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Backspin serve

Table tennis / Popular

Serve short and heavy so the ball stays low.

What coaches agree on

  • Brush underneath the ball, catching its lower half with the racket, to create the backspin.
  • Serve it short and low so it bounces twice near the net on your opponent's side, which forces a weak push you can attack next.
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  • Drive the serve from your legs and hips, transferring your body weight forward into the shot.

Common mistakes

  • Trying to power the serve with a hard push through the ball, instead of a light, thin brush, is the most common way players kill their own spin.
  • Powering the swing mainly from the forearm instead of a fast, loose wrist snap flattens the spin the serve depends on.