Advanced Table Tennis Serve

by courtesy of the ITTF

The advanced table tennis serve is one of the most important table tennis techniques you can master because it can give you a fantastic advantage at the start of a point.

However, before you can become proficient at the advanced serve, you'll need to ensure that you're using the correct table tennis grip, that you've mastered the four basic table tennis strokes, and that you've mastered the basic serve.

The table tennis serve is the most important stroke in the game because it provides the only situation in which you have total control over how and where you play the ball.

And an advanced table tennis serve will give you an even greater advantage over your opponent.

So if you really want to improve your game you'll need a variety of advanced services so that you can vary the spin, speed, disguise and direction of the ball.

For advanced service technique, the use of the wrist is of paramount importance.

1. Short backspin serve

   The short backspin serve makes it difficult for your opponent to play an attacking stroke, so it can be an effective serve to use.

   1. Stand close to, and facing, the table and take a low stance. Keep your arm relaxed and your wrist loose.
      
      
   2. Throw the ball upwards, as near vertically as possible, so that it rises at least 16cm (6 inches) after leaving your hand.
      
      
   3. Allow the ball to drop and then, with a forward action, hit the ball with your racket - striking the ball on the descent with a fast wrist action and brushing underneath the ball - so that it imparts maximum backspin onto the ball.
      
      
   4. You should use as short a stroke as possible and keep your body movement to a minimum.
      
      

   You must ensure that the ball bounces on your side of the table and then goes over the net and bounces at least twice on your opponent's side of the table.

   

   My top table tennis techniques:

   This advanced table tennis serve would normally be used to limit your opponent's chances of attacking the ball. It also increases the chances of you getting a return that is long enough to attack.

   Try to strike the ball on the bottom/back part with a fast wrist action to impart maximum backspin and ensure that the ball bounces on your side of the table close to the net as shown in the above diagram.

   This advanced table tennis serve can easily be practiced alone - Use multi-ball practice (i.e. have several balls).

   
   
   
2. Backhand sidespin serve

   The short backhand sidespin service limits your opponent's options on which shots to play, so it increases the chances of a weak return.

   

    

   1. Stand close to, and facing, the table and take a low stance.
      
      Keep your arm relaxed and your wrist loose.
      
      

   

    

   2. Throw the ball upwards, as near vertically as possible, so that it rises at least 16cm (6 inches) after leaving your hand.
      
      

   

    

   3. Allow the ball to drop and then, with a sideways and slightly forward action, hit the ball with your racket.
      
      Use as short a stroke as possible and keep your body movement to a minimum.
      
      Strike the ball with a fast wrist action on the back/middle part of the ball so that it imparts maximum sidespin onto the ball.
      
      

 

3. High toss serve

   The high toss service is one of the best table tennis techniques you can master and is favoured by many of the top players because the speed of the ball falling onto the racket helps you to impart extra spin and speed onto the ball.

    

   Forehand high toss serve from the backhand court

   

    

   1. Stand close to the table in your backhand corner.
      
      Keep your arm relaxed and your wrist loose.
      
      

   

    

   2. Throw the ball upwards, as near vertically as possible, so that it rises at least 60cm (24 inches) after leaving your hand.
      
      NB. You must ensure that your free arm and your body do not disguise the point of contact of the ball on the racket.
      
      

   

   3. Allow the ball to drop and then strike the ball using a fast, loose wrist action so that you impart maximum spin onto the ball.
      
      Use as short a stroke as possible and keep your body movement to a minimum.
      
      Your racket should strike the ball when it is about 15cm (6 inches) above the surface of the table, i.e. the same height as the net.
      
      

    

   4. Use different stroke actions to produce variations in spin.
      
      

   

    

   5. Use your follow-through action to disguise the type of spin you've imparted onto the ball by moving the racket in a different direction to the direction used when you struck the ball.
      
      

   My top table tennis techniques:

   This advanced table tennis serve would normally be used to stop the receiver from attacking - and when you want to attack the return, so it's one of the best table tennis techniques to master.

   With this type of service, you can create many different subtle variations of spin. You can apply sidespin, together with either topspin or backspin - and keep your opponent guessing as to what type of service he'll receive.

   By imparting sidespin on the ball, you can also encourage your opponent to return the ball to a specific area - which increases your chances of attacking the ball.

   Generally you should try to keep the service short over the net to limit your opponent's chances of attacking the ball, but you should also vary the length, speed and direction of your service in order to unsettle your opponent.

   1. A long fast service may be produced using a slightly closed bat angle. The ball should make contact with the table within the first third on your side.
      
      
   2. A short, relatively slow service may be produced using an open bat angle. The ball should make contact with the table around two thirds of the way down your half.
      
      
   3. A particularly effective short service is one in which the second bounce on your opponent's side (if the ball is not played) makes contact with the table at or very near the end of the table.
      
      

   

Once you've mastered the basic push and drive strokes to return service, you should move on to mastering a variety of positive, rather than passive, returns.

The three which are favoured by most leading players to return a short service are:

1. Short Push

   The short push return makes it difficult for your opponent to play an attacking stroke, so it can be an effective stroke to play.

1. Stand very close to, and facing, the table and take a low stance.
   
   
2. Keep your arm relaxed and your wrist loose. Your free arm should point towards the ball to assist with your balance.
   
   
3. Lean over the table and, using a very short stroke, hit the ball before it reaches the top of the bounce.
   
   

My top table tennis techniques:

The purpose of this stroke is to stop your opponent from playing an attacking stroke, so you should try to make sure that your shot is also played short over the net and to a wide angle.

You should ensure that the ball bounces at least twice on your opponent's side of the table.

 

2. Fast Attacking Push

   Use the same technique as the short push (above), but use a fast wrist action to push the ball deep and fast.

My top table tennis techniques:

Aim your shot into the crossover point (the crossover point is the area in which the player has no obvious choice of forehand or backhand. For a right handed player, the crossover point is roughly in line with the right hip) or play it wide.

 

3. Forehand Flick

   Whilst the push shot uses an open racket, the forehand flick uses a closed racket.

   The technique used is the same but you hit over the back or top of ball, using a loose wrist action.

For more information on how to play table tennis and improve your game, take a look at my other tips and techniques articles ...