Serving to gain advantage

Archis Athawale Asked 5 months ago

How can I serve short serve by which the return will come a little high and I can smash it?

Alois Rosario Answered 5 months ago

Hi Archis,

Serving short with the intention of getting a high return that you can smash is a smart strategy. Here are a few tips to make your serve more effective in achieving this:

One of the key elements is to use different types of spin. A backspin serve is very effective because if your opponent fails to angle their racket correctly, the ball tends to pop up. Experiment with varying the amount of backspin — sometimes a lighter spin can trick the opponent into overcompensating and a higher return.

Try to serve short to different locations on the table — aim for the crossover point (transition between backhand and forehand) of your opponent, as it can be a more challenging spot for them to return smoothly. Placing the serve right at the edge of the table can also increase the chance of a weaker return.

Keep your serve low over the net. The lower your serve, the harder it is for your opponent to generate lift without hitting it too high, which is exactly what you're looking for.