I think speed variation is crucial too. Gives the opponent another thing to think about. I also try and find where my opponent is weak, and put more serves into that area.
Variation in placement, speed and spin. Eben no spin may be difficult for your opponent to guess. Concentration is also very important Thank you, Tom, for this so interesting and useful video.
Very interesting but so wrong in many places. As someone whose serves are possibly the strongest part of my game then some of the things you identify as mistakes are exactly what I do to win points off my serves. No spin, serving into hitting zone, bouncey serves, etc but they need to be part of the variation. You are correct on repetition and errors, too many players rely on just one or two serves and also too many rely on side saddle serving. The best advice I ever had when I was young (a lot of years ago) was from my mum who told me to learn to serve with every shot I play in open play. A few intense and long solo sessions with a bucket of balls and I've never looked back.
I tournament matches I usually totally foul up a serve about once every two to three games - I hate losing a point that way. I try to appear serving a backspin serve with each serve but then alternating backspin, topspin, sidespin, and no spin at the point of ball contact. A good opponent can still read me serve but at least I don't give away exactly what I'm doing until just before ball contact. And I do love to use a good backspin serve with lots of backspin that goes low over the net. I may lose the point eventually but rarely on serve return. Enjoyed the video.
I've got many Table Tennis problems but a bad serve ain't one of them 😉. I'd just like to add on the video: 1. Develop various serves, don't rely on only one serve. 2. Utilize the same serving motion so that it allows you to serve with different spins, this helps deceive your opponent. 3 Don't serve unready serves during matches no matter how much you want to. 4. Try serving at various lengths at different speeds, based on the current receiver, their stance and how close they are to the table. 5. And most importantly make the serves which you are both ready to receive and able to receive. The last point is one of the most important ones IMHO simply because I've seen players make this mistake quiet often without realizing it, unless you're getting a direct point off of the serve consistently, if it is in fact returned, you should be able to receive and counter it well. Otherwise you're again handing down free points to your opponent, if only with a few additional steps.
Very good video and I agree to 99% but the "short in the backhand" thing ... yeah some people really don't like it but I and some other love it a lot as its pretty much the easiest you can get to either do a steep chop in the opponents backhand or even flip the ball wherever you want which is what I do most of the time depending on the ammount of spin. A slightly faster longer Serve in the Backhand is probably for most "amateurs" much harder to get then a short one Also for me the worst serve is topspin serve especially if its really low bounce as I am always to scared to close the racket enough even though my brain does know there is topspin.
Dear Tom, your presentations are very good more because you dramatise the idea. It makes us to understand, where you are actually hitting your important point.
I think speed variation is crucial too. Gives the opponent another thing to think about. I also try and find where my opponent is weak, and put more serves into that area.
Agreed.
Honestly every time you make me want to play table tennis
I love your videos! You decrease the way my games are when they're at the highest point of entropic attitude when playing.
Variation in placement, speed and spin. Eben no spin may be difficult for your opponent to guess.
Concentration is also very important
Thank you, Tom, for this so interesting and useful video.
Thanks! Perfect timing on this video since I plan to have a 2 hour service practice session this weekend with just me and a box of balls. 😀
Ok, these 2 hours was a real eye-opener. I make all the mistakes in your list... 😭
Very interesting but so wrong in many places. As someone whose serves are possibly the strongest part of my game then some of the things you identify as mistakes are exactly what I do to win points off my serves. No spin, serving into hitting zone, bouncey serves, etc but they need to be part of the variation. You are correct on repetition and errors, too many players rely on just one or two serves and also too many rely on side saddle serving. The best advice I ever had when I was young (a lot of years ago) was from my mum who told me to learn to serve with every shot I play in open play. A few intense and long solo sessions with a bucket of balls and I've never looked back.
I tournament matches I usually totally foul up a serve about once every two to three games - I hate losing a point that way. I try to appear serving a backspin serve with each serve but then alternating backspin, topspin, sidespin, and no spin at the point of ball contact. A good opponent can still read me serve but at least I don't give away exactly what I'm doing until just before ball contact. And I do love to use a good backspin serve with lots of backspin that goes low over the net. I may lose the point eventually but rarely on serve return. Enjoyed the video.
Brilliant Tom !! as always a great video.
I've got many Table Tennis problems but a bad serve ain't one of them 😉.
I'd just like to add on the video:
1. Develop various serves, don't rely on only one serve.
2. Utilize the same serving motion so that it allows you to serve with different spins, this helps deceive your opponent.
3 Don't serve unready serves during matches no matter how much you want to.
4. Try serving at various lengths at different speeds, based on the current receiver, their stance and how close they are to the table.
5. And most importantly make the serves which you are both ready to receive and able to receive.
The last point is one of the most important ones IMHO simply because I've seen players make this mistake quiet often without realizing it, unless you're getting a direct point off of the serve consistently, if it is in fact returned, you should be able to receive and counter it well. Otherwise you're again handing down free points to your opponent, if only with a few additional steps.
Good tips.
My Name is Harri Prasetiyo from Indonesia... Amazing Mantuulll 👍👍
thank you
Thanks for making me laugh Tom - I had to watch because my serves are rubbish! Thanks a lot for the tips and great vids.
Nice video, thanks! I have neglected consistent serve practice for FAR TOO LONG!!!
Great advices! Thanks.
Very good video and I agree to 99% but the "short in the backhand" thing ... yeah some people really don't like it but I and some other love it a lot as its pretty much the easiest you can get to either do a steep chop in the opponents backhand or even flip the ball wherever you want which is what I do most of the time depending on the ammount of spin.
A slightly faster longer Serve in the Backhand is probably for most "amateurs" much harder to get then a short one
Also for me the worst serve is topspin serve especially if its really low bounce as I am always to scared to close the racket enough even though my brain does know there is topspin.
I play with long pips on the b/h and twiddling on the serve gives me a good few points.
Make a video on how to gain reaction speed when you ger older
Great stuff
Dear Tom, your presentations are very good more because you dramatise the idea. It makes us to understand, where you are actually hitting your important point.
Can I just say your serves look satisfying to watch haha
FIRST!🤩
#6 be Chinese
Megang bet nya ora bener,,!