Backspin serve

Hi Alois/Jeff,

I don't see most good international players do a short backspin serve frequently, typically they do a sidespin short (pendulum/reverse pendulum) serve. Why is that ? Asking because opponent players now a days r using backhand topspin (eg, Zhang Jike/Fan zhedong) to return the ball even if the serve is on their forehand side.

Hi Anoop,

They still have backspin with the sidespin on their serve sometimes.  I think because the better opponents are able to flick everything, they don’t worry so much about the heavier backspin and then know that if they do try to push the ball will come high to them off the sidespin or sidespin topspin serves.  If they serve with more topspin then they know the response they are going to get.