Receiving
i already have the speed to play with short pips that just been a part of im 51 years old and i didnt have to do drill for speed my hands are fast i can block on bothsides good and hitting is no problem but short serves and serves that move me i have trouble with i dont know when to close or open when i receive a serve to my backhand a sidespin serve im in the dark
Hi Marc,
You are not alone. Receiving serves is one of the hardest parts of the game. It is important to get into good position so when someone is serving to you, make sure you are really watching the ball closely. This will help you pick up the length of the serve quickly. If it is short you need to take a step in (generally with your right foot if you are right handed) and get close to the ball. The tricky part is knowing what spin they've put on the ball. If you can tell it's sidespin then you can use the Backhand Flick. With the short pimples the spin will have less effect on your rubber but the stroke will be essentially the same.
Let me know if this helps you out.
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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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