Does my serve work against the Pros?!
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- Опубликовано: 13 сен 2024
- So, what’s my level and how good are my serves really?
I often receive comments about me serving to players that aren’t the same level as me. Whilst that may be true some of the time, given my current work, they have ‘served’ me well over the years against most players.
I’ve put together many examples of my serves being effective against players my level or above. Whilst my serves don’t always win me all my matches, they certainly raise my level and give me a chance to beat much better players.
So, what is my level?! I’m a former semi-professional player and played most of my league table tennis in the Belgian National League. My top ranking in Belgium was A27 but the majority of the time I was B0. In the US my level is probably between 2450-2550, in England my level is probably around the top 20. Hopefully that’s enough information to give you some context on my level. I’m certainly not a world beater but I’m a competent and competitive player.
A regular comment I receive is, ‘Ma Long would smash that serve’ are valid, he’s about 50 levels above me, although I do reckon he’d miss one at least (and that’d be the one I’d post!). Ma Long, if you’re reading this…game on!
I hope you enjoy the video 😁
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Bro basically said here’s the receipts 😂
🤣😂🤣 👏
Here are the receives 🤓 (you said it better 😁) awesome video, CB! Bravo! 🎉
@@AdamBobrow😂😂 awesome! Thanks for watching Adam, hope you enjoyed it 🙂
Serves aside, you have exceptional touch and feel in pressure rallies👍
Thank you 😊
For anyone still not sure about training with this man, me and my team have been training with Craig for 7 months and our improvement has been massive, service and the mental side of our game has been so much better.
Get training with him now, you won't regret it.
Legends!
I like how clean your services are, none of this awful obstructing the view, you want them to 'see' but mis-read the contact point and it works!
😊
You are indeed brilliant when it comes to serving. Your style resembles that of Waldner. Great serve and good at blocking and moving the opponent around. I’ve been studying your serve to be honest and I do think they work against the pros
I’m not 1/100th of the great JOW but I appreciate the comment 😊
You're the goat for serving tactics. Many thanks for sharing this 👍
Thanks for your free videos and helping TT community Craig, well done ! ;-)
😊
You are my inspiration on my serves and been using them for more than a year now and for the first time this week, I got complained about it (opponent said my arm was blocking the contact point). Watching this will give me a better comparison on how I do it and where I can improve more. Thanks!
very good, very impressive! nobody cares the services, but it is the most important element i think
Craig, what a pleasure it was to spend just 2 hours with you a fortnight ago. I learned so much & am already employing what you taught/advised. Loved your video. Thanks so much for the gracious & generous way you share your knowledge - just as Emma does for me. All the best!
My pleasure, keep going 💪
5:07 that was smooth
Very good video with rich contents as usual. Keep it up CB
Thank you
craig, that smile of your while you zipping down your jacket, its telling me "well folks... this is it.. " :D, thanks for the "receipt" free of charge!
12:35 At some point I was just guessing what the spin was 😂 definitely the most deceiving service I’ve experienced, great match!
Hey, you dealt with the vast majority really well. Was a great game, good fun. A rematch again one day perhaps! 😜
As I can see your serves look a lot alike Par Gerell 's serves , very similar and very deceiving !!! Great video !!
It's always nice when the opponent mis reads the spin and they look at there bat!! Honestly your backspin serve is indistinguishable to your topspin even from side on.
Nice clips ... thks you for sharing.
I remember watching your match (online) against Rajko. It was an excellent match, and you're both quality players.
Thats a lot of table tennis bro. Congratulations on your accomplishments. 1❤
Really enjoyed, watching that Craig, it was highly entertaining, it was great to watch.
Great stuff Craig. I still remember our match. Great serves. They create a lot opportunities for winning points. 🙌 🏓
Thanks Victor, a rematch one day, I’m sure 👌
Impressive skill here Craig…my new definition of a professional is when he doesn’t examine his paddle after he completely misreads your serve.
I’m certainly guilty of doing that when I’ve misread a serve #ProtectingMyConfidence 😂
I think I can read the kind of spin that is on your hook serves after watching this compendium. When the contact point is at the top, it's most likely top, when it's elsewhere (middle mostly), it's back. The downward motion of the arm can be disregarded. What remains difficult to guess, is the amount of spin. In some cases the topspin is moderate, in others there's an extreme "kick". Most spectacular is the amount of backspin you are able to generate with a mere hook serve.
You are known as a nightmare to play against in Belgium!
Hey 👋
Great analysis. You’re correct but I suppose in the moment, it is not so easy to see the detail. The deception is created for the opponent on the opposite side of the table, viewed from other angles it can often be easier to see what’s happening. I’ve been called worse but I will gladly accept ‘nightmare!’ 😂
Nice composition, thanks for putting it together.
Most of the time it is quite difficult to see what you have done,
I would have loved some comments here and there what you have done und why the opponent had a problem with it.
Keep watching
@@TheTableTennisServiceGuy I will, already subscribed!
Well Craig, you are special , don't see many around ❤
I don’t know about special but thank you 🤩
I like your serve sir, good job
I enjoy watching your videos. Thank you so much.
Glad you like them!
That finish against Korai was delicious mate 😂 glad to see ur doing well buddy
Hey Nathan, long time. Thank you mate, hope you’re well too
NIce video and nice serves. Could you add the video link to learn your serves.
Thank you: coachcraigtt.wixsite.com/thettserviceguy Taking on new clients in 2024
I have to say. It was obvious that your serves works against pros hahaha.
Really nice rallies, thanks youu
🙂
I love the clips from the US Open!
My main sport was golf--I was good but never great, my level (3 handicap) was roughly the equivalent of a 2100-2200 USATT had I been the same level in TT. You're like a golfer who has a full swing game like a 3 handicap, but a short game like a +7, and it all works out to a +2. I've played with guys like that who had fantastic short games, and also played with guys who hit the ball as pure as tour pros, but the short game was a little weak. it's the rare person who puts it all together. But cheers to you for at least having one world class aspect to your game!
Thanks for commenting. That’s a nice cross-sport comparison 👌
@@TheTableTennisServiceGuy They're similar sports in terms of precision.
Gommers is the only player i knew of. Saw him in Los Angeles for the Open in 2018.
Some really spectacular serves and points.
A strong player. You don’t know Jean-Michel Saive or Paul Drinkhall?!
@@TheTableTennisServiceGuy well, I mean they are at the top level, so I kinda excluded them mentally 🙃
I believe the main problem that players have when receiving these services is due to the training they receive. This is essential for the player's development but it also limits them mentally. They are conditioned by years of training and many of them don't have the tools to think "outside the box" when presented with an opponent with unorthodox skills, to which they are not accustomed. / A serious mistake they make is to ALWAYS try to attack the opponent's serve, taking only into account the trajectory of the ball. And there are several more like that. It's clear that all players train to beat rivals who 99% of the time play the same as them. Statistically they are correct. But the remaining 1% can lose if their rival is smart enough.
I saw you first in a Tom Lodziak video on serves, and I was impressed by that video and wanted to see more lessons from you. Thankfully now I have found your RUclips channel. Also what a fitting youtube handle you got @TheTableTennisServiceGuy :)
Glad you found me 😁
Very definitely your serves are quite difficult to read, once misread the opponents become much more cautious on the receive and even if they return it becomes 3rd ball attackable. Really enjoy all your videos and appreciate the generous sharing of your knowledge. You seem to favour the hook server a lot in the matches, with the kicker and fake kicker looking especially effective as well as good variations in pace and placement.
Great comment. Yes, when someone doubt one, the game can change. I can recall matches where I’ve lost the first set very easily and I manage to trick them with one serve, then they start to doubt. Thanks for watching 🙂
Isn't throwing the ball towards you illegal while serving?
thanks for those tips
man I feel like it's kind of sad that this feedback comes up enough to warrant a video. Plus, even if you weren't ever a high level player with a Rocky montage worth of proof, it doesn't mean anything when it comes to coaching. People demanding high/pro level play as a prerequisite to being an effective high to professional level coach generally don't seem to have much experience with sports in general. So many amazing players in all kinds of sports are rubbish coaches, and so many of the best coaches in various sports were never pro level at all in their playing careers.
Very valid point, fully agree. Part of my motivation was to rebuttal those comments BUT also to highlight the importance and effectiveness of serves too.
It's because people approach learning the wrong way. They want to learn/imitate a specific move/ability that a high-level player does so they seek teachers by their credentials, rather than their teaching abilities, when in reality, they should approach learning by finding someone who can show them how to get to the next level incrementally. This coach could even be at a lower playing level, but they know what needs to improve and how to get them there.
Dear Craig your videos are very useful thank you very much!
May I suggest to make a special video section in the future? That could be serve against long pips rubber. In my case I play in a club in Italy where it is hard to find players that use this setup, so that when in tournament I am opposed to such this player I am in difficulty. I am sure I am not the only one who could be interested in this subject. Thank you for your support. Riccardo
@9:20, that kid is really good! I would like to try returning some of Craig's serves. He'd kick my butt for sure, but I'm confident I could at least get the ball over the net at least once, lol. Those are nice serves though. Very deceptive and difficult to read.
Love it. Great stuff.
😊
And did I sweat ? No. I wish I have good serves like yours, so I wouldn't need to bring 5 T-shirts along in my bag. ^^
Whaouuuu, very good level ! You are a pro player !
I played semi-professionally for 11 years. Never a full-time pro
@@TheTableTennisServiceGuy for me, you have the pro level ! Good play !!!
Im from Philippines i really like how you put tricks on your serve sir. I hope you give me full knowledge on how to do it. Thank you.
Feel free to check out my online coaching offers (link in description) where I can help you develop serves like this 🙂
Just need to get that scoop serve.
Need some help?! Check out my website for coaching options thettserviceguy.com 👍
For those of us learning this sport it would be helpful if you could dub over and explain what you are doing during the serve. Your help is appreciated.
Very good! Some Waldner style!
Great video Craig.
Thanks Roger
Why is everyone suddenly a referee. They are just haters, I love this channel, just keep it up 🎉
😂 tell me about it!
I bet youre not on Hirjis christmas card list! Brutal air shot😂
😳😂
Classy
👌😏
It's interesting watching you serve in actual matches. I've looked online and I've only found a handful of your matches. I have to admit that most of the time don't know when you've done the kicker, unless it's a bit more obvious that there's a twitch before you go down, of when the after-motion (to deceive) is quite exaggerated. I've tried to copy them, but so far I've only been successful with the hook-underspin serve. It's interesting because opponents usually misjudge the amount of spin that it creates, they think that they are sidespin or floaty and they often go in the net the first time. I need to learn how to do the topspin one but when I try is too obvious, I guess I have to train more.
I know an online coach is you need one 😁
Have you thought about coaching in VR? In something like Eleven Table Tennis? You might find a new love in VR table tennis as well.
Not something I’ve considered or looked into, no
@@TheTableTennisServiceGuy It does open up coaching to people all over the world, with zero travel. While the game isn't 100% realistic, it isn't far off. F1 drivers use simulators all the time, so I do think a VR table tennis simulator is worth considering, if you have any spare time.
Hello. Great video! I enjoyed it. I tried your tips nd techniques for serving but my equipment is not that optimize for this level. What bat and rubbers do you use? Thanks a lot
I use Rossi Emotion PBO-c with Dynaryz AGR but any official rubber will allow you to do this.
Awesome serves for sure
😁
Good to know these serve are legal, since umpires have no problem against. I learnt the kicker serve from you,
and my opponents often crying they can't see the touch because of cover
a lot of the serves were illegal since his body hides the point of contact
Hiding the ball is illegal.
Coach well done
😊
Craig you are great.
😁 thank you 🤩
Great Video. Thanks. I can't tell if your grip is changing for each service?
Not for each serve but my grip does change a little from my playing grip.
A video showing your service grips would be great.@@TheTableTennisServiceGuy
Hi Craig and thanks for the Videos, I am a level 1 coach and often check out RUclips for ideas and to refresh my coaching. It appeared to me that a lot of your serves (but not all) involved hidden contact. This is sometimes hard to judge depending on the camera angle, also hard for the umpire to call. I watch a fair bit of world Table Tennis vids and the hidden serve still occurs at the top level, some umpires seem reluctant to call them. A couple of years ago they did trial cameras at each end of the table however it must have proved too costly as I haven’t seen it since. In my view some players will always bend the rules if they think they can get away with it. Personally I’d like to see all hidden serves called . What’s your view?
Imagine with that high quality serves, if Craig had other matching table tennis skills(control, consistency, mental strength, etc..), he would be a well known world class players, not just a former pro.
great video
Что бы вы порекомендовали в приеме таких подач? Я так полагаю, надо ждать пока мяч ударится о мою половину, не спешить его принимать и смотреть на его поведение?
How about type of tables ? Does the quality of the tables have an effect on the serve dynamics?
If you have an non-official table, it can have an effect
Super Bro!
Thanks for sharing these, and I really appreciate your channel.
Being an average club player, and watching your videos as well as of course the worlds top players, especially for the shovel serve, from the camera angles; have you ever got called or complained about the ball hiding behind the head, shoulder, or body?
This is similar to Wang Chuqin as well I suppose, and in general with shovel serves these days 😅
Thank you once again, and looking forward to learning and improving by watching your videos 🙏
Ah I just saw other comments regarding this, so please feel free to ignore this one 😅 and at the top level, almost every serve seems illegal to average players (perhaps except backhand serve 😅), and yet mostly at this high level it’s more about third ball attack and they seem to be able to handle any kind of serve.
I suppose doing an unorthodox serve might also jeopardize percentages if opponent returns it in awkward way vs. at high level doing a serve consistently and knowing what opponent can do is much more statistically better to win the point.
Always many aspects to table tennis and that’s why we love it 😊
Thanks again, and awesome watching these 🙏
No problem to respond to this too. Very rarely been called up, no more than someone being called up for not throwing the ball high enough or cupping the ball. The high camera angle on some of these make is appear hidden but on the whole no, no many complaints at all.
@@TheTableTennisServiceGuy Thank you for following up on this, I appreciate it 🙏 And yes, in these situations the camera angle plays a huge part from observers perspective.
Knowing this, time to practice these serves 😅 Thx again.
Great Video Craig as always 🏓😊👍
🙂
Am I crazy, or are a lot of these serves illegal with the current official rules? There's a lot of non-vertical projection and lots of things between the ball and the net (hands/body) before it is struck. I'm referring specifically to 2.6.4 and 2.6.5 in the ITTF official rules for 2023.
Edit: Looks like I'm not crazy reading additional comments below. :D Today's rules, lots of these would be incorrect serves.
what is illegal about them?
@@KaisenTableTennis I list the reasons right in my post. You can no longer block the space between the ball and the net (i.e. You can no longer obscure the contact with the ball from your opponent, which is why many of these services work on very skilled players). This apparently changed at some point in the rules but lots of that example footage is ancient. I guess I just find those examples irrelevant now that the rules have prevented cheeky free points in the present.
I used to be a ref, the non-vertical projection thing is seldom called, because it's only theoretically possible. The question is if someone is getting a distinct unfair advantage.
@@user-ks8pf5yk4m Oh sure it's seldom called, but the purpose of the video is to say "these serves work against pros", and while technically true (because it is seldom called), the only way to interpret this is that serving incorrect serves works against pros. And I'd argue they work BECAUSE they are incorrect.
@@EssobieAtPlay Of course you have seen pros serve. I'll bet like me, you've seen a ton of world class players throw the ball anything but perfectly vertically. What's correct is what refs allow when throwing the ball perfectly along all planes is practically impossible.
If you think it's incorrect, the best thing to do would be what my oldest daughter and I did: pass the examinations and become a ref. ref a number of tournaments with pros in attendance. Then, do something we did not do: Work your way up through the ranks and propose more stringent policing of serves. But at this point, what refs allow is what's correct. What randos on the net harp about--this writer included--is irrelevant.
best server!
😊❤
Mantap couch🎉
Which rubbers are best for doing deceptive serves? T05 a good one?
Very possible with any official rubber 👍
Do you find that good players learn your serve variations as the game goes on and they become less effective? Or are you able to continue to deceive throughout
That’s a great question. Yes, I think many of the top players do find answers eventually (but then that’s why they’re better players right?). I also think that I’m guilty of showing all my cards a bit too early.
However, it’s a tough balance. I’ve played some great players and they just don’t know and my persistence in serving to my highest possible level has won me that match.
I don’t think there’s a right answer, I think it’s a bit of a feeling out process but I do think I could employed some better tactical usage of the serves over the years.
Ah. Those serves are frustrating to play against 😂.
Gotta love the TT weirdos who like to call "illegal serve!" at any serve better than they can produce. I used to be a ref. Anyone who thinks all these serves would be faulted isn't paying attention to the refs sitting there not faulting them. TT's a great sport, but in all honesty, it attracts some very strange net trolls.
Nicely said! So you were a tt ref and a golf player?
@@sinkronize Yes, I played golf at a pretty good level, 3 handicap. Won some local tournaments, got second in my last club championship. Nothing special, though, the pros would own me. As for TT, I was a below average tournament player (peak of 1300 USATT) and also a ref.
It looked like the shovel serve csused most damage
Is this right?
Yeah, that’s my main serve for sure
What is the way to receive such serves
They say 40% of points can be won by services , how true is it ?
Hard to out a percentage on it but I would suggest that it’s not only winning points with your serve but more likely that good serves create more point winning opportunities 👍
@@TheTableTennisServiceGuy , agree a good serve seeds the opportunity , which is also true in double, at my senior club it is mostly in double.
#CraigBryant - which of your serves is the most successful?
The backspin and topspin hook variations for sure 👌
@@TheTableTennisServiceGuy That it what I thought you would say, thanks.
Aren't you hiding the point of contact in many of those serves?
When the camera is from the top, it can look like it.
@@TheTableTennisServiceGuy fair enough, there were many clips where you were clearly not hiding and the opponent was not reading anything correctly at all. Well done
Nice feedback to some provocative comment from the previous video
Less talk, more proofs
Thanks! I’m not competing at the moment, so this is all the proof I have. Maybe more in future 😊
6:17 here you can see you hide the ball a little bit.. if you can't see the contact point.. of course its a good serve :D
i just cant tell if its always the case
You can see from the camera that it is slightly hidden (the contact is clear) but it’s not from the view of the player
@@TheTableTennisServiceGuy The Salifou service on here has probably the best angle as it is almost identical to his view. If you go frame by frame the ball is lost behind your head and then contact is clear. Mostly as you said. They are certainly all razer close as seems to be the practice by many pros... There are some that have really clean and obviously legal serves (Truls for example) where it's obvious to even spectators that the serves are viewable to the opponent..
How common would you say blocked contact serves are at the highest level? Because it seems pretty common. Do pros just accept that some guys are going to cover their contact semi-regularly or is it just an optical illusion caused by camera angles that aren't directly from the receivers perspective?
@@Jaws8u Having taken up Craig's service course and had him coach me on the TTE Level 2 coaching course among others, he's an absolute magician at serving and a fabulous coach! Everything is broken down into small chunks so you can work on individual parts of the serve. I'm still working on improving my hook serve but its miles better now and that's from nothing when we first started. With regard to shielding, as long as you can see the contact on the bat it's legal. This also depends on where the receiver chooses to stand as this could affect their view. Lots of internationals clearly have illegal serves but rarely get picked up on it. Ding Ning did in the London Olympics and it messed her head up so much she lost!
@@simonnarramore4850 Hey, just want to comment on the service rules, not just the contact is required to be visible, it's from the start of the serve "2.6.1 Service shall start with the ball resting freely on the open palm of the server's stationary free hand." the ball must not be hidden "2.6.4From the start of service until it is struck, the ball shall be above the level of the playing surface and behind the server's end line, and it shall not be hidden from the receiver by the server or his or her doubles partner or by anything they wear or carry.". From this years 2023 ITTF Statutes,
Also worth noting "2.6.5 As soon as the ball has been projected, the server’s free arm and hand shall
be removed from the space between the ball and the net.
The space between the ball and the net is defined by the ball, the net and
its indefinite upward extension.", as it can be important to mention when coaching players, as some players may just unconsciously leave the free arm hanging out straight, which lead to an illegal serve if they don't remove it in time.
@@evocativeblandness4553 Exactly this. A lot of people seem to think as long as the contact is clear it's not illegal, but has to visible from the moment it's tossed to the moment it's hit. There are no exceptions, BUT It also seems like it's agreed upon amongst them that this is the way it is. You don't see any complaining in professional matches about covered serves... I'm sure someone will post something now showing otherwise just saying that I have seen hundreds of clearly illegal serves by pros without any complain on the other side.
Petition to ban hook serves ( Can't recieve those to save my life) 😂
Seems like an illegal serve some times..
I’ve seen them in person, I assure you they are not illegal
you only seem to show your winners??
This was me kinda showcasing me and my level, so yeah. This was all about me #Ego 😂
Well you do look like a world class player in the video----I love table tennis because in my mid 60's I can still play and enjoy---@@TheTableTennisServiceGuy
Definitely not world class. I’ve beaten some players around 300 in the world but that was probably my top level.
Spoiler: Yes
I've tried to learn the shovel serve but is a hard serve to master.
Deceives with both of his arms at service.
Does have skill after, yet, initially, it’s cheating. And always! He knows it too.
😂
Unfortunately, quite a few of the serves were illegal. His body hides the point of contact frequently.
Legal*
Nope, didn't see any hiding of the contact point... Those are all good and legal serves..
Back then hiding serves was legal. Now its not but it should be. It doesn't matter if he hides the point of contact with the racket. Ball bounce at table can't be hidden. Its far far more important to know where ball will land than what spin it has. So i shift my attention to where ball lands than moment of racket contact. Where ball bounce on my side if the table. Don't care about the rest .
Hiding serves hasn't been legal for 20+ years.
@@WorthlessGeek Yes. But was legal before that and should be.
😶
За подачил
many illegal serves
You a ref? I was. certified. Nonsense.
@@user-ks8pf5yk4m clearly a bad one
100% illegal. don't give cheats a chance.
As a former certified TT ref, let me say you have no earthly clue what you're talking about. I didn't see a serve I'd have faulted.
Well. They Are all illegal. Your Toss is completly illegal rulle Wise. Rules says to toss it straight up. All more or less Are crooked by half a table plate. And I didn’t even mentioned your shoulder hides the ball. So, congrats on beeing the serve guy 😂
Actually, the earlier serves, wasn't because the rule back then allowed it. The newer ones are iffy because I watch pros get away with it all the time. It's rare to find a ref that truely enforces straight up. Even though the rules do allow for a little movement.
Please upload videos of your career as a table tennis referee.
@@skakollaettklipp I don't have to be a referee in order to watch table tennis and see the serves and the referees calls. you can easily mass hundreds of hours watching take tennis very quickly with as many tournaments that are put on by wtt alone
it actually says "nearly vertical" =/= straight up.
@@Ugs06 and yet they constantly allow tosses the curve into your body. Many of the top-rated folks curve their serves into them. Some a lot worse than others. If refs do not enforce a rule, then is it illegal? Only on paper. Not in practice.
Nice to see a couple Major League Table Tennis athletes in there. You should join our draft next year! 🫡
I’m getting old 👴