Dear Tomaz,
I am very happy with my subscription to your Web Page and I am trying to implement by myself some of the things I learn from it.
I have practiced what you say on the serve in the page on How to Play Tennis Videos and what you say in The Ultimate Topspin Tennis Serve Video Guide.
In the page on top spin you add the leg movement and it is in my timing of the racquet drop and the leg movement that I am having trouble.
I think I am bending my knees too soon at the end of the backswing, so that I lower or drop the racquet immediately after or while I do the backswing and bend my knees. I mean, I am getting into the racquet drop position while my knees are bent and my right shoulder is still down.
In the pictures of professionals I have seen in John Yandell’s page I see that they lower the racquet a bit later, while they are raising their legs and their right shoulder. But I am neither a professional nor a beginner. I have played for several years and I already have some muscle habits.
Is my movement I described a bad one for a good serve? Could I get more power by dropping the racquet while my legs and right shoulder are going up?
If so, I assume I should practice a variation of the last exercise on the serve (serving from the base line) , combining my leg movement with your two parts of the serve, so that in the first part I go from the backswing to the trophy position while I lower my legs, and in then the second part I drop and raise the racquet while I jump or extend my legs.
I’ve tried this new second movement and I find it backward, I seem to rush, not to have enough time to lower and raise the racquet to hit the ball while I am raising my legs, and sometimes I am late hitting the ball, hit it with the rim, etc.
So, my question is: Should I stay with my present movement, (in which I make my full racquet drop immediately after or while I do the back swing, and bend my knees,), or should I try to delay the racquet drop so that it is timed to go with the raising of the legs and right shoulder?
Even if it will be difficult to change my habits I have the will to repeat the above exercise or any one you may suggest to have a better serve.
Thank you for your help.
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