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Getting more spin on short serves

Serving

martin k
martin k Asked 8 years ago

I have an issue with getting more spin on my serves. I do manage to serve short with the ball bouncing twice, or even low. There is some spin on the ball, even decent spin sometimes, but often imho not enough. My goal is to make the ball stop on the receiving half, and make the ball spin back towards the net. Currently I struggle with making the ball stop on the table.

I am a right hander and use the pendulum serve. I modify it a bit for backspin. Right now I even use the wrist as much as I can. So much that the handle hits my forearm on the action, even hurts a bit. This however does not help too much with getting more spin.

I try to get an even finer contact, but not sure if this is the way to go? When it gets very fine, I feel like the racket is "passing" under the ball without gaining more spin :(

Alois Rosario
Member Badge Alois Rosario Answered 8 years ago

Hi Martin,

Focus on the angle of your racket.  Tilt your racket back more and more.  Often players feel like they are tilting their racket back but in fact as they approach the ball their angle flattens out.  It is a good idea to video your serve, even on your phone and then take a look at the angle at the point of impact.

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martin k

martin k Posted 8 years ago

Excellent, I will of course try this and make a video. Thanks. Another tip I noticed is to actually slow down even more. I think there is a fine line between adding more spin and getting an effect from it on the table. I think if the speed crosses this fine line, then the spin does not have enough effect anymore. But I guess my first issue is the one to focus on.

Alois Rosario

Member Badge Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 8 years ago

As long as you are spinning the ball, even if it is faster the spin will have effect when it hits your opponents racket.. even if it doesn't spin back on the table.

martin k

martin k Posted 8 years ago

Ah, got it a little wrong then ;) Maybe not too much to worry about even if the ball does not spin back on the table when practising. Maybe I should rather mark some balls with a marker and watch how it goes.

Alois Rosario

Member Badge Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 8 years ago Latest

If there is nobody returning the ball may go onto the floor before it spins back but it should still spin back eventually, even if not on the table.

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