How to Hit a Backspin Serve in Table Tennis

Table tennis, which is also called ping pong, is a battle sport whose play is similar to normal tennis in that two players exchange hits of a ball in rallies until one person misses the table or the ball goes into the net. Another similarity is that in both games, points start with a serve, and there are numerous types of serves that a player can use. Unlike regular tennis however, in table tennis the power of the serve is not as important as spin and placement, which makes the backspin serve a viable option.

Things You'll Need

• Table tennis table
• Paddle
• Table tennis ball

Instructions

1. Stand at the end of the table, and keep your make sure to keep your hands behind the end of the table throughout your service motion. Like stepping over the service line in normal tennis, you cannot put your hands above the table when you serve in table tennis.

2. Drop the ball so that it travels straight down toward your paddle. You only need to allow an inch or two of space for the drop, or you drop from higher up to put more speed on the ball. Some players even toss the ball upward to allow more drop distance.

3. Slice the underside of the ball with your paddle, so that your paddle travels forward, toward the net as the ball strikes it surface. When the ball strikes a moving surface, spin is imparted into the pull, and a forward moving surface applied to the underside of the ball puts backspin on the ball.

4. Aim the serve so that it clears the net by as narrow a margin as possible. This will make it strike the table early on your opponent's side, and prevent him from smashing the ball.

Tips & Warnings

• The backspin serve will make your opponent's return tend to dive into the net and fall shorter than a flat serve.