Keeping Serves Short With Powerful Equipment
Table Tennis Serving
Last updated 6 years ago
Daniel Fang Asked 6 years ago
Hello coaches,
Before I ask the question, I would like to thank you for your video tutorials which have helped me greatly in improving on my gameplay and consistency.
However, I am still experiencing some difficulties with keeping my services short. I am an intermediate player, and I have pretty consistent strokes and technique in forehand loops and drives and I have been able to win against some school team-level players. My serves, however, usually end up long or mid-long which makes them easy to be attacked, and only occasionally end up short.
I am currently using the Japanese Penhold grip, and my equipment is as follows:
Blade: Butterfly Ryu Seung Min G-Max
Forehand rubber: Butterfly Tenergy 80
Backhand rubber: I don't have a backhand rubber :P
The equipment setup is really, really powerful and whenever I serve, the ball seems to just explode off the racquet and go long. I have always idolised Ryu Seung Min since I was young and have tried to model my style like his, but I do not know how he is able to keep his serves short so consistently with such powerful equipment.
I would greatly appreciate it if you could help me with this problem. Thank you!
Alois Rosario Answered 6 years ago
Hi Daniel,
I am glad that you are doing so well with your game.
When serving you should focus on the fine contact. Work on getting the ball to contact the ball like you are just brushing an insect off the ball. This takes a lot of time and training to get it right especially with faster equipment.
Persevere, it will get better.
Thoughts on this question
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martin k Posted 6 years ago
I had the same issues with a change to faster equipment. I went from 2.0mm to max thickness and changed both to a faster blade and a Tenergy rubber. I would say that especially my short and service game suffered and it took quite some time to get it sorted out. Often balls popped up and I was unsure about the right contact. I would say at least 6 months in my case. Now a year has passed and it is really much better, even though some issues are still there. Still working on a better contact on service, but that is something I always have to work on anyway.
On a side note, I tried my old 2.0mm equipment again for a short period of time, and it all suddenly felt so dead, flat and unresponsive ;)
Andy Zhao Posted 6 years ago
I think it might possibly help if you target the middle of your side of the table (imagine your side of the table was divided into fourths, target the line that isn't the one that's used in doubles).
Benzene Chiral Posted 6 years ago
Yes agree with Andy, try to make the first bounce relatively nearer to the net