Who Served It Best?: Trick Shots in Tennis
Up-and-coming Ukrainian Elina Svitolina has gone viral over the last few weeks, not just for her big-league talent or run to the Wuhan semifinals, but for a certain Instagram video she posted where she unveiled a “new” service motion:
My serve trick !! Show me yours !!? #TogetherWePlay @ellesseitalia @ellesseheritage
Svitolina dazzled the over 500 fans who liked the video and hundreds more who sent her trick serve across the many platforms of social media. But the World No. 33 wasn’t the first rising star to show off some special skills on the tennis court. Two years before Svitolina took to Instagram, a video of Grigor Dimitrov trying the same serve surfaced on Youtube:
Observant commentators noted Dimitrov’s apparent foot-fault, but an impressive feat all the same. Who served it best? You decide.
It’s one thing to have a little fun in practice, but what about mid-match trick shots? Some of the game’s more creative shotmakers have posted a number of memorable entries through the years:
2012 Wimbledon finalist Agnieszka Radwanska is among a select few to unveil her sneakier artillery when it counts; this masterful fake-out volley from last year’s Sony Open was an instant classic.
Andy Murray didn’t come away from the 2011 Championships with the singles crown, but he still delighted the home crowd with a rarely seen reverse ‘tweener, showing a side to him that Brits would best describe as “cheeky.”
These efforts, of course, may well pale in comparison to the King of the Trick Shot, Gael Monfils. The flashy Frenchman has a prolific body of work when it comes to hitting outside the box, earning him millions of views on the interwebs.
What’s your favorite trick shot in tennis? Post links to the videos you’ve picked in the comment box!
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