Not Every Professional Technique Is the Best Technique
One of the biggest misconceptions in tennis is that every professional player should keep the technique they developed growing up.
In reality, biomechanics teaches us something very different.
The goal isn’t to preserve a player’s existing mechanics—it is to create the most efficient, repeatable, and injury-resistant movement possible.
When we began analyzing Ema Burgic’s serve using high-speed biomechanical evaluation, we noticed several inefficiencies that were limiting consistency and placing unnecessary demands on the timing of the motion. Although her traditional backswing had produced success throughout her career, our analysis suggested there was an opportunity to simplify the movement without sacrificing power.
The solution was an abbreviated service motion.
What Is an Abbreviated Serve?
An abbreviated serve eliminates much of the long circular backswing that many players use before reaching the trophy position.
Instead of making a large loop behind the body, the racket travels on a shorter, more direct path into the loading position.
This doesn’t mean the player swings slower.
In fact, many of the biggest servers in professional tennis use some form of abbreviated preparation because it allows the kinetic chain to work more efficiently.
The power still comes from the legs, hips, trunk, shoulder rotation, and pronation—not from the size of the backswing.
The Problem We Identified
During our biomechanical evaluation, several characteristics became evident.
The longer backswing introduced unnecessary movement before the acceleration phase.
That additional motion required:
More precise timing
Greater synchronization between body segments
Increased opportunity for variation under pressure
More moving parts that could break down during competition
When a serve contains unnecessary movement, every extra degree of rotation and every additional inch of racket travel must be perfectly timed.
Even small inconsistencies can affect ball toss synchronization, racket position, contact point, and ultimately serve accuracy.
Our objective was not to make the serve look different.
Our objective was to make it more efficient.
Why Less Can Produce More
One of the fundamental principles of biomechanics is movement economy.
Elite athletic performance depends on eliminating unnecessary motion while maximizing force production.
The abbreviated motion shortened the path the racket needed to travel before acceleration.
As a result, Ema was able to:
Reach the trophy position more consistently.
Improve synchronization with the ball toss.
Reduce timing variability.
Begin acceleration from a stronger and more repeatable position.
Increase confidence under pressure.
The result was a cleaner movement pattern that required fewer compensations.
Power Does Not Come From the Backswing
This is perhaps the biggest myth surrounding abbreviated serves.
Many players believe that a longer backswing automatically creates more power.
Biomechanically, that simply is not true.
Serve velocity is generated primarily through:
Ground reaction forces
Leg drive
Hip rotation
Trunk rotation
Shoulder internal rotation
Forearm pronation
Efficient kinetic-chain sequencing
The racket preparation simply places the body in position to use those forces effectively.
A shorter preparation does not eliminate power—it often allows the athlete to access it more consistently.
Better Timing Under Pressure
Professional tennis is played under enormous pressure.
The faster the rally pace and the greater the stress, the more difficult it becomes to repeat complicated movements.
One advantage of the abbreviated serve is its repeatability.
By reducing unnecessary movement, the athlete has fewer variables to coordinate.
That translates into:
More reliable first serves.
Improved rhythm.
Better consistency during long matches.
Less technical breakdown under fatigue.
For elite players, consistency is often more valuable than adding a few miles per hour.
Injury Prevention Matters Too
Another important consideration was long-term shoulder health.
Every unnecessary movement increases the demands placed on the shoulder complex during acceleration.
A simplified service motion allows force to flow more efficiently through the kinetic chain rather than forcing the upper body to compensate for timing errors.
This doesn’t mean abbreviated serves automatically prevent injuries.
Rather, they can reduce unnecessary mechanical stress when combined with proper sequencing and conditioning.
Longevity is an essential component of high-performance tennis.
Why Every Player Is Different
It’s important to understand that an abbreviated serve is not appropriate for everyone.
Biomechanics is individualized.
A movement pattern that improves one athlete may reduce performance in another.
Our recommendation was based on a detailed evaluation of Ema’s:
Anthropometrics
Mobility
Coordination
Timing
Force production
Movement sequencing
Technical consistency
Every modification we make is driven by objective analysis—not coaching trends or personal preference.
The Results
The abbreviated motion immediately produced a cleaner kinetic sequence.
The serve became:
More repeatable.
More efficient.
Easier to synchronize with the toss.
Less dependent on perfect timing.
Simpler to reproduce during competition.
Most importantly, the changes allowed Ema to focus less on mechanics and more on competing.
That is always the ultimate goal.
Final Thoughts
Changing the technique of an elite player is never a decision made lightly.
However, great coaching is not about preserving tradition—it’s about applying science to maximize performance.
In Ema Burgic’s case, the abbreviated serve was not designed to reinvent her game. It was designed to remove unnecessary complexity, improve efficiency, and create a service motion that is easier to repeat under the demands of professional competition.
At The Biomechanics Expert, every technical recommendation begins with objective movement analysis. We don’t change mechanics because they look unconventional—we change them only when the science shows there is a better, more efficient way to move.
