Topspinning long fast serve with heavy backspin

Abhinav Upadhyay Asked 10 years ago

Hi Alois,

I have been playing against a new player who serves really heavy backspin balls and they are quite long as well. The amount of spin is so much that after the ball lands on the floor it starts going backwards. I have been trying to topspin it but sometimes I am missing the ball completely because the ball slows down so much after it lands on my side that I am almost through my shot by that time, and sometimes when I am managing to connect it, it is still not clearing the net. 

I have never faced such heavy backspin where my timing of the shot goes wrong. What is the adjustment that I should make, because he can also vary the amount of backspin where the ball doesn't slow down that much?

Alois Rosario Answered 10 years ago

Hi Abhinav,

This can be a difficult serve but it is great that you have someone that is able to serve like this so you can improve this area.  It is good that you are trying to topspin this ball all the time because it is long.

If there is a lot of backspin, make your stroke more vertical while still brushing the ball on contact.  This will help to lift the ball over the net.  Also stay a little closer to the table as the ball will not come through as far because of the backspin.

Try to play against this often and you will start to get the feel for it.