@pingskills - you just solved the biggest weakness in my game. All vids have amazing clarity of approach. Thanks a ton - trying to implement a lot of improvements in my game right now :)
@cjcarljordan The pendulum serve doesn't have to go to your backhand. That is the most popular place people serve to but they can serve down the line. You should then topspin it to wherever you get the biggest advantage. This depends on your opponent's strengths and weaknesses. As you topspin the ball you just need to allow for the sidespin. Same thing with the tomahawk. Your opponent can serve it to your forehand or backhand.
@prithwin You're welcome. If the ball has backspin on it as well, you will need to lift the ball a bit more with your topspin to counter the backspin. Your stroke will need to be a little more vertical, and make sure you have a good brushing action to generate your topspin. Good luck!
@TheTrueLPLM Good question. Sounds like another question for ask the coach. If it is short I would recommend using the flick for a sidespin serve. We have a video lesson about this on our website. We get a lot more room to answer questions on our website so if you want to discuss this in detail then head over to the PingSkills website and "Ask the Coach".
@MrLabtec74 With a bit of backspin or sidespin, I would recommend playing a topspin return. This gives you the most margin for error as the topspin will cause the ball to dip allowing you to hit it a little higher over the net. And a good topspin return is hard for the server to return.
Thanks for your thoughts. I actually think that if the ball does come very deep, it is helpful to move backwards a bit to get the ball right into your hitting zone.
For a short topspin serve you are best to use the flick stroke. We have a video on the forehand flick and the backhand flick. Visit our website and take a look under the "Strokes & Techniques" section under the Lessons tab.
still useful 12 years later and the first video I watched when searching "returning long sidespin serves" :) The ones I struggle with most are the ones into the crossover point (right handed pendulum serve that curves onto my backhand side), but think I just need to commit earlier to adjusting my feet and playing the backhand!
@MrKostaGi The backspin will cause the ball to drop down off your racket. Hence you will need to open up the angle of your bat to counter the spin. Take a look at the free lesson on our website about the backhand push. This is the stroke you can use to return the backspin serve.
@SSJ5VegetaV4 The trouble with pushing it back is that it allows your opponent to attack the next ball. If you topspin it, then you gain the initiative in the rally.
Just a comment from South Africa.. Thanks for this video, played a match last night, felt I was much better than my opponent but I lost the game.. Had major trouble with return of serve, he continuously played long serves to my backhand even curve away from my backhand but with minimal spin.. He varied the topspin and backspin well, I think I lost confidence in playing a proper backhand topspin.. This video has shown me that I had the right idea, just my execution was bad.. Thank you!
Jaco de Swardt You're welcome and yes you have the right idea. Just keep practicing :) In fact see if you can get a practice partner to serve this to you over and over. Good luck!
@jmontalban1967 Oh right. Now I understand what you mean. Yes you need to adjust for the spin. The actual action of brushing the ball with the topspin will negate some of the sidespin. Just adjust where you are aiming the ball. A good way to practice this is to get a good server to serve the same serve over and over again so you can get used to it.
Don't worry this is a common problem. It sounds like you might need to brush the ball some more. Take a look at our lesson on the backhand loop off backspin. You'll find it on our website. If after watching it you're still having some problems then "ask the coach".
Nice. I have also my advice. If i see that the ball has PURE sidespin i just use the same shot as if it's dead ball. You must just be aware that the ball curves. If it has left sidespin (goes left after contact with your bat but goes right after contact with table ) you should aim more to the right. It's easier than trying to change angle of your bat, like pro players do.
Returning serves is one of the hardest parts of table tennis so don't be too hard on yourself. You need to get as much experience you can playing against good servers. Really watch what happens to the ball after it hits your bat. Once you can start to tell the tytpe of spin you can counter it by angling your bat. We have lots of information on our website about this so take a look there for more information.
@pingskills Yeah, I meant if the serve is so short that you do not have any choice but to extend across the table, hindering upwards movement for a loop or whatever as you're at your full reach.
Thanks for the nice instructive video. I have problems with top-spin short surves, (that does not come to the end of the table. So I can not return them with top spin). How to return them? Or do you have any video regarding this? Thanks in advance.
@Reinhardt182 The best thing to do with a short sidespin serve it to flick it. We've got lessons on our website for both the backhand and forehand flick. Take a look at these and see if they help you out.
Yes you can play a topspin against a sidespin serve. If you are missing the ball to the side of the table then you need to adjust where you are aiming. It sounds like you nearly have this right.
I have read all the questions on your website about returning sidespin services and also on other forums,but i just dont understand something,so pretend someone does a pendelum sidespin to me,it should go to my back hand right (im right handed) if i were to just loop it back,should i aim at his backhand or his forehand (if he were a right handed player) and if he did a tomahawk to me (so it should go to my forehand right?) should i loop it to his backhand or to his forehand? thanks in advance!
Thank you very much for this video Jeff! Can you do a follow up on this with side/backspin and side/topspin? Of course, my first problem is spotting if it is side/top, side or side/backspin. One of my teachers suggested that if I am not sure to let the ball fall from its peak down a fair bit then hit a controlled topspin return. But it feels to me that if it is side/backspin versus side/topspin this is a pretty big difference. Lastly, once I learn to better identify which spin it is do I just drive forward with a more closed blade on topspin and drive upward commensurate with the volume of backspin that has been mixed with side? Super lastly, when these serves are low and short they are even a greater challenge for me to handle. What suggestion do you have here?
Great questions Steve. Letting the ball wait later as you mention is not great if you don't pick the spin at all. It may help if you are just not sure on the degree of spin and then can play a high safe forehand with lots of topspin. Once you can pick the spin then yes you adjust your stroke accordingly so you come over the topspin and lift the backspin balls as you suggested. It's great you've recognised how effective the low and short serves are. Now you should try and develop these serves yourself to give your opponent the same challenge! The key again is reading the spin. For the backspin short serves you can push the ball back short, and for the sidespin or topspin serves try to start with a flick. We have a whole course on Receiving on the PingSkills website. Here's one of the free videos from that course that you might like to watch - www.pingskills.com/table-tennis/receiving-secrets/understanding-spin/ Good luck!
how about when sidespin serve bounce high, a long curve and high. should i level the racket in my stomach? or i do the same as you did? thanks in advance.
Can you also make a video on returning a long sidespin or topsin serve on the forehand? It is often used as a surprise tactic by the pendulum servers and I make errors as I am not in a very good position to return it and tend to stretch my arm to reach the ball.. And it would also be great if you show how a short and heavy sidespin serve on the forehand can be handled. When I try to play a defensive push against this ball then it goes long and chopping this serve makes it too easy for the opponent to attack.
We have a whole course on receiving for our premium members on the PingSkills website. There are some free episodes there too so take a look and let me know if they help you out. For the short sidespin serve I'd recommend using the flick.
If the opponent has heavy sidespin serve--will heavy topspin return be enough to hit the ball on the opponents table? If i just do my normal topspin, will the ball curve to the right/left and miss the table? Thanks!
do you have any video about how to handle pressure during tournament?? play during tournament always make me lose my focus especially when i am losing...
@TheTrueLPLM Your english is very good. If it is flat it means it has no spin. You can flick a no spin ball, it just takes practice. We have a video lesson on the flick on our website. Take a look and let me know if it helps you out.
@pingskills Whenever my opponent serves to me with a sort of spin ( i don't really know what spin). I hit the ball but it just keeps bouncing off my bat into different directions and always goes out.
true...I play against a guy who serves a low deep back spinny ball. The push works and my paddle angle is almost flat. When it works, the ball goes back to him long and low.
So if the ball is pure side with no top or back spin, then your stroke should start from beneath the ball? Just like if it was backspin? This is the bit I'm unsure about. And what about the racket head, should it by fairly open or more closed?
Great question. If there is no backspin then you can close the racket more. You can still start from below the ball but make sure you get a brushing contact to generate your own topspin.
Question: Is this works on any sidespin (left to right or right to left side spin)? What if it's long sidespin serve to your forehand? Based on the video, I should do forehand loop?
I can receive any long serve with BH loop when playing doubles. It's not so easy when playing singles though as it requires much more footwork and finding a proper bat angle for a passive receive is more difficult to me 🤷♂️
It's great you can do this when playing doubles. This means you have the technique right. Now it's just a matter of more training to be able to do it in singles. Keep up the good work.
The best advice I can give is to get your left foot (since you are a leftie) right under the table so you can get really close to the ball. The closer you can get the more control you will have on the shot.
what if the same shot is to be played down the line with ball curving outside as normally people doing these services are standing at their backhands and can easily return the backhand topspin across the court rather than down the line. it become really difficult for me to play can you suggest me what i could have been doing wrong?
+Rehan Riaz I like the way you are thinking. The only difference is that you need to aim a bit wider. This is slightly more difficult due to the ball curving away but the principles are the same. Keep working on it.
Good question Ahad Merchant. The principles are the same even if the ball comes very deep, and also if it comes to your forehand. You need to ensure you move into a good position and then execute the stroke.
With short pips the spin will affect it less than normal rubber, so you can make a backhand return but adjust the bat angle to counter the spin. We have many videos on returning serve on the PingSkills website which will help you out.
how to analyze the opponents serve if it's a sidespin,underspin or top spin since most pro players vary their serve and very hard to determine its spin
Returning spin is one of the hardest parts of the game and does take a lot of practice. We have a course on returning serve on the PingSkills website for premium members. Take a look and see if it interests you. You can also see if you can get a good server to serve a lot to you. Get them to do exactly the same serve over and over and keep adjusting your return till you can get it back. Then get them to switch to a different serve. After you can get that back ask them to mix between the two. This is a good way to start to tell the difference between 2 serves. Good luck!
Great question. These days most penholders are playing the reverse penhold backhand. Search for PingSkills penhold technique for some more information on this stroke.
It sounds like you're saying that with a powerful enough topspin flick you can ignore the fact that the serve is sidespin (or even backspin), is that correct? If not, then how to deal with both types of sidespin please? (Penhold player myself.)
The sidespin is usually not a problem for the flick but the backspin is. If there is a lot of backspin and the ball is very low then it is hard to flick, especially fast. To cope with the sidespin you simply need to use your bat like a rudder and angle it so that the ball goes where you want it to go. I hope that helps. If you still have some questions then try out the ask the coach section of our website and Alois will give you more information. Cheers, Jeff.
this serve is killing me even after trying to apply the principles mentioned in this video, any way you can be more specific when speaking about the side spin like how exactly to counter it and which way the bat should be swung to counter it. i keep going off the side of the table to popping too high with no control
when i played with my coach in table tennis i lost because of the heavy sidespin ang placings, i lost in all sets(best of 5) because of the ball going to my left because of the spin and every time i am ready to return my serve and put an angle to my bat my coach serves it to the right then i will have the same problem because i am not ready to return it to the right side.
give more pure topspin.. rather than topspin and sidespin.. the side spin will take affect from his/her shot however if you ain in the middle should be ok
Sidespin is most useful on the serves. I think the points in this video are good for returning such serves. You can also add sidespin to your topspins and we have some videos on that too.
yes brush the ball more but use your legs a little more, especially heavy under spin..you need more than just your forearm but you need body and legs..
+vagner silva The best way is to use a shot called a block. You can find the backhand block and forehand block video on our RUclips channel and also on the PingSkills website under Table Tennis Lessons -> Strokes & Techniques. Watch these and let me know if they help.
why is it that no matter how heavy the spin is in the serve. The Chinese can topspin the ball as if there's no spin. Can you tell me what's their secret behind it?
Great question. I would suggest learning how to attack the backspin ball with a topspin stroke. Take a look at the PingSkills website for more advice about this. Good luck!
A good way is to use the "flick" stroke. We have tutorials on this on the PingSkills website. Watch those videos and let me know if you have any questions about it.
@YoSuaYoSaN ^^you don't undestand...my friend is able to serve a sidespin which is so flat you won't even think about flicking it ._. if i just push it back he's always able to attack my return even if I'm getting a strong backspin into it. ...I hope my English is not to horrible ;)... I'm German
Sorry to critique you but you can't do a right handed topspin backhand with any consistency against a good sidespin serve that is spinning clockwise. The balls you show coming to you here in this video, are not sidespins and if they are, they have very little side spin on them. The only way to get topspin on the ball is to side step it and hit it with your forehand while striking the ball as your racket is pointing down and accellerating through. If you hit a good sidespin serve with your backhand, 9 out of 10 times, it is in the net or you will shank it. What you should do is sidestep it and hit it with your forehand or use pimps on it with heavy back spin so your opponent doesn't gain an advantage... and hit it to their weak side. The problem is more apparent in singles than in doubles... as are most difficult serves. Of course you might get lucky and have a left hander serve you with a sidespin. In that case, you can use a backhand.
Thanks for your thoughts. The backhand is become much more proficient in table tennis and a lot of players are using it more and more for returning serves. You certainly can jump around and use a forehand if you have quick footwork but you can also use your backhand as we demonstrate. Regards, Jeff.
@pingskills - you just solved the biggest weakness in my game. All vids have amazing clarity of approach. Thanks a ton - trying to implement a lot of improvements in my game right now :)
@cjcarljordan The pendulum serve doesn't have to go to your backhand. That is the most popular place people serve to but they can serve down the line. You should then topspin it to wherever you get the biggest advantage. This depends on your opponent's strengths and weaknesses. As you topspin the ball you just need to allow for the sidespin. Same thing with the tomahawk. Your opponent can serve it to your forehand or backhand.
@prithwin You're welcome. If the ball has backspin on it as well, you will need to lift the ball a bit more with your topspin to counter the backspin. Your stroke will need to be a little more vertical, and make sure you have a good brushing action to generate your topspin.
Good luck!
@TheTrueLPLM Good question. Sounds like another question for ask the coach. If it is short I would recommend using the flick for a sidespin serve. We have a video lesson about this on our website.
We get a lot more room to answer questions on our website so if you want to discuss this in detail then head over to the PingSkills website and "Ask the Coach".
@MrLabtec74 With a bit of backspin or sidespin, I would recommend playing a topspin return. This gives you the most margin for error as the topspin will cause the ball to dip allowing you to hit it a little higher over the net. And a good topspin return is hard for the server to return.
Thanks for your thoughts. I actually think that if the ball does come very deep, it is helpful to move backwards a bit to get the ball right into your hitting zone.
For a short topspin serve you are best to use the flick stroke. We have a video on the forehand flick and the backhand flick. Visit our website and take a look under the "Strokes & Techniques" section under the Lessons tab.
still useful 12 years later and the first video I watched when searching "returning long sidespin serves" :)
The ones I struggle with most are the ones into the crossover point (right handed pendulum serve that curves onto my backhand side), but think I just need to commit earlier to adjusting my feet and playing the backhand!
@MrKostaGi The backspin will cause the ball to drop down off your racket. Hence you will need to open up the angle of your bat to counter the spin. Take a look at the free lesson on our website about the backhand push. This is the stroke you can use to return the backspin serve.
Great. Thanks for the kind words about our videos.
Awesome.. I was losing most of the matches because of long sidespin. Now it is my strong point. I am winning :)
Great to hear suhas kulkarni
@SSJ5VegetaV4 The trouble with pushing it back is that it allows your opponent to attack the next ball. If you topspin it, then you gain the initiative in the rally.
Very useful, it solves the problem that confused me for a long time, thank you. Big respect from China.
Just a comment from South Africa.. Thanks for this video, played a match last night, felt I was much better than my opponent but I lost the game.. Had major trouble with return of serve, he continuously played long serves to my backhand even curve away from my backhand but with minimal spin.. He varied the topspin and backspin well, I think I lost confidence in playing a proper backhand topspin..
This video has shown me that I had the right idea, just my execution was bad.. Thank you!
Jaco de Swardt You're welcome and yes you have the right idea. Just keep practicing :)
In fact see if you can get a practice partner to serve this to you over and over. Good luck!
@jmontalban1967 Oh right. Now I understand what you mean. Yes you need to adjust for the spin. The actual action of brushing the ball with the topspin will negate some of the sidespin. Just adjust where you are aiming the ball. A good way to practice this is to get a good server to serve the same serve over and over again so you can get used to it.
@rahulimpervious Glad we could help. Good luck with your training!
The best thing to do is ask a question on our website under the ask the coach section. There Alois will be able to answer in detail.
Don't worry this is a common problem. It sounds like you might need to brush the ball some more. Take a look at our lesson on the backhand loop off backspin. You'll find it on our website. If after watching it you're still having some problems then "ask the coach".
@MrKostaGi You're welcome.
Nice. I have also my advice. If i see that the ball has PURE sidespin i just use the same shot as if it's dead ball. You must just be aware that the ball curves. If it has left sidespin (goes left after contact with your bat but goes right after contact with table ) you should aim more to the right. It's easier than trying to change angle of your bat, like pro players do.
Returning serves is one of the hardest parts of table tennis so don't be too hard on yourself. You need to get as much experience you can playing against good servers. Really watch what happens to the ball after it hits your bat. Once you can start to tell the tytpe of spin you can counter it by angling your bat. We have lots of information on our website about this so take a look there for more information.
@pingskills Yeah, I meant if the serve is so short that you do not have any choice but to extend across the table, hindering upwards movement for a loop or whatever as you're at your full reach.
@jose218g Not a big fan of the shorts? I've got some new ones now so hopefully you'll find those more acceptable.
@YoSuaYoSaN Exactly. Nice advice!
Thanks for the nice instructive video. I have problems with top-spin short surves, (that does not come to the end of the table. So I can not return them with top spin). How to return them? Or do you have any video regarding this? Thanks in advance.
@Moviewatchnmake Wayne asked the question. You can ask you own questions by going to our website where you can "Ask the Coach".
@yobmas722 Was it worth the wait?
@Reinhardt182 The best thing to do with a short sidespin serve it to flick it. We've got lessons on our website for both the backhand and forehand flick. Take a look at these and see if they help you out.
@34289675 You're welcome. I'm glad we were able to help you.
Yes you can play a topspin against a sidespin serve. If you are missing the ball to the side of the table then you need to adjust where you are aiming. It sounds like you nearly have this right.
Great.
@yobmas722 great!
Thx for the video.. What we do if our opponet serve a sidespin ball near the net? Can i flick it?
I have read all the questions on your website about returning sidespin services and also on other forums,but i just dont understand something,so pretend someone does a pendelum sidespin to me,it should go to my back hand right (im right handed) if i were to just loop it back,should i aim at his backhand or his forehand (if he were a right handed player) and if he did a tomahawk to me (so it should go to my forehand right?) should i loop it to his backhand or to his forehand? thanks in advance!
If the ball is low and has a lot of backspin, you might be better to return it with a short backhand push.
Thank you very much for this video Jeff! Can you do a follow up on this with side/backspin and side/topspin? Of course, my first problem is spotting if it is side/top, side or side/backspin. One of my teachers suggested that if I am not sure to let the ball fall from its peak down a fair bit then hit a controlled topspin return. But it feels to me that if it is side/backspin versus side/topspin this is a pretty big difference. Lastly, once I learn to better identify which spin it is do I just drive forward with a more closed blade on topspin and drive upward commensurate with the volume of backspin that has been mixed with side? Super lastly, when these serves are low and short they are even a greater challenge for me to handle. What suggestion do you have here?
Great questions Steve. Letting the ball wait later as you mention is not great if you don't pick the spin at all. It may help if you are just not sure on the degree of spin and then can play a high safe forehand with lots of topspin.
Once you can pick the spin then yes you adjust your stroke accordingly so you come over the topspin and lift the backspin balls as you suggested.
It's great you've recognised how effective the low and short serves are. Now you should try and develop these serves yourself to give your opponent the same challenge! The key again is reading the spin. For the backspin short serves you can push the ball back short, and for the sidespin or topspin serves try to start with a flick.
We have a whole course on Receiving on the PingSkills website. Here's one of the free videos from that course that you might like to watch - www.pingskills.com/table-tennis/receiving-secrets/understanding-spin/
Good luck!
@pingskills how do we react if we are not sure either the serve come long or half long?
@TSINUS5 Thanks!
how about when sidespin serve bounce high, a long curve and high. should i level the racket in my stomach? or i do the same as you did? thanks in advance.
The serve that really can drop me down.. Hopefully after taken this tips will be some changes.. Thanx a lot sir
You're welcome guesthouse dishar melaka. Good luck implementing the tips! :)
Can you also make a video on returning a long sidespin or topsin serve on the forehand? It is often used as a surprise tactic by the pendulum servers and I make errors as I am not in a very good position to return it and tend to stretch my arm to reach the ball.. And it would also be great if you show how a short and heavy sidespin serve on the forehand can be handled. When I try to play a defensive push against this ball then it goes long and chopping this serve makes it too easy for the opponent to attack.
We have a whole course on receiving for our premium members on the PingSkills website. There are some free episodes there too so take a look and let me know if they help you out.
For the short sidespin serve I'd recommend using the flick.
Can you help me please?
How to return a undercut serve?
Thank you
What about short sidespin serves? Or is there a video for that already?
If the opponent has heavy sidespin serve--will heavy topspin return be enough to hit the ball on the opponents table? If i just do my normal topspin, will the ball curve to the right/left and miss the table? Thanks!
do you have any video about how to handle pressure during tournament?? play during tournament always make me lose my focus especially when i am losing...
+muhammad ikmal We sure do. Go to the PingSkills website and then Table Tennis Lessons -> Sports Psychology. Let me know if they help out.
@lopezrodriquez Thankyou.
@TheTrueLPLM Your english is very good. If it is flat it means it has no spin. You can flick a no spin ball, it just takes practice. We have a video lesson on the flick on our website. Take a look and let me know if it helps you out.
What is the differenc between 40mm ball and plus 40mm ball
@pingskills
ok thanks so much!! your guys are the best!
The tip of the bat actually points backwards on take back, I've never tried that. I'm sure I've seen Kreanga do that too.
@pingskills Whenever my opponent serves to me with a sort of spin ( i don't really know what spin). I hit the ball but it just keeps bouncing off my bat into different directions and always goes out.
true...I play against a guy who serves a low deep back spinny ball. The push works and my paddle angle is almost flat. When it works, the ball goes back to him long and low.
So if the ball is pure side with no top or back spin, then your stroke should start from beneath the ball? Just like if it was backspin? This is the bit I'm unsure about. And what about the racket head, should it by fairly open or more closed?
Great question. If there is no backspin then you can close the racket more. You can still start from below the ball but make sure you get a brushing contact to generate your own topspin.
@@pingskills thanks
Question: Is this works on any sidespin (left to right or right to left side spin)? What if it's long sidespin serve to your forehand? Based on the video, I should do forehand loop?
Yes that is right, if it comes to your forehand you can do the same thing but with your forehand.
I can receive any long serve with BH loop when playing doubles. It's not so easy when playing singles though as it requires much more footwork and finding a proper bat angle for a passive receive is more difficult to me 🤷♂️
It's great you can do this when playing doubles. This means you have the technique right. Now it's just a matter of more training to be able to do it in singles. Keep up the good work.
What kind of rubber do you use?
Thank you
Hf
I am a left hander and I really find it difficult to return a short topspin sidespin serve in my forehand. Do you have any suggestion for that?
The best advice I can give is to get your left foot (since you are a leftie) right under the table so you can get really close to the ball. The closer you can get the more control you will have on the shot.
What if the side spinning serve is directed at your right hand hip pocket? How do you move for that?
Tom D Forehand topspin?
Yes. FH to FH.
How do you cope with the short sidespin which is backspin along with sidespin?
+Rudy Yeung You need to open up the bat angle to counter the backspin but also aim wider to counter the sidespin.
either a short push or an aggresive flick and make it difficult for your opponent so dont just return it anywhere
which direction is the sidespin?
what if the same shot is to be played down the line with ball curving outside as normally people doing these services are standing at their backhands and can easily return the backhand topspin across the court rather than down the line.
it become really difficult for me to play can you suggest me what i could have been doing wrong?
+Rehan Riaz I like the way you are thinking. The only difference is that you need to aim a bit wider. This is slightly more difficult due to the ball curving away but the principles are the same. Keep working on it.
Thank you for the Tips, i like pingskills
@papajama24 Thanks for your tips!
What do you do if a serve is deeper than that and its a sidespin to your forehand?
Good question Ahad Merchant.
The principles are the same even if the ball comes very deep, and also if it comes to your forehand. You need to ensure you move into a good position and then execute the stroke.
If i encounter this serve,how do I return it? (Short pips on my backhand)
With short pips the spin will affect it less than normal rubber, so you can make a backhand return but adjust the bat angle to counter the spin. We have many videos on returning serve on the PingSkills website which will help you out.
how to analyze the opponents serve if it's a sidespin,underspin or top spin since most pro players vary their serve and very hard to determine its spin
Returning spin is one of the hardest parts of the game and does take a lot of practice. We have a course on returning serve on the PingSkills website for premium members. Take a look and see if it interests you.
You can also see if you can get a good server to serve a lot to you. Get them to do exactly the same serve over and over and keep adjusting your return till you can get it back. Then get them to switch to a different serve. After you can get that back ask them to mix between the two. This is a good way to start to tell the difference between 2 serves.
Good luck!
GGAzubu Weak
GGAzubu Weak
How about penhold users? how do you return the side spin serve?
Great question. These days most penholders are playing the reverse penhold backhand. Search for PingSkills penhold technique for some more information on this stroke.
@pingskills yes it was!! :)
very nice thank you.
It sounds like you're saying that with a powerful enough topspin flick you can ignore the fact that the serve is sidespin (or even backspin), is that correct? If not, then how to deal with both types of sidespin please? (Penhold player myself.)
The sidespin is usually not a problem for the flick but the backspin is. If there is a lot of backspin and the ball is very low then it is hard to flick, especially fast. To cope with the sidespin you simply need to use your bat like a rudder and angle it so that the ball goes where you want it to go. I hope that helps. If you still have some questions then try out the ask the coach section of our website and Alois will give you more information.
Cheers,
Jeff.
PingSkills that does help, thanks.
Melinda Green Great.
why are shorts so short lol, never understood....
+Nate Comment haha lol :)
If the ball is higher you do need to raise the level of your bat.
this serve is killing me even after trying to apply the principles mentioned in this video, any way you can be more specific when speaking about the side spin like how exactly to counter it and which way the bat should be swung to counter it. i keep going off the side of the table to popping too high with no control
good info
Glad you found it useful.
Is this difficult for RPB?
+Christian Adrian Aniceta Not really, if you can play the RPB you can certainly use it in this situation.
PingSkills thankyou :D
+Christian Adrian Aniceta You're welcome.
But what to do if the serve is so short that I can't topspin it?
when i played with my coach in table tennis i lost because of the heavy sidespin ang placings, i lost in all sets(best of 5) because of the ball going to my left because of the spin and every time i am ready to return my serve and put an angle to my bat my coach serves it to the right then i will have the same problem because i am not ready to return it to the right side.
give more pure topspin.. rather than topspin and sidespin.. the side spin will take affect from his/her shot however if you ain in the middle should be ok
but what to do with long pips?
+hassan khan Long pips has very little grip so the spin won't afffect the bounce of the bat much at all.
sidespins at pro level are very tricky... can u do that vs someone who is servin you sidespin intentionally and nationally?
Sidespin is most useful on the serves. I think the points in this video are good for returning such serves. You can also add sidespin to your topspins and we have some videos on that too.
@peelout40 :)
yes brush the ball more but use your legs a little more, especially heavy under spin..you need more than just your forearm but you need body and legs..
some players service as so much spin it is very hard to return ,even pro. as a problems
+errol Players are able to generate a lot of spin but professional players also become very good at returning serve!
@pingskills thanks for a fast reply.. :) but yeah i know they can serve it anywere but i mean like it spins towards that direction.... (cjcarljordan)
how to return power atacks?
+vagner silva The best way is to use a shot called a block. You can find the backhand block and forehand block video on our RUclips channel and also on the PingSkills website under Table Tennis Lessons -> Strokes & Techniques. Watch these and let me know if they help.
Thnx!!
+vagner silva You're welcome.
why is it that no matter how heavy the spin is in the serve. The Chinese can topspin the ball as if there's no spin. Can you tell me what's their secret behind it?
How to respond to a player plays only back spin
Great question. I would suggest learning how to attack the backspin ball with a topspin stroke. Take a look at the PingSkills website for more advice about this. Good luck!
your amazing
how to return short sidespin serve
A good way is to use the "flick" stroke. We have tutorials on this on the PingSkills website. Watch those videos and let me know if you have any questions about it.
Uh oh...he's teaching how to return my left handed side-spin serves...
Great Player! Check out the ping pong place MMATTA located in Fairfield NJ on 235 Route 46
No body serve so easily. The long side spin serve comes low almost touching the table. U cant not flick or hit this so easily.
As long as the ball bounces over the end line, it is possible to make a topspin stroke.
@TheTrueLPLM Nope, push it back with a brush.
@YoSuaYoSaN
^^you don't undestand...my friend is able to serve a sidespin which is so flat you won't even think about flicking it ._. if i just push it back he's always able to attack my return even if I'm getting a strong backspin into it. ...I hope my English is not to horrible ;)... I'm German
how about explaining what you CAN and CAN NOT do
Thanks for your suggestion.
finally!! :)
@TheTrueLPLM Sidespin it back.
flick like jike!
Sorry to critique you but you can't do a right handed topspin backhand with any consistency against a good sidespin serve that is spinning clockwise. The balls you show coming to you here in this video, are not sidespins and if they are, they have very little side spin on them. The only way to get topspin on the ball is to side step it and hit it with your forehand while striking the ball as your racket is pointing down and accellerating through. If you hit a good sidespin serve with your backhand, 9 out of 10 times, it is in the net or you will shank it. What you should do is sidestep it and hit it with your forehand or use pimps on it with heavy back spin so your opponent doesn't gain an advantage... and hit it to their weak side. The problem is more apparent in singles than in doubles... as are most difficult serves. Of course you might get lucky and have a left hander serve you with a sidespin. In that case, you can use a backhand.
Thanks for your thoughts. The backhand is become much more proficient in table tennis and a lot of players are using it more and more for returning serves. You certainly can jump around and use a forehand if you have quick footwork but you can also use your backhand as we demonstrate.
Regards,
Jeff.
more pure topspin is needed