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I have been playing Tennis for few years and developed game myself without any kind of coaching and lessons.
Over a period of time developed a reasonably well forehand and lately started to manage crosscourt rallies from my back-hand (a double handed one). However my Achilles heels remain my serve which in all of my playing colleagues's opinion way too inferior to the rest of my game. The reason I have been told is I can't be any better in serveice with an eastern forehand grip serve that I use as of now. In my current serve I had started to putting a bit of pace and had developed a technique where I would start with bent knees and then unbend my knees and whole of my body would recoil to give momentum to my serve. But all of this to no avail, people said, until you change your grip.
So now I am trying to serve with a continental grip but with disastrous results. My game's whole flow is disrupted and impacting even my return game as I always have that continental grip weighing in mind. Problems I have faced are as below.
1. It just seems impossible to put any kind of power from that awkward angle. This is probably because I had developed a technique where I was putting power from my wrist and I don't think you can put any power from your wrist in this grip. Wrist has to be used just to give direction to ball. Power has to come from shoulder which continental grip facilitates better than other grips. Is that right analysis?
2. All I am able to hit some slice serves from deuce courts going wide out to the right of returner. I just can't hit a flat racket. Is this because of wrong timing of pronation?
3. I am finding it slightly easier to hit a serve from ad court (I am right hander). is this natural with continental grip?
4. I think I am facing more towards the net than I should in case of continental grip. Does that affect your delivery.
5. Last I feel I should just time my pronation with lots of practice. Only than i should try to do it in games?
Lastly should I just ditch this continental grip this and go back to refine my old serve further??
Any advice is appreciated as my whole game is going in tatters :-(
Over a period of time developed a reasonably well forehand and lately started to manage crosscourt rallies from my back-hand (a double handed one). However my Achilles heels remain my serve which in all of my playing colleagues's opinion way too inferior to the rest of my game. The reason I have been told is I can't be any better in serveice with an eastern forehand grip serve that I use as of now. In my current serve I had started to putting a bit of pace and had developed a technique where I would start with bent knees and then unbend my knees and whole of my body would recoil to give momentum to my serve. But all of this to no avail, people said, until you change your grip.
So now I am trying to serve with a continental grip but with disastrous results. My game's whole flow is disrupted and impacting even my return game as I always have that continental grip weighing in mind. Problems I have faced are as below.
1. It just seems impossible to put any kind of power from that awkward angle. This is probably because I had developed a technique where I was putting power from my wrist and I don't think you can put any power from your wrist in this grip. Wrist has to be used just to give direction to ball. Power has to come from shoulder which continental grip facilitates better than other grips. Is that right analysis?
2. All I am able to hit some slice serves from deuce courts going wide out to the right of returner. I just can't hit a flat racket. Is this because of wrong timing of pronation?
3. I am finding it slightly easier to hit a serve from ad court (I am right hander). is this natural with continental grip?
4. I think I am facing more towards the net than I should in case of continental grip. Does that affect your delivery.
5. Last I feel I should just time my pronation with lots of practice. Only than i should try to do it in games?
Lastly should I just ditch this continental grip this and go back to refine my old serve further??
Any advice is appreciated as my whole game is going in tatters :-(
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