Lefty service return
Receiving
Shripathi ramakrishnan Asked 13 years ago
hi Alois and Jeff!
i just completed my final term exams and am getting down to some serious tabletennis!
i just wanted to know how to return a lefty's long serve (similar to he zhe wens) to my forehand corner or wide forehand ... the sidespin makes it difficult too get back on the table and the speed too. how do i return such a serve?
thanks!
Alois Rosario Answered 12 years ago
Hi Shripathi,
I hope the exams went well.
To return that wide swinging serve you need to get good position first. Move across and forward. To make the stroke you need to allow for the sidespin. So bend your wrist back a little to do this. Make a topspin stroke and really push into the contact to counter the sidespin on the ball.
You can either go wide back across court or play the ball down the line. The cross court shot is probably easier. You need to go quite wide otherwise they will be able to out position you on your backhand side on the next ball.
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Alois explains the key principles of returning serve. He covers topics such as using your bat like a rudder and how a serve can only have one type of spin
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Shripathi ramakrishnan Posted 12 years ago
thank you premium members and thank you alois and jeff!
It just means that if the ball is going out wide you need to use your footwork to move into position. If you don't get into a good position you have to reach much more for the ball and it is a much harder stroke to play.
Collin Hill Posted 12 years ago
I have a question, why do you always stand in your backhand corner when doing the pendlulum serve Alois? Why not the other corner? Is there a purpose for this? Thanks
If you are in the forehand corner you will leave your backhand side exposed. When standing in the backhand corner your follow through allows you to get to your ready position quickly. My right foot (right handers left foot) is close to where it needs to be already. Then it is just a matter of stepping my left foot across into position and I am ready for the next ball.