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Execute topspin pendulum serve

Serving

Aaron Lin
Aaron Lin Asked 9 years ago

I looked at the video tutorials online saying how to do this standard topspin (top/sidespin) pendulum. And they usually say to contact the ball at the middle-back at the 9 oclock position. But from what they show, the contact is quite flat like a flat hit, so i am not sure how hitting the ball at the middle back WITH A FLAT CONTACT will generate the topspin? 

Furthermore i've heard people say to come upwards on the back of the ball, but when i see the serve in practice it seems like a very flat hit on the back of the ball, and i don't see them coming upwards

For example backspin, I can understand the idea, since you make a whip like action with lots of wrist, contacting at the bottom in order to get it to spinning a lot, so isn't the ideal point of contact on the top of the ball and going forwards?

Alois Rosario
Member Badge Alois Rosario Answered 9 years ago

Hi Aaron,

You don't need to brush up the back of the ball much to get the topspin.  Just a little upward movement will add to the topspin on the ball.  The ball will already want to rotate forwards anyway with a flat serve so a small upward movement will generate topspin.

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Thoughts on this question (1)

Jean Balthazar

Jean Balthazar Posted 9 years ago

When the ball falls down onto a grippy rubber, it "stumbles" on it and alone already generates topspin. So if you throw the ball high enough, just letting it fall on a static bat would generate good topspin.

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