Returning sidespin backspin

Receiving

Fabian Duhani
Fabian Duhani Asked 12 years ago

How do I return short serves with alot of sidespin/backspin.


Alois Rosario
Member Badge Alois Rosario Answered 12 years ago

Hi Fabian,

The bets stroke to do is the push because of the backspin.  Open the angle of your bat to allow for the backspin on the ball.  You then also need to allow for the sidespin by facing the bat in the right direction either to the left or the right.  If the ball is spinning off your racket to the right then you need to face your bat more to the left and vice versa.

Often returning these sorts of serves come down to a little bit of trial and error because of the variation in the amount of spin they can put on the ball.

We also have a Course on Receiving Secrets which will show you the basics principles of how to deal with all sorts of spins.


Recommended Video

How to Return Spin Serves in Table Tennis (and Stop Misreading Them!)

Struggling to return spin serves? You're not alone! In this video, we break down how to read spin, adjust your bat angle, and return serves effectively—so you stop giving away easy points.

What You'll Learn:

🔹 Skill Breakdown: How to identify different types of spin and adjust your return technique.
🔹 Common Mistakes: The biggest errors players make when returning spin serves—and how to fix them fast!
🔹 Viewer Q&A: Answering your top questions about handling tricky spin serves.
🔹 Train Smarter: Drills to help you practice and improve your serve returns.

Mastering serve returns is one of the fastest ways to level up your table tennis game. Try these tips and let us know in the comments: What’s the toughest spin serve you face?

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