Championship finals - question on serves

Hi Alois

I just watched the finals of the world championship between Wang Hao and Wang Liqin on the ITTF website and noticed some strange variations on both finalists' serves that I hadn't really seen before.

With Wang Hao, even on a pendulum serve, he sometimes stands in the forehand half of the court to deliver the serve. 

With Wang Liqin, sometimes on a pendulum serve, he stands with an open stance.  In other words, instead of having his left foot in front of his body as he stands side on, he has his right foot further in front than his left foot...if you follow me.

I was just wondering if you could explain the thinking behind both changes to the standard pendulum serve.  Why do they do it?  What advantages does it give them?

Thanks!
Ji-Soo

Hi Ji-Soo,

Very observant with Wang Liqin's serve.  Yes, I asked a similar question of Jesse Bricknell who is a Wang Liqin fan.  I haven't seen him do this open stance serve before.  I am not sure, but I think I noticed another of the Chinese players doing it in an earlier round as well.  Although at the time I didn't note it and can't remember which one.  It may be something the Chinese players are working on. 

When I was watching the match my thinking was that they are closer to their ready position. Now that you have to have the serve visible, having the other leg behind isn't as useful any more.  It gets your body into an open position which ensures you don't hide the ball.  However this is just my interpretation of why.  It would be interesting to hear from Wang Liqin.  I wonder if anyone can find some comments from him on the matter.

Wang Hao's serve that he does from further over in the forehand court, I think is to get a better angle to serve short into Wang Liqin's forehand.  I think that is where he believes Wang Liqin struggles the most.  I noticed in an earlier round that Wang Liqin found the left handers serve short to his forehand a little more awkward to deal with.  I think this is Wang Hao's right handed version of that.  He is actually doing the reverse pendulum most of the time from this position to get it to curve away from Wang Liqin.

I loved watching the match and also some of the quarter final and semi final matches.