Returning a short heavy side spin serve
Receiving
Rohan Keogh Asked 7 years ago
So Alois, I've checked out the receiving videos for returning short serves, short pendulum serves, long side spin serves but my biggest receiving challenge is with short, heavy side spin serves - either BS or TS variants. What's the simplest (doesn't need to be the most effective at this stage) return to ensure the ball goes back on the table, instead of onto the neighboring table?
Alois Rosario Answered 7 years ago
Hi Rufuss,
The key is the angle of your racket. You need to face it away from the direction it is spinning. Use your bat like a rudder.
Recommended Video
Fake Movements
After the ball has left the server's bat, they can no longer affect the spin that is on the ball. Any movements after the contact are referred to as fake movements and are meant to confuse you as the receiver. You need to focus on the contact to read the spin.
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Rohan Keogh Posted 7 years ago
I must have spin dyslexia. LOL. I know the theory but seem to always angle the bat the wrong way. I suspect it is some underlying instinct that if the ball is curving away from/off the table, I need to aim it back toward the table. I think I need a practice drill to overcome that - perhaps putting a target on the floor and aiming for that. Any other ideas?
Cheers
Yes even thinking about aiming for the side wall will help.
Jim PingPalHal Posted 7 years ago
I've found that I have natural spin dyslexia as well. The ball reacts opposite of how my brain naturally thinks I should return it. Like if the ball is coming from the outside to the inside of the table sidespin I for some reason think I should aim back towards the outside when I should be angling the paddle the other way. (Even now I'm confused if I've got this reversed).
I think for me it's that my practice partner doesn't use much sidespin even on the serve so I don't have alot of practice against it.
Is there some sort of visual guide to this that kinda explains the various scenarios?