Dealing with fast surprise serve
Receiving
Rodrigo Aromas Asked 5 years ago
Alois,
I have problem with fast surprise serves. Usually it happens when I play against better player than me. I always watch his paddle when it hits the ball and keep track of it. He serves either forehand or reverse pendulum. The ball goes right corner or left corner.
Thank you in advance,
Rodrigo
Alois Rosario Answered 5 years ago
Hi Rodrigo,
The main thing is watching the ball as soon as it leaves your opponent's hand. The earlier you start tracking the ball the better.
The more you receive these serves the better you will get at reading the direction.
Recommended Video
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.
Watch NowThoughts on this question
Become a free member to post a comment about this question.
Kevin James Posted 5 years ago
The surprise serve is usually a hit and miss. Don't premeditate and stay in your comfortable position and watch the complete ball follow up. With practice you would get better in handling such serves.
Frank Lucas Posted 5 years ago
I'd also recommend stepping a little away from the table when you return serves, if they serve deep and fast, that half step will buy you a little more space and time.