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Step 1
Assume the ready position, with your paddle in your dominant hand and the ball in the other. Stand at the middle of the table.
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Step 2
Hold the ball directly in front of you, just above table height. Make sure the ball is behind the edge of the table. Hold your paddle should directly in front of you, in line with the ball. Keep your paddle at elbow height.
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Step 3
Make sure you're crouched and ready and that you haven't shorted your back swing. Don't your eye off the ball.
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Step 4
Toss the ball straight up, but no higher than your face. Bring up your paddle at the same time. Pull it toward your left shoulder (assuming your right is your dominant hand).
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Step 5
Keep your upper body, including you elbow and shoulder, as still as possible. Hold the paddle with the handle forward and the surface tipped backward.
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Step 6
Hit the ball by stroking through to the right and snapping your wrist. Just before you make contact with the ball, tilt your paddle forward again to remove the backward angle. This is a backhand sidespin serve, and the backward tilt of the paddle was simply to confuse your opponent.
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Step 7
Slice the ball, almost brushlike. Don't swing through. This is not a fast hard serve, but one with considerable spin that is meant to confuse your opponent.
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Step 8
Concentrate on your follow through. Maintain eye contact with the ball. Your body movement for a backhand sidespin serve is minimal so focus on getting back to ready position to attack your opponent's return.
