Doubles serving in competition
Strategy
John cena Asked 8 years ago
Hello, I would like to know why serving in doubles is so much less dynamic than in singles. For example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRo_9cIPR1M. In this match you can see ma/fan/zhang using only backspin serves with little to no deceptibility. Xu xin is the only one utilising his standard serves. Then there's the rare occasion where Ma long uses a backhand serve at 0:51. So what is the reason for using a much weaker and easy to read serve when they can comfortably use their normal serves to win the point. I don't suspect accuracy to be the issue as I would expect the top four in the world to be able to control their serves to land wherever they want it to. Thank you!
Alois Rosario Answered 8 years ago
Hi John,
In doubles because your partner needs to deal with the 3rd ball they make the serve usually straight backspin to make the next ball simpler. Also they focus mainly on keeping the ball short and low to near the centre line a lot in doubles to stop the receiver making an attack. Since the receiver only has half a table to deal with they can be ready for anything that is longer or higher.
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D K Posted 8 years ago
Speaking of serving in doubles,what serves does that Chinese player (Guoliang presumably?) in this video around 4:40
How can I execute such serves?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI9icrKY3Sc&nohtml5=False
Because I usually use either long fast backhand serve or "Behind myself pendulum" which are very inconvenient if my opponent can read spin well.
It looks like a little Punch serve because the serve swings from right to left.