Racket Face opening up after trophy pose

[Jst21121]

I took some video of my serve- and I noticed that I tend to "open" up my racket face right after accelerating after the trophy pose. However- I do "still" lead the racket on edge with elbow coming forward- pronating and having a decent serve. I also have a racket drop during this time.

According to this trainer- it's ok to have a sort of open face during a serve.

Is there a reason why my racket is slightly opening up? and how do I fix this?

 

[tendency]

I took some video of my serve- and I noticed that I tend to "open" up my racket face right after accelerating after the trophy pose. However- I do "still" lead the racket on edge with elbow coming forward- pronating and having a decent serve. I also have a racket drop during this time.

According to this trainer- it's ok to have a sort of open face during a serve.

Is there a reason why my racket is slightly opening up? and how do I fix this?

Listen to Nick he knows what he's doing. No need to fix if you're getting a proper racket drop and accelerating correctly into serve.

 

[Dragy]

Is there a reason why my racket is slightly opening up? and how do I fix this?

Post a video. But if the motion itself is solid, the difference comes from whether your forearm is supinated or pronated coming up towards trophy. If you use “hand mirror” kind of trophy pose, a-la Kohlschreiber, it will never open. Fed style - it will. Any is ok.

 

[travlerajm]

Check your grip. Most likely your grip is not as turned to full conti (aka PETE grip) as you think it is, and is closer to an “Aussie” grip.

 

[Bagumbawalla]

There is some variation, even among pros in the basics of serving mechanics.
What is important is that the racket head is correctly positioned at the moment
It strikes the ball.

Try a little "reverse engineering". Hold the racket (Continental grip) up in striking
position. The racket face, like a mirror, should point toward the point where you want the ball to go.
Make sure your wrist flexes easily and normally in the same direction. Make slight adjustments if necessary.

Now, whatever your preparatory motions, even if they vary slightly from your "ideal", the racket
will return to this position. You should not have to think about controlling the racket
every step of the way. The motion should feel smooth and natural, without a hitch
or thinking about its position every step of the way.

One thing you can try is this:
Tie a string to a tennis ball (make two small slits in the ball to loop your string through).
Tie the other end of the string to the tip of your racket head- leaving about 5 inches of
string between ball and racket. Now, go through the motions of your serve. If those motions
are fluid and unforced, you will barely notice the ball. If you have a hitch of some sort,
the ball will jerk and impede the stroke (I think there is video somewhere of
Serena practicing this fluid serving motion (without the ball).
(Similar to a training device one can make by putting balls in a sock)

 

[Digital Atheist]

Post a video.

This. Given you watched a coach suggesting it isn't a problem (you know, since Sampras, Federer, Becker, Safin and many many more do it that way) why do you think it needs fixed?

 

[ichaseballs]

I took some video of my serve- and I noticed that I tend to "open" up my racket face right after accelerating after the trophy pose. However- I do "still" lead the racket on edge with elbow coming forward- pronating and having a decent serve. I also have a racket drop during this time.

According to this trainer- it's ok to have a sort of open face during a serve.

Is there a reason why my racket is slightly opening up? and how do I fix this?

the video you posted from Nik says don't worry about the drop.
you can try to close your racket more by making a effort to change it, but i think as the video implies... waste of time.
don't worry about this aspect of the serve.

 

[forestmilan]

I have similar problems with you. And it seems too difficult for me to "correct" this. Some people argue that we shouldn't pay much attention to this, while I think theoratically the on edge way of racquet is better, because you have longer path to swing. For most people ,the open racquet drop cannot have the same long path as on edge, restricted by their flexibilities. At least for me, I can drop the racquet more on edge than open. Unfortunately, I cannot fix this. It's like an instinct.

 

[SunkTheBirdie]

I have similar problems with you.

If you want your serve assessed, you'd have to post it.

Check your grip. Most likely your grip is not as turned to full conti (aka PETE grip) as you think it is, and is closer to an “Aussie” grip.

Make sure you have a full continental grip.

The main sacrifice for imperfect serve technique is speed.

It's like an instinct.

or improper grip that creates this instinct.