How to Execute the Ma Lin Serve

Serving

Gaurav Simha
Gaurav Simha Asked 13 years ago

In a video, Ma Lin is shown practicing a serve in which the ball rolls back towards the net after delivering a pendulum serve. I've been trying to execute this serve for a very long time, but it never rolls back. So can somebody please help me ? I really wanna learn this..


Alois Rosario
Member Badge Alois Rosario Answered 13 years ago

Hi Gaurav,

The idea is to have a lot of backspin and not much forward momentum on the ball.

The brushing action should be right under the ball and even coming under and up the front face of the ball a little. 

You can practice getting the contact correct away from the table.  Just find a piece of floor and see if you can get the ball to come back to you on the floor.  Once you feel comfortable doing this then you can step up to the table and give it a try.

Here are two videos to help you:

Ma Lin Ghost Serve

Ma Lin Ghost Serve Bat Angle


Recommended Video

Table Tennis Video Tutorial

Serving Secrets Introduction

A brief overview of what we'll cover in Serving Secrets series

Watch Now

Thoughts on this question


Gaurav Simha

Gaurav Simha Posted 13 years ago

thank you !

Jeff Plumb

Member Badge Jeff Plumb from PingSkills Posted 13 years ago
Here is the video the question talks about.


Ian Costello

Ian Costello Posted 13 years ago

Hi,

When I toss the ball high @ hit the ball, the ball soars over the net @ never hits my side of the table,@ the serve tends to not have enough spin.

Please help!                                          @THX 


Oliver

Oliver Posted 13 years ago

Whenever I do it, it seems to go high. Although it does spin back I still have a feeling someone will smash it back someday. Is there somethin u can do to help?


Alois Rosario

Member Badge Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 13 years ago

Use a string across the top of the net, about 10 cm above it and aim to get the serve below the string.  Take a look at the lesson on Keeping The Ball Low


YK Wong

YK Wong Posted 13 years ago

Thanks a lot for clear explanation & demonstration! Let's keep practising!

Chris McDade

Chris McDade Posted 13 years ago

This is a very nice demonstration of a heavy back-spin serve. It is a great opportunity to employ the "third-ball attack." That is, a serve with a great deal of back-spin will often produce a "chop return" or push by your opponent. This allows you to loop your third ball for an aggressive attack. However, it may be difficult to disguise your serve. This requires some practice and deft serving skills. Nevertheless, it is a great technique to learn and acquire in your service repertoire.

andrew brand

andrew brand Posted 13 years ago

Alois, ive been having a go at this serve today, i find the only way i can get the ball coming back is by using a very compact stroke, mainly wrist and a bit of forearm. when i try to rip into it with more arm i cant keep it low.

Claus Hamacher

Claus Hamacher Posted 13 years ago

The execution is perfectly visible. Nothing is blocked.

AbdurRehman Malik

AbdurRehman Malik Posted 13 years ago

Hi! 

I'd like to thank you guys... you realy help me out a lot. thisvideo of yours is the most helpful for learning the ma lin serve  i've found on the net cause it gives very clear instructions ....thnx a lot


Varun Chaturvedi

Varun Chaturvedi Posted 12 years ago

At what point of the i should make the contact of the ball?

 


Justin O'Toole

Justin O'Toole Posted 12 years ago

This serve is very deadly when used correctly but very hard to do. I can get the ball to backspin and go sideways 70% of the time, but not to come back as yet. This is because this serve is very hard to do. My advice to others trying this serve is watch video clips on this serve over and over. Also watch clips of the master Ma lin doing the seve over and over. If you have a coach practice with him too.

Then practice this shot 24/7 untill you feel comfortable enough to do it in practice sessions-games. Then use it in matches only when you feel confident-comfortable enough to use it in a match. Here is a train of thought the great golfer Nick Faldo said when making a golf swing change practice 24/7 and don't go in any major golf comps for a while.

The reason for this is when you feel uncomfortable with theese changes you will play poorly at first and this will demorilise you mentaly because you don't see the results at first. So i think this is good advice for table tennis too. Check with Jeff and Alois on this matter see what they think, there the pros not me. For me though i my coments are good advice. For me anyway and maybe it will work for you too.

 


Esteban Mendez

Esteban Mendez Posted 11 years ago

When I try this, the ball keeps drifting off to the side. sometimes, it comes back to me but mostly it comes back sideways. Why is this?


Danish Ali

Danish Ali Posted 11 years ago

Hi Alois when i try to do "malin serve"it dosent hits my opponents side it returns to me after hitting my side of table...please help me


DHS Lover

DHS Lover Posted 11 years ago

This serve is the most difficult serve for me to execute it

Sam Evans

Sam Evans Posted 11 years ago

Hi Alois

I was just wondering how effective this serve is in a match as I still cannot consistantly perform the serve with a small amount of spin, let alone to the extent of spin that you can. I need a lot of practice, so I was wondering if that serve is worth the practice time that could  be used developing other areas of my game?


Tmoney Tlarz09

Tmoney Tlarz09 Posted 11 years ago

Hey is there a correct technique when using the pendulum serve and hit the opposite corner of the table on the opponents side closes to you while adding side spin and bouncing directly away from the table making your opponent have to go to the side of the table to return it sorry if this question is hard to understand. Thanks 


atharva sakharkar

atharva sakharkar Posted 11 years ago

Hi alois I can get the spin back on the ground bt when I try on the table the ball doesn't go above the table it just remains very low nd hits the net pls help me


gabe yap

gabe yap Posted 11 years ago

Dear Pingskills,

where is your table tennis club. Is there any chance I can join.

 


sami feras

sami feras Posted 11 years ago

do you need to throw the ball high


Ayesha Noon

Ayesha Noon Posted 10 years ago

This video actually helped me with the regular backspin serve.

Thanks! ;-)


izz izz

izz izz Posted 10 years ago

I tried to do it many times but i can't do it


Ashish Desai

Ashish Desai Posted 10 years ago

I tried to do the back spin too I can't do it


D K

D K Posted 9 years ago

This is one of the most difficult serves I have ever seen.

I have tried it countless times,but the ball is spinless and low,or has a chop like hell on it,but is high enough even for me to smash it.

But when I practise it out of the tabel,it is quite succesful: it does not bounce so much and returns to me even on the carpet.

But when I try it at the table,it simply does not work


Nigel Fewster

Nigel Fewster Posted 9 years ago

D K try videoing yourself doing the serve or get some one to do it then play it back and compare it with Alois's video, you should be able to see a difference and that is the bit you need to correct.


Ilia Minkin

Ilia Minkin Posted 9 years ago

It is hard to see on the video, but is the bat actually moving slightly upwards? When I brush the ball really upwards, I can make to to stop still on the table, but can't make it come back :(


Romeo Chua

Romeo Chua Posted 9 years ago

Ma Lin has excellent touch, that is why he is able to put enough spin on the ball to make it bounce back to him despite his forward momentum


Gary List

Gary List Posted 8 years ago

I'd love to learn this little number. I've tried but it's tricky. I find I make many mistakes, so refrain from. Using it. Practice practice practice me thinks!!!


Rafael Paynor

Rafael Paynor Posted 8 years ago

Alois Rosario how can I do the Ma Lin's serve?


Justin Dean

Justin Dean Posted 8 years ago

Another great video ! 


Halina Kaman

Member Badge Halina Kaman Posted 7 years ago

I find it great ! Perfect explanation! I will try to  practice this serve too...

Thanks Alois


Anthony Portillo

Anthony Portillo Posted 7 years ago

I'll try to practice and master this serve...

Thank you Alois,


toby kim

toby kim Posted 4 years ago

Thanks for the video, the ball now comes back to the net faster than when Ma Lin did it.


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