Timo Boll's Reverse Pendulum Side Spin Serve

Table Tennis Serving

Last updated 10 years ago

Abhinav Upadhyay

Abhinav Upadhyay Asked 10 years ago

Hi Alois,

I used to think that the reverse pendulam side spin serve can spin only one way, which is the opposite direction of the normal pendulam side spin serve. But if I am not mistaken, in this video you can see Timo doing the reverse pendulam side spin serve and and he is able to spin it either way.

The first variation at about 0:46 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u5_QnsIaZI#t=46

The second variation at 1:01 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u5_QnsIaZI#t=61

The bat swing looks similar to me in both the cases, what is different?


Alois Rosario

Alois Rosario Answered 10 years ago

Hi Abhinav,

They are both swinging the same way.  The second one is harder to see the ball turning because it is faster but it is still moving the same way.  The second one he hits a little flatter.


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Thoughts on this question

Abhinav Upadhyay

Abhinav Upadhyay Posted 10 years ago

Hi Alois,

I feel the first serve kind of goes straight, even though he has made a brushing contact (probably it is more back spin than side spin). The second serve is fast but small amount of side spin is visible which brings the ball in towards the body of the receiver.


Alois Rosario

Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 10 years ago

They are both spinning the same way.  The first one you can’t see the ball turn because the returner hits the ball early.


Abhinav Upadhyay

Abhinav Upadhyay Posted 10 years ago

Ah right 



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