Super wide short serve return
Danttgeek asked 1 month ago
Hi Guys,
I know some players like to serve very short wide balls.
This is normally not a problem for me, I quite enjoy playing a heavy spin shot into their elbow, adding some sidespin and they soon stop.
But one player for some reasons gives me trouble with this. The serves are more topspin so it’s harder to take it late and put quality on it for me. Also, It seems that they have an uncanny ability to counterhit this shot no matter where I place it (he has long arms and amazing touch) and because I am out of position, I tend to lose the point.
I have tried pushing this ball, but it seems hard to keep the ball law and they hit for a winner.
Feels like no matter what I try – I get slaughtered.
What can I do and how do I do it?
Interestingly, I have also found a similar issue with short topspin serves to the middle of the table – they are too spinny to hit really aggressive so I end up hitting a measured ball that gets blasted for 3rd ball winner.
What to do?
Tom Academy Coach answered 1 month ago
Hey Dan, yeah it can be more difficult when these serves come in with topspin because you can’t work against the spin to avoid the ball going off or popping up high. Definitely working a strong forehand flick will help you in this situation so you don’t have to push the ball and give a weak return as you said. Also if you do try to topspin the ball you need to take it a bit earlier than you normally would and think about hitting more forward into the ball to avoid lifting off the end. For sure targeting the elbow is still the right thing to do as well, if you can’t hit a really strong shot then playing into the body or elbow is even more important.
I hope that makes sense and helps you! Tom 🙂
DanttgeekThanks a lot Tom
I have thought along similar lines and tried to take it earlier, but his serve has a seemingly impossible angle and is very well disguised and I am simply not fast enough and then so out of position.
I have thought of chopping it as an alternative or variation, but not sure the best way to do it – should I wait for it to drop and then shop under the ball or chop down with an open face near the top of the bounce (earlier is difficult for the reasons mentioned). Have tried this, but if the ball isn’t really low, he seems to just smash it away even with reasonable underpin.
Amazing how tricky some of these situations are!
