Wang Hao's pickaxe serve
Serving
Dieter Verhofstadt Asked 10 years ago
In our club I see a few players serving with a "pick axe" motion. I got the term from the French, who call it "service pioche". It's a shakehand version of Wang Hao's service. I don't understand why even a professional is serving this way, because there seems to be hardly any wrist action, while I have always learnt that wrist action is vital for spinny serves. I must admit that they are sometimes hard to read though.
So my question: does Wang Hao's serve have wrist action and if not why is it a good serve?
Alois Rosario Answered 10 years ago
Hi Dieter,
We also call this the Tomahawk serve. His serve does have some wrist action, but the main advantage of the serve, is that it is different and also as you said, you can make subtle changes of spin that can be difficult for your opponent.
One other thing is that it is often a slower serve so your opponent doesn’t have the speed to work with on the return and has to generate the speed themselves.
We have a lesson on the Tomahawk Serve in our Serving Secrets section.
Recommended Video
The Kicker Serve
The kicker serve is one of our "must learn" serves. It's fast, fun, and has lots of topspin. It can be dangerous because if it's not fast enough and if you don't surprise your opponent then they may be able to attack it forcefully putting you on the defensive straight away. Used well though, and sparingly, it can be a great weapon. It can win you a point outright and it will stop your opponent from standing over the table waiting for your short serves since they need to be ready for anything.
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Dieter Verhofstadt Posted 10 years ago
Thanks Alois for the answer. I wouldn't have called it a Tomahawk (the French call it a "service marteau" or "hammer serve") which indeed you could also see as a pickaxe motion, but in my perception what Wang Hao does is different from what e.g. Kenta Matsudaira does, which is the real Tomahawk.
Wang Hao comes in with his blade as an extension of the forearm and brushes the ball along the curve of his forearm. So his whole arm is functioning as the pickaxe's blade. With the Tomahawk, the arm is rather functioning as the steel.
Anyway I think you answered the reasons why it is used: it is slower and more concealed.
Can you send me a link of him doing the serve you are taking about.