Serve selection after let

Ji-Soo Woo Asked 11 years ago

When elite players serve a let, do they normally serve the same serve again - because there was obviously a reason to serve that serve that fitted with their gameplan - or do they change their serve because the receiver had a chance to see that serve and perhaps have an idea about the spin from the way the ball reacted off the let? And how about a situation (as sometimes happens to me, as I'm sure with others) where you found yourself serving 4-5 lets in a row? Are the elite players constantly changing their serve each time?

Alois Rosario Answered 11 years ago

Hi Ji-Soo,

I think this depends on the situation. I would tend to serve the same serve because I know what I wanted back and would feel that I wanted to get that same return. However you may change the position slightly or the spin slightly. You need to read what your opponent's feeling as well. If you feel confident in your serve and serving then I would say, stick with it.

If there were 2 or 3 lets I may change in that case.

I would be interested in other players opinions.

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Mark van Vugt Posted 11 years ago

I always look at my opponent and if i know that he has trouble wit that serve ill do it again but when i think something else seems better ill use that. Ofcourse if this wouth happen more on the same day i mix things up so the one time ill repeat the other time i mix things up

Jonathan Huynh Posted 11 years ago

i sometimes do aa combination of serves. Eg, tomahamk, no spin short, tomahamk, backspin, etc.

Arjun Patel Posted 11 years ago

for me the opponents facial expression gives it all. Mention able point, sometimes the intense concentration can be shattered by surprise if you try doing the same action but directing it in the different direction or otherwise faking the same serve with a different one, and they end up jumping from there position making a sloppy return or sometimes a close touch to the edge.

Surapun Wongopasi Posted 11 years ago

In my opinion, if I just served a surprise, for example, a fast backspin serve to the other corner of the table and it was a let, I would definitely change my serve because the opponent was already aware of it. But if I just served one of my normal serves, I would either vary the spin or the placement with roughly the same serving motion to trick the opponent.

Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 11 years ago

Thanks guys. They are all good thoughts.