Sidespin Serves

Table Tennis General

Last updated 14 years ago

Andrea Turano

Andrea Turano Asked 14 years ago

Hi, i would like you to watch this video from youtube and answer my questions, please =)

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC83GlpssqI&feature=related

take a look at the 6th serve and at the 7th serve. the guy calls theme: 1/3 sidespin and 1/2 sidespin.. 

1. What does he mean with 1/3 and 1/2 sidespin?

2. How to do those!? I think they have a lot of spin and after the first bounce they totally change direction! :) thank you 


Alois Rosario

Alois Rosario Answered 14 years ago

Hi Andrea,

I am not totally sure what he means by 1/3 and 1/2 sidespin.  I guess one has more or less sidespin than the other, but I can't really see it in the serve.

The sidespin is getting the ball to turn sideways.  He is getting a very good contact on the ball and the contact is fast because he is using his wrist well.

To get the sidespin, brush the side of the ball.  He is demonstrating the Pendulum serve here.

The reason they change direction after the first bounce and not straight away is because initially they have too much forward momentum.  As the forward momentum decreases, the sidespin takes effect.

PingSkills has a <a href="http://www.pingskills.com/store-serving-secrets-revealed.php"> Serving Secrets Revealed DVD</a> which covers the Pendulum serve as well as others.


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Thoughts on this question

Andrew T

Andrew T Posted 14 years ago

It is hard to tell but it seems like he might be noting where the second bounce is on the side line.  In the first serve you are talking about the ball stays in the  third of the table closest to the net and in the 1/2 serve it might bounce halfway down the line.  I am not really sure, but that is what it appeared to me.


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