Werner Schlager's Serve
Serving
Cloud Cledera Asked 13 years ago
Hi Alois and Jeff,
I am fascinated with Werner Schlager's simple yet lethal and fast serve. How do you execute it?
Alois Rosario Answered 13 years ago
Hi Cloud,
He is a master of making things simple. You will notice that he has similar starts to his serves with a lot of variation. This helps to make the serve so effective.
The fast serve he contacts the ball faster and flatter to get the ball travelling faster.
One of the best ways to learn a serve like this is to watch him serve many times. You will start to get the images in your head of the serve which will help.
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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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Cloud Cledera Posted 13 years ago
Perhaps, I'll make things a little more specific. Remember one of the high toss serves and eventually ending into a fast pendulum serve that you did in the London Olympics videos? Something like that, the high toss.
Hi Cloud,
To do this well you let the ball drop to about 20cm above the table surface. Then you swing through really fast and brush the side of the ball. The speed of contact will get the speed. The brushing on the side will get the ball to curve. You can use your wrist in this serve as well to add some speed to the contact.