Manipulating Spin on your push

Samuel Smith Prefer Not Say Asked 1 week ago

Hi, Thank you for answering my previous question. I have one more question today. Let's say my opponent gave me a backspin serve. Now according to me, the ideal way to return it is a push. Now when my opponent gave a backspin serve and I returned it with a push, did it negate the spin on the ball and make it a no spin ball? Look at the perspective of both the players. From my perspective, when my opponent serves a pure backspin serve, (brushing the ball with a 120 degrees angle if looked from the perspective of the umpire who I think sits at the side where the net of the table ends), the ball is rotating from bottom to the top. Now, the ideal way to return this serve is to do a push, (brushing the ball with a 60 degrees angle if looked from the perspective of the umpire). Wouldn't this just make the ball a no spin ball? According to me, it do make the ball a backspin ball but the players keep on chopping and chopping like the spin on the ball never negates and become nil. 

Alois Rosario Answered 1 week ago

Hi Samuel,

Let's break this down from both players' perspectives.

1. Understanding the Spin

• When your opponent serves with pure backspin, the ball is rotating backward (bottom-to-top from their perspective).

• When you push the ball back, you also brush the ball in a similar direction (bottom-to-top from your perspective), reinforcing the backspin.

2. Does a Push Negate the Spin?

• No, a push does not negate the spin.

• The grip of the rubber actually gets the ball spinning in the opposite direction Instead, when you push against a backspin ball.

• This is why, in long push exchanges, the ball keeps carrying backspin rather than turning into a no-spin ball.

3. When Does Spin Get Neutralised?

• If you completely match the spin with an exactly equal and opposite force, you might reduce or cancel out some spin.

• However, this is difficult in real play because every touch slightly modifies the spin.

• If you softly touch or "dead push" the ball without much brushing, you can reduce the spin, but this requires precise control.

4. Alternative Ways to Change the Spin

• Lifting or looping the backspin ball reverses the spin into topspin.

• A flat contact (no brushing) can reduce spin and create a no-spin return.

Conclusion

In typical push rallies, the backspin does not "disappear" but continues with each stroke. If you want a no spin ball, you’d need to adjust your contact to make it more of a "dead" push rather than a regular one.