Good Serve Etiquette
Serving
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.
Recommended Video
5 Essential Serve Strategies in Table Tennis
Serving in table tennis is about much more than just getting the ball into play; it's about setting the pace, controlling the game, and exploiting your opponent's weaknesses from the very first touch. In This Video, You'll Discover:
- The Danger Zone: Learn why serving to your opponent’s comfort zone is a mistake and where you should aim instead.
- Wide Serves: Understand the tactical advantage of serving wide and how it can open up the table for your next shot.
- Targeting Weaknesses: Tips on identifying and exploiting your opponent's weaker side with precision serves.
- Varying Your Serve Position: The benefits of serving from different positions and how it can confuse and unbalance your opponent.
- The Crossover Point: How to target the elusive crossover point (the transition between forehand and backhand) to force errors or weak returns.
Watch Now
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Thomas Kunzfeld Posted 10 years ago
Thank you - that´s helpful :-)