Australian Open 2016: Wayne Arthurs says big-hitting Sam Groth must keep Andy Murray guessing

WAYNE Arthurs says while Sam Groth’s pace and power were important, variation was the key against Andy Murray at the Australian Open on Thursday.

Big-hitting Groth to serve it up to Murray

WITH the fastest serve in tennis, it’s presumed Sam Groth’s modus operandi on Thursday will be to blast world No.2 Andy Murray off the court.

But while he has a world record 263km/h serve to his name, it’s not as simple as firing down thunderbolts for the local hope.

Former Australian Davis Cup hero Wayne Arthurs built his 17-year pro career around his powerful serve.

Arthurs, now a coach at Tennis Australia’s academy in Brisbane where he’s tutoring up-and-coming junior Oliver Anderson, famously held his serve through 111 straight games from qualifying until the fourth round of Wimbledon in 1999.

He said while Groth’s pace and power were important, variation was the key against Murray.

“I think that’s something he’s learnt over the last probably two or three years, you’ve got to be serving more than just 250km/h,” Arthurs said.

“You’ve got to mix it up, you’ve got to mix up the rhythm …the variation of your pace, your kick serve, your body slider.

“He’s always had the power, it’s just that know-how of placing it … trying to find that variation of kick, spin, pace, body, wide — which he’s learning.

“Murray is one of the best returners out there, so he’s going to have to show all that variation and back it up with some good volleys.

“If he gives Murray the same look at the one serve over and over he’s going to be in big trouble.”

Can Sam Groth subdue Andy Murray with his serve?

At 193cm and a listed 99kg (Arthurs reckons Groth would be closer to 105kg), Groth is built to serve fast. But he has other tricks.

He has a good knee bend for his size, a low ball toss and a special twist that really gets things zinging.

“His body twists almost backwards,” Arthurs explains.

“His twist and arm speed is very fast as well. (Pete) Sampras did the same thing with his hips — he twisted a lot, and you add that to a really fast twitch arm, like Sam has, and you get 263km/h.”

Apart from power, there’s disguise as well.

“It’s a low ball toss so it’s very hard to pick for the returner, you add that to the twist that he has and it’s nearly like he’s disguising the ball like a spin bowler where they hold the ball in their hand,” Arthurs said.

“You’ve got the shoulder facing the opposite way and he spins out very quickly — it’s very hard to read.”

PODCAST: Leo Schlink, Gil Gardiner, Emily Benammar and UK Telegraph tennis correspondent Simon Briggs talk Nick Kyrgios, Lleyton Hewitt and Groth v Murray

Arthurs suspected Groth’s fast-twitch shoulder was probably genetic, suggesting he’d be able to pick up a tennis ball and throw it easily 60-70m.

While court surfaces have slowed in the modern era, taking away some of the advantage the big servers have, Arthurs, who is competing in the legends event which starts on Saturday, noted the courts at Melbourne Park were playing quicker this year.

Temperature also plays its part, with guys like Groth wanting it hotter to speed up the court and increase the bounce.

Mixing up sliders out wide and 230km/h screamers down the “T”, Arthurs believes Groth can unsettle Murray.

“It’s all about execution,” Arthurs said.

“If you get it a little bit off, one foot to the left or right of someone like Andy Murray then he’s going to have a swing at it.

“He’s going to be trying to get at least two free points a (service) game, which if he doesn’t do, he’s going to be in a bit of trouble.

“He’s got to serve over 65 per cent during the match, which is a high percentage for a big server, but he can do that and if he does do that, he’s going to put pressure on him.”

BIG WEAPON

Sam Groth landed 66 per cent of first serves in play in his first-round match and of those, he won 75 per cent.

He won 16 of 20 service games, and hit 27 aces.

THE REPOITOIRE

The screamer: Hard and fast down the T — 210km/h-230km/h

The slider: Wide serve on first court, the ball moves away from the returner — 175km/h-185km/h

The body: Served at different paces — flat out at opponent, giving him the least amount of time to react, or a kicker, which will kick back into the returner’s body so he’s got nowhere to swing

Fastest serves at the 2016 Australian Open

Men’s

Sam Groth 235km/h

Milos Raonic 234km/h

John Isner 225km/h

James Duckworth, Jerzy Janowicz 224km/h

Fernando Verdasco 223km/h

Nick Kyrgios 222km/h

Women’s

Serena Williams 201km/h

Lucie Hradecka 196km/h

Naomi Osaka 195km/h

Polona Hercog 193km/h

Camila Giorgi 191km/h