How to Do a Topspin Serve in Table Tennis
The topspin serve is a good basic attacking serve. The topspin causes the ball to accelerate as it hits the table, forcing your opponent to act quickly.
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Things You'll Need
- Athletic Gear
- Table Tennis Balls
- Table Tennis Nets
- Table Tennis Paddles
- Table Tennis Playing Tables
- Table Tennis Video
Instructions
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1
Stand with your body turned three-quarters to the table, holding the ball forward and your paddle back.
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2
Take note of your opponent's position as you serve.
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Keep your paddle-elbow close to your hip as you draw the paddle back. Hold the paddle low, so that you swing upward on the ball.
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Hold the ball loosely in your palm and toss it up about head high (a higher toss is more difficult to hit, but will have more spin).
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5
Swing through the ball as it descends in front of you. Swing from your shoulder.
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Strike the ball with a closed paddle (face down), about ten to fifteen inches above the table. The closed paddle and upward swing are essential to achieving the desired topspin on this serve.
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7
Follow through, allowing the paddle to cross your body, almost to your opposite shoulder.
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Tips & Warnings
For a legal serve, you must hit the ball in front of you and behind the baseline of the table. The ball must hit your side of the table first.
Serve for control, and then work on power.
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Comments
View all 8 Comments-
Jun 30, 2006
It's good that you show the opponent that you are hitting a heaving backspin serve, but in reality, you will actually be hitting a top spin serve. This is done by clearly showing your opponent that your paddle is fully open and you are hitting the backspin-by moving your paddle horizontally with its blade open to the sky. But, the real trick is that as you horizontally move you paddle forward to graze the bottom part of the ball, you actually do not hit the ball at that instance; instead hit the bottom part of the ball when you actually start bringing your bat backward (by stopping the forward motion of your hand, into sudden backward movement). This will cast a very deceptive top spin, providing you with either a free point or easy smash! Or even your opponent can smash back if you cannot deceive the serve. -
Jun 30, 2006
It's good that you show the opponent that you are hitting a heaving backspin serve, but in reality, you will actually be hitting a top spin serve. This is done by clearly showing your opponent that your paddle is fully open and you are hitting the backspin-by moving your paddle horizontally with its blade open to the sky. But, the real trick is that as you horizontally move you paddle forward to graze the bottom part of the ball, you actually do not hit the ball at that instance; instead hit the bottom part of the ball when you actually start bringing your bat backward (by stopping the forward motion of your hand, into sudden backward movement). This will cast a very deceptive top spin, providing you with either a free point or easy smash! Or even your opponent can smash back if you cannot deceive the serve.
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Mar 17, 2006
In a game up to 11, the service is very important, and it is vital that you win at least 3 of every 4 serves you play if you are to win the game. A range of services will help you to do this, if you have about 4 different strong serves you will be able to keep your opponent guessing.
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Mar 17, 2006
In a game up to 11, the service is very important, and it is vital that you win at least 3 of every 4 serves you play if you are to win the game. A range of services will help you to do this, if you have about 4 different strong serves you will be able to keep your opponent guessing.
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Nov 22, 2005
This topspin is a deadly combination of art and science, so it can only be mastered by practice.
