opposition the least chance to be in control. If I flick serve, it is not deceptive, but is high enough to go over their head (they cant intercept it) and far enough to make them move back.
As James has suggested, there's little need to be deceptive with singles service. You are not going to gain a significant advantage against a strong player, and your high serve may become less consistent. You could even lose a point by hitting into the net on service.
similarly in tennis, you don't just throw the ball up in the air to serve, you place it where you want it to be.
