Hidden strokes
Serving
Andre Panesa Asked 10 years ago
I've been think about this for a while now, why don't people hide their strokes, like their serves back in the day? I know it would be hard to master but adding side spin slightly to a topspin ball for example can really make the difference in my experiences. Thanks in advance :)
Alois Rosario Answered 10 years ago
Hi Andre,
The rule has changed so that you aren’t allowed to hide the contact on the serve now. The receiver has to be able to see the ball all the way from the time the ball is thrown up.
Recommended Video
The Kicker Serve
The kicker serve is one of our "must learn" serves. It's fast, fun, and has lots of topspin. It can be dangerous because if it's not fast enough and if you don't surprise your opponent then they may be able to attack it forcefully putting you on the defensive straight away. Used well though, and sparingly, it can be a great weapon. It can win you a point outright and it will stop your opponent from standing over the table waiting for your short serves since they need to be ready for anything.
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Andre Panesa Posted 10 years ago
I mean like mid-rally. For example, there's a topspin vs topspin battle going on and one player sticks out an arm and puts a small bit of side spin. Why don't people do that?
Ah, difficult to do I think, stay balanced with the arm in the way and then get the arm out of the way in time while playing such fast strokes.
Dieter Verhofstadt Posted 10 years ago
There are several techniques to fool the opponent. I think one of them might involve side spin:
When you have some time before the shot, you make the full topspin stroke swing and then at the very end open up the bat and swing through so as to generate reverse spin. Usually the ball will also end up in a different place, for a right hander that would be the corner down the line instead of the diagonally opposed corner.
The best technique I know for confusing the opponent with spin mid rally is to make a no spin push in the middle of a backspin pushing rally. At the higher levels this will only rarely occur (although I have noticed a revival of the pushing rally among the top players because they want to give away the open-up initiative and attack the slow topspin instead). At our level, there is a bit of pushing before someone decides to open up, usually when there's time to pivot (few people master the backhand open up). If you throw in a no spin push that has the looks of a backspin push, the opponent might return high.
Similarly I know players who execute a topspin stroke swing, only at contact point they manage to not brush the ball but hit it flat. This will prompt the opponent to close the bat for blocking and then hit into the net. I haven't tried this one because I don't see the point of squeezing in a risky trick shot when I have the opportunity to loop.
Alois, correct me if I'm missing the point.