how-to-serve-in-table-tennis

how to serve in table tennis

Serving is a crucial part of table tennis, a good serve can win you the initiative and even direct points.

The basic skills of serving

Standing and Grip: The server should stand outside the end line of the table, sideways, with the angle between the body and the table at about 45 degrees, so as to ensure that there is enough space for the serve and to better observe the opponent's reaction. There are two types of grips, straight and horizontal, which are suitable for the more varied shots, while the horizontal is suitable for the more powerful shots.

Throwing skills: The height of the throw should be moderate, usually over 16 centimeters, too high or too low will affect the rhythm and stability of the serve. The direction of the ball should be vertical and upward, avoiding deviation from front to back and side to side.

The amplitude and speed of the racket release should be adjusted according to the spin and power requirements of the serve. When serving downspin, the amplitude of the lead is larger; when serving topspin, the amplitude of the lead is smaller. A faster lead will increase the power and spin of the serve, but it will also decrease the stability of the serve.

Hitting Moment: There are three main ways to serve the ball: arm force, wrist force and body force. The arm force is suitable for serving balls with more power; the wrist force is suitable for serving balls with more rotation; the body force relies on the rotation of the body and the shift of the center of gravity to generate power and rotation.

Specific tips and strategies for the serve

Striking point: The point of the ball should be close to the body, so that it is easier to use the power of the hand and to control the spin of the ball.

Wrist force: A sudden, hard friction of the wrist on the serve is what makes the ball spin. Without wrist force, the ball will not spin.

Waist Turn: A waist turn can be added to the serve to increase the spin of the ball. The twist is actually caused by the exchange of the center of gravity.

Control the landing point: When serving, pay attention to control the landing point of the ball, for example, the short forehand can suddenly turn the waist, so that the body is facing the table, the ball is naturally straight.

Foot restoration: After the serve, the foot must be quickly restored to the ready position, keep an eye on the opponent's line of landing, and adjust the position of the foot at any time.

Tactical application of the serve

Looking for someone to serve to: Send the ball to the opponent's poor receiving skills, or the player who has just been replaced on the court.

Finding the point to serve: send the ball to the gap between the two players of the opponent, or the opponent's second player running on the route of position change.

Variation of serve routes: alternating between serving to the net and back court from different positions in the serving area, or alternating between serves of different distances, strengths, and performances.

By mastering these skills and strategies, you can take the initiative in a match by better controlling the ball's landing point and spin.

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