Help with serve probation

[Finster]

I just can't seem to get the hang of it. I've tried youtube pronation drills, done shadow strokes, but when it comes to actually hitting the ball, I can't seem to do it properly.

One of the problems, I think, is that I'm pronating too early. I start my racquet edge on during my backswing but as I swing up to the ball with my racquet, I think I'm pronating too early and the racquet face ends up face onto the ball, pancake style. I can't get the hang of pronating at the very last millisecond.

I also sometimes pronate too late and end up hitting the ball to the opposite court or far to my right.

I think I need some sort of mental trick to get me to do it properly. This is a major key element missing from my serve.

 

[BlueB]

Pronation on Probation

1st, make sure that your "ponation" is actually more of the internal shoulder rotation. The things would time in automatically.

I also sometimes pronate too late and end up hitting the ball to the opposite court or far to my right.

That's the right track, right there ^
Combine it with more body rotation, and they'll go just where they need to - into your opponent's BH. In the process you'd get lots of "free" power/speed and might even master the lefty or twist spin.