Different Spins on Serves

JinMeng Lai Asked 13 years ago

Hi, I have difficulty in understanding the incoporation of putting 2 spins on serves. Meaning a combination of topsin-sidespin etc. The following questions are as follows:

 1) For the backhand serve, it is rather easy to comprehend how to do a backspin-sidespin serve as we slice the ball underneath, and have a sideways motion. However, how do we actually do the topspin-sidespin serve? From what I understand, topspin is when you brush the bat forward. Do we then serve with a bat angle and action which is similar to performing normal backhand strokes? Another way i could phrase my question is, for a sidespin serve, and a sidespin-topspin serve, what are the action differences to differentiate both serves?

2) Having tried the "paul garrell" serve, I have a only succeeded in putting sidespin but no backspin (rather anti-spin or topspin since my opponent can topspin it rather easily). For a better understanding, for serves with 2 spins, is a "one after another process" or the incoporation of both spins occur "at the same time"? Many thanks.

Alois Rosario Answered 13 years ago

Hi JinMeng,

You can also get topspin by brushing up the back of the ball.  This is tricky to get the idea of but once you do it is an effective serve.

You can only hit the ball once so you have to impart both the spins at the same time.  If you think of the ball like a clock, if you hit the ball at 12 o'clock, you will get pure topspin.  If you hit it at 6 o'clock then you get backspin.  If you hit it at 3 or 9 o'clock you will get sidespin.  So then if you hit it between 12 and 3 you will get topspin and sidespin and between 3 and 6 you will get sidespin and backspin.

Give it a try and see if you get the feel for it.