Receiving
Hi Jeff and Alois,
I was wondering if there are any signs to look for when the opponent serves to show if they are going to do a long serve or short?
Thanks
Josha
Hi Josha,
The best sign would be in the backswing. If the player doesn't have very advanced serves the bigger the backswing the faster the ball will be coming.
However, the real key is to watch the ball as carefully as possible because until the player hits the ball they can basically do anything so watching and tracking the ball is your best indicator.
The more you play against a particular player the more cues you will pick up about their serves. This may take a long time to pick up against each player that you play. Each player will have different cues to give away the type of serve they are about to do.
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Struggling to return spin serves? You're not alone! In this video, we break down how to read spin, adjust your bat angle, and return serves effectively—so you stop giving away easy points.
🔹 Skill Breakdown: How to identify different types of spin and adjust your return technique.
🔹 Common Mistakes: The biggest errors players make when returning spin serves—and how to fix them fast!
🔹 Viewer Q&A: Answering your top questions about handling tricky spin serves.
🔹 Train Smarter: Drills to help you practice and improve your serve returns.
Mastering serve returns is one of the fastest ways to level up your table tennis game. Try these tips and let us know in the comments: What’s the toughest spin serve you face?
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jasper nokkosmaki Posted 14 years ago
Jonathan Huynh Posted 13 years ago
what if your opponent fakes a short for a long and vic verser?
If you are watching the ball only then there is no such thing as a fake. Try to track the ball well rather than watching anything else.
bryan george Posted 13 years ago
So Jeff is an Olympic player and Alois is a coach.Am i right?
Yep, you are right.
Jonathan Huynh Posted 13 years ago
how olympics did you go to alois? and jeff too?
Hi Jonathan,
I went to the Sydney 2000 Olympics and Alois coached at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games and the 2012 Paralympic Games.
Jonathan Huynh Posted 13 years ago
COOL!