Returning short sidespin serves

Ardak . Asked 3 months ago

Hi, coach!

It is about pendulum amd reverse pendulum. If it is little higher to my FH side serve, then I can loop it. But if it is very low, then I try to push it short, but it is still enough for the opponent to do powerfull loops. Sometimes their serve has sidespin+backspin, but my push is still not short. What do you suggest?

The serve is very low, so I think FH flick looks impossible. During push I tried to soften wrist/hand as mush as possible, but still... . There are very much spin.

Maybe I need to do less contact the ball to decrease effect of incoming crazy spin, but how?

Alois Rosario Answered 3 months ago

Hi Ardak,

Dealing with low short sidespin serves, especially those that mix in backspin, can indeed be quite challenging. It's great you're thinking about pushing short, as it's a key skill for neutralising your opponent's ability to attack. Here are a few tips to refine your push and make it more effective:

1. Use a Soft Touch: When handling short serves, use a softer touch. This means you don’t swing your paddle too hard or too fast. Reducing the speed at which you contact the ball allows you to absorb some of the energy and take control of the placement while keeping the ball short.

2. Angle Your Paddle Appropriately: The sidespin on the ball will cause it to kick out to the side upon contacting your paddle. Consider angling your paddle slightly to counteract this spin. For example, if the spin is pulling the ball to your right, angle your paddle to the left to guide the ball more centrally.

3. Focus on Ball Contact: When pushing, make sure to strike the ball low and close to the net. You'll want to hit the ball just after it starts descending after the bounce to help keep it low. Make contact underneath and in the middle of the ball to minimize the effect of the sidespin and add a bit of backspin yourself. This helps in making the return low and short.

4. Practicing Touch and Feel: To improve your ability to handle such serves, spend more time practicing your touch shots. Drills that involve pushing short repeatedly or exercises involving receiving varying spins close to the net will help a lot.

5. Watch and Adapt: Focus on reading the spin and speed as soon as the ball leaves your opponent’s paddle. This quick analysis can better prepare you to adjust your racket angle and the force of your stroke.

6. Serve Return Position: Consider your stance and position at the table when returning serves. Standing slightly closer to the table might help you address the ball earlier, giving you more control over your push. Improving your short game, particularly against spin-heavy serves, takes practice and patience. So the more you get used to these kinds of serves in practice, the more confident you’ll become in matches. Keep experimenting with your returns in training and try these tips to develop a more robust response to those tricky serves.