Unpredictable serves to the backhand

Chris Chin Asked 10 years ago

My friend is much higher rated than me and often coaches me. When we play matches he'll sometimes throw in a dead ball or sometimes a heavy side top spin serve fast into my backhand corner. And because I stand in backhand corner to receive I end up just trying to block it because of the speed but if its a dead ball it goes into the net and if it's the side top spin it goes out to the side. What can I do to try and practice to receive serves like this.

Alois Rosario Answered 10 years ago

Hi Chris,

Take a small step away from the table when you are receiving.  This will still allow you to reach the shorter serves and it will also allow you a little more time to see the faster serve coming.

For our Premium members we also have a video response to this, Long, fast serve with lot of back spin that should help.