The Secret Guide to Serving in Table Tennis
Table Tennis 101
One aspect of ping pong that some beginners find difficult to catch up quickly is the serves. Differentiating between illegal and legal serves is difficult for beginners.
As a matter of fact, illegal serves are predominant when you are playing ping pong locally or for fun. Unfortunately, some of the players that serve “illegally” are not even aware.
Aside from learning the rules to serving legally, you will also discover top serving strategies used by top table tennis players. Let’s take a look at the serving rules first!
Official Table Tennis Service Rules
Memorize the ITTF official service rules to upgrade your ping pong serves. When you understand the rules, then improving your service will become easier.
- The ball shall rest freely on the open palm of the server
- The server shall raise the ball vertically upwards without igniting a spin.
- Furthermore, the server shall then strike the ball without it touching any surface.
- Also, the server shall strike the ball to touch his side of the table tennis table before touching the opponent’s side of the ping pong table.
- If on the first service the ball touches the net then falls into the opponent’s side, the server would have to reserve. This is also called “Let”. However, depending on the rules of the tournament, after 3 serves of the ball touching the net, the table tennis umpire may reward a point to the receiver.
- The umpire must be satisfied with the server’s services too.
However, the rules regarding “Let” may differ depending on the competition.
How to Improve your Ping Pong Serves
Virtually all ping pong beginners struggle with improving their serves or trying to serve legally. There is no need to rumble, but the only way to improve is to get the timing right. When you throw the ball vertically upwards, you must strike the ball timeously and swiftly too.
What’s more, you need more power to strike the power so it can land on your side of the table tennis table before it bounces to the opponent’s side. In other words, always keep an on the ping pong ball. Other ways to improve your services are as follows:
- Maintain a good position
- Move your entire body towards the direction you want to strike the ball towards
- Use a paddle grip style that will suit your style of ping pong service
Top Strategies to Win Every time you Serve in Table Tennis
If you want to win every time you serve, then take note of these top strategies used by professional ping pong players:
- Aim your serves at the end-line of the table
- Use short serves for an opponent that is a defensive
- Strike the ball to the end of the table tennis table
- Don’t make your long serves too long or it might go off the table
Types of Ping Pong Serves
Since you understand how to serve better, let check out the various types of ping pong serves used by top ping pong players:
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- Forehand Serves: As far as table tennis is concerned, the forehand serve is the most commonly used. This type of service is better for players than attacking and defensive players.
- Backhand Serve: Compared to forehand serves, very few players use backhand serves. The backhand serve helps to mix things up too.
- Punch Serve: The punch serve can also be popular because of the impact. Here you have to do a punch while you are hitting the ping pong ball.
- Tomahawk Serve: This type of service is mostly used by professionals at international competitions. When the ball is thrown upwards, the player allows it to fall close to their body before striking it.
- High Toss Serve: This type of ping pong serve is also popular because of the positive results. Here as soon as you throw the ping pong ball upwards, you are required to hit the ball with your paddle almost immediately.
Wrapping Up
Mastering the art of serving legally at a game of table tennis is as easy as it may seem. It requires a lot of practicing and learning the basic rules. Also, the paddle grip you prefer almost determines the type of serve that would be suitable for your game. Don’t forget, practice makes perfect whenever you’re playing.
Finally, serving legally at a table tennis sports is just one aspect of the game. Mixing up your serves needs to be considered too. Also, buying a good table tennis equipment would help you play better.
