long-sidespin-serve
Slicepong asked 4 years ago
Hi Tom and Dan. I struggle with the long flat serve as I find it difficult to hit it consistently deep without hitting long, so I hit it tentatively and that’s useless. I’ve just starting using the long sidespin serve and it’s amazing how effective it was. I found it much easier to relax and execute because of the spin and it gave my opponents loads of trouble. Admittedly, it’s only two of my regulars who are decent players but don’t hit much topspin, but they only occasionally were able to get it over the net. I mixed it up- down the line, hip, and cross- and I could sense them dreading it and I would then hit it short, and often they would flail. It seems the 80/20 guide is almost a rule but I flipped it on the head by hitting 80% long. If you hit this well, it seems to me even very good players will struggle because if you hit your spots it takes almost perfect timing and a quick, sharp topspin to return it deep. Is there any reason not to keep using this 80/20 ratio until someone makes me pay consistently and what do you think would be good complementary serves to use with the long sidespin? Thanks.
Dan Academy Coach answered 4 years ago
Hi Slicepong, yes these long sidespin serves can be really effective against some players for sure! No reason why not to continue with the 80/20 ration until players are able to attack it strongly and put you under pressure. As long as you keep mixing up the direction as you mentioned and put in the short ones to keep them guessing. Some good serves to compliment this long sidespin serve would be a long backspin which gives the opponent another spin and shot to think about.
I also like to use a short serve into the forehand corner, players often struggle after trying to return long serves, naturally they try to step back to give themselves more time and then it’s hard to adjust and get in for a short forehand ball. The key thing with serving is being unpredictable and mixing up what you do. But again at the same time if there is a sere certain opponents really find hard then there is no reason why you can’t use it a fair amount!
Thanks, Dan 🙂
Slicepong
Dan