Denis Istomin – Solid service 3.0
Russian-born and for Uzbekistan playing 188cm (6’2”) tall Denis Istomin (*1986 / UZB) just scored his biggest career result while beating in 5 sets the defending champion Novak Djokovic (SRB) in the second round of the 2017 Australian Open. Denis, who is being trained by his mother Klaudiya Istomina, possess quite solid and efficient stroke technique and his service fulfills all the requirements of the Service 3.0, which stands for service played with optimal body energy integration. This service belongs to his main weapons as Denis has a very solid record of 65 % 1st services in and 71 % points won on them through his career so far. In his 4439 service games, he scored 2328 aces and mere 646 double faults (all data as of the end of 2016). Some details of this really solid service can be seen on photos from the 2016 US.Open shown below:
Denis Istomin (*86 / UZB) – 1st service in practice – 1 of 5 – start – 2016 US.Open – NYC
Denis Istomin (*86 / UZB) – 1st service in practice – 2 of 5 – push-off / racket on its way into the cocking position – 2016 US.Open – NYC
Denis Istomin (*86 / UZB) – 1st service in practice – 3 of 5 – nearing the impact – excellent body extension – 2016 US.Open – NYC
Denis Istomin (*86 / UZB) – 1st service in practice – 4 of 5 – follow through 1 = targeted pronation with excellent control – 2016 US.Open – NYC
Denis Istomin (*86 / UZB) – 1st service in practice – 5 of 5 – follow throgh 2 = relaxation – 2016 US.Open – NYC
Denis Istomin (*86 / UZB) – 1st service in practice – 1 of 6 – toss / partly shortened backswing – 2016 US.Open – NYC
Denis Istomin (*86 / UZB) – 1st service in practice – 2 of 6 – loading – 2016 US.Open – NYC
Denis Istomin (*86 / UZB) – 1st service in practice – 3 of 6 – beginning of the push-off – 2016 US.Open – NYC
Denis Istomin (*86 / UZB) – 1st service in practice – 4 of 6 – push-off /cocking – racket is perfectly lined up with the intended target, excellent eye control – 2016 US.Open – NYC
Denis Istomin (*86 / UZB) – 1st service in practice – 5 of 6 – follow through 1 = targeted pronation – 2016 US.Open – NYC
Denis Istomin (*86 / UZB) – 1st service in practice – 6 of 6 – follow through 2 = relaxation – 2016 US.Open – NYC
Denis Istomin (*86 / UZB) – 1st service in practice – 1 of 3 – start – 2016 US.Open – NYC
Denis Istomin (*86 / UZB) – 1st service in practice – 2 of 3 – cocking / push-off – 2016 US.Open – NYC
Denis Istomin (*86 / UZB) – 1st service in practice – 3 of 3 – follow through 1 = targeted pronation – 2016 US.Open – NYC
Denis Istomin (*86 / UZB) – 1st service in the match against Rafael Nadal (ESP) – follow through 1 = targeted pronation – 2016 US.Open – NYC
This article covers just certain details of the service and doesn’t represent a complete stroke analysis. More photos and more detailed information about the service as well as other Istomin’s strokes are available upon request at drmgb11(at)gmail.com
Photos (August 2016) & Text (January 2017) copyright by Dr. Martin G. Baroch
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