Returning sidespin serve
Receiving
susheel kumar Asked 10 years ago
Can i return any length side spin serve with a forhand/ backhand push/chop. I find it very difficult to read and return side spin serve. So what is best strategy i can use.
Alois Rosario Answered 10 years ago
Hi Susheel,
I think one way is to get a training partner to just serve to you for about 20 minutes. Get them to serve all different ways. Watch the ball really carefully and make sure you are getting into position to make the return.
If the serve is coming long, think about making a topspin stroke rather than a push or chop. This will put you in a stronger position in the rally.
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Judging the Length of a Serve
A really important skill in table tennis is to be able to judge if a serve will be short or long. If it's short you won't be able to take a full swing at the ball and hence will need to use either a push or a flick to return the ball. However, if it is coming long then you can make a topspin attack. In this video we give you some tips to help you judge the length of the serve and hopefully this makes you a better returner.
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susheel kumar Posted 10 years ago
many thanks alois. that was usefull but what do i do for a short side spin serve which iam not able to read properly. and is there a standard stroke which i can use for any kind of side spin.
Hi Susheel,
You need to learn with each return. You can push the short serve but you need to get the feel of what type of spin and how much spin is on the ball. With that you alter the angle of your bat slightly depending on the spin. This is a long process but the more attention you pay to the result of your return the quicker it will be.