Our Research Project - Our Results

U.S. Open Player Spin
(Page 3)

What the Camera Saw

That data documents the amazing spin rates generated by the top players for the first time, including the substantial amount of spin generated by those players generally described as hitting the ball "flatter".

In fact the analysis showed that in pro matches there is virtually no such thing as a completely "flat" shot, or a ball hit with no visible spin. In the 700 hundred incidents analyzed there were less than a half dozen shots that had no discernable rotation, and among those several were missed hits. Distinguishing between the players, their technical styles, and the spin on the various shots was a matter of degree.

As we began developing the spin analysis, John had the opportunity to ask various coaches, television commentators, and players to estimate in rpms how fast they felt the ball was spinning. Virtually all of these knowledgeable observers greatly underestimated the extreme spin rates the players generated. When asked to estimate what he felt was the highest possible spin rate in pro tennis, John McEnroe was fairly typical when he choose 500rpm.

In reality, the highest spin rates we detected were in excess of 10 times McEnroe's guess! The team recorded a Pete Sampras 2nd serve spinning at over 5000rpm, the single fastest spinning shot recorded. Many other players regularly generated 4000-5000rpm on the second serve. The spin on the groundstrokes often exceeded 3000rpm. In fact, the vast majority of balls hit on center court at the Open exceeded 1000rpm, this included both the men and the women's players. It also included the volleys as well as the groundstrokes and the serve. It was fascinating to see where the game's top stars fell in the range of spin measured on center court.

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