The rock on the serve and racquet take back

[crash1929]

I just watched a video that talked about the serve rituals.

1. bounce
2. pause
3. rock
4. rip

The twist is that the video said on the rock many club players take the racket back as they shift their weight back. He said this was wrong. he said the good players keep the racquet in front when they rock back.

Does anyone have any experience with this? I've always taken the racquet back when i start the rock back. According to this guy I'm doing it wrong all my life.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

The rock to the back foot only applies if you start with your weight on your front foot. Many players, like Sampras & Djokovic start off with the weight on the back foot. If you start with the weight forward, however, the weight shifts to the back foot as the tossing hand and racquet hand drop (see 2nd link below). As the hands are rising, the weight shifts forward. This shift forward also applies to servers who have started with the weight on the back foot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABB0s2cT75g

Some servers keep the weight on the back foot way too long -- it should have shifted forward prior to the trophy position.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcjZ5r_YHV0
.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Here's one that shows the shift the back foot as the hands drop. Murray keeps it on the back foot a bit longer than some servers, but we see that it start to shift forward as the arms rise. It is definitely forward prior to his trophy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GFkqD7GBZQ
.

 

[crash1929]

Seems like that tip was wrong. andy murray definately takes teh racket back as he transfers his weight back in the rock.

 

[LeeD]

Can't teach everyone the mechanics. Instead, work on what matters.
What matters is, trophy position is loaded, balanced, ready to move forwards and upwards. Whatever you do to achieve this is just fine. Some people have long preps, other people have short preps.
We all do it differently.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Seems like that tip was wrong. andy murray definately takes teh racket back as he transfers his weight back in the rock.

Not really. What exactly do you mean by the takeback? Andy M shifts his weight back on the down phase of (both) his hands. It shifts back forward prior to the trophy. However, most elite servers shift the weight forward way before the trophy -- as the arms come up.

Some players still have the weight back at the trophy & racket drop. Perhaps this is what your coach was referring to.