Good Serve Etiquette

Thomas Kunzfeld Asked 10 years ago

Hi Alois,

the first serve that I´m now practicing seriously is the pendulum backspin serve.

It happens quite often that the ball lands softly exactly JUST behind the net.

Recently I played with someone with a whole life of playing experience and this serve won me some points, and he criticized this serve and the points won by it.

Until now I thought: If a serve wins you a point it´s a good serve.

Now I wonder whether there is a kind of unwritten rule that you are not supposed to serve like this.

What do you think?

Alois Rosario Answered 10 years ago

Hi Thomas,

This is a good serve and there is no such etiquette.  If the serve troubles you opponent and it complies with the rules of the game then it is good.

Often players get grumpy if they face a serve they can’t return.