The rotation stage can be executed in a variety of ways. It is important to keep these different methods clear so as not to blend them in a manner that leads to instability. The figure below is modeled after Andre Agassi's forehand. A key point is that the shoulders have not turned completely outward to the court. For this to happen, the acceleration must come from rotating the upper arm and pulling the shoulder forward to drive the racquet into the ball.

The second model we call the Dokic Model because it is based on Jelena Dokic's forehand. As seen in the photograph below, the shoulders are turned so far that the left shoulder is pointing somewhat toward the back of the court.

In the Dokic Model, the rotation is supplied more by the hips and shoulders than in the Agassi Model.

Professional forehands can range between these two rotation models. The only point to keep in mind is maintaining stability when blending the two. Also, any professional player can use both methods for rotation, so learning both might be advantageous.

A key point with the Dokic Model is that the rotation can be blended with the contraction stage if the racquet arm elbow starts behind the body plane. We designate this Racquet Behind the Back (RBB); otherwise it is RNB. This is necessary for the elbow to catch up and get in front of the body plane for the acceleration and strike stages.

Another possibility is to fix the arm position relative to the body, with the elbow in front, and use the body as the primary source of rotation.

Some examples of players who fit these two models are listed below. Most of this data was taken from the TennisOne ProStrokes Gallery at http://www.tennisone.com/.

From this small sample, it would seem that most players choose the Dokic Model or are taught it from the start. While the Agassi Model list is short, it is impressive. All of these players differ from the model to varying degrees, and both models can be found to be used by all players, though they do have a dominant choice. Among the Agassi Model players, Agassi is the most efficient: there is no one better at being Agassi than Agassi. The most efficient player using the Dokic Model, however, is still up for grabs until we get more data.

In the takeback in either model, a player can start the elbow of the racquet arm behind the body plane (which we label RBB) or in front (which we label RNB). There is debate on whether RBB is an efficient takeback position. In the Dokic Model, for example, the rotation stage must be blended with the contraction stage for the elbow to catch up and get in front of the body plane for the acceleration and strike stages. Another possibility, which is illustrated in the Bollettieri tape, is to fix the arm position relative to the body, with the elbow in front, and use the body as the primary source of rotation. As far as can be determined at this point, this feature is personal, and a player can make a good living doing it either way.