Victim of my own sidespin serves

thijs gruwez Asked 11 years ago

A lot of people (at the level I am currently am playing) are complaining about my serves. And I have to be honest; in some matches, I win a lot of points with them and it causes frustration with my opponents. But why should I change this, if I'm winning?

The only problem for me is that most of my serves contain an amount of sidespin and when the opponent has found an answer to return it, I'm in trouble because all the sidespin I put into the serve is coming back at me and it's a big risk for me to hit it. hitting in the net or over the table and even hitting next to the ball. Especially if it is pushed or chopped back.

an example:

The pendulum side/topsin to the opponents backhand (if you think about two right handed players), is sometimes coming back to me a lot of the times at my backhand with lots and lots of back/sidespin so I push the ball with the backhand compensating with my wrist. This because the ball only wants to go into the right side of the net. And then it still goes short over the net on the opponents side. Could I push it with the forehand side even though I'm on the left side of the table? Or should I try something else.

Or should I stop serving with sidespin as it can make life more difficult than it sometimes should?

Alois Rosario Answered 11 years ago

Hi Thijs,

This is something that you need to practice and get used to.  Keep using your serve.

Practicing involves dong a lot of 3rd ball drills so that you get used to the flight of the ball when your opponent returns it.  The ball will break a little sideways.  It is a matter of seeing this enough to be able to adjust to it naturally.

For Premium members we have this lesson as par tot our Master Classes on Third Ball Tips that will show you what you need to consider.