Site Products
Coaching Tip of the Week: On Short Serves to the Forehand, Challenge the Forehand, Often Go to the Backhand

Coaching Tip of the Week: When Playing an Unfamiliar Player, Focus on Serve & Receive

(By Larry Hodges)

When you face a new and unknown opponent, you aren’t sure yet how the rallies are going to go. But you can control how the rallies start. Learn to use serve & receive force rallies to go the way you want them to go, and so make your opponent adjust to you. It doesn’t matter if the opponent plays very orthodox or has an unusual or weird style, you can often force them into the type of rally you want. A few examples:

  • A backspin serve often forces a backspin return.
  • A topspin serve often forces a topspin return.
  • Fast & deep serves often get you into a fast exchange, and can back players slightly off the table. Forehand loopers are often forced out of position by fast, deep serves.
  • A fast but dead (spinless) serve not only forces many mistakes, but is often returned softly.
  • Short & low serves often set you up for a first attack, often a loop. Short backspin serves are usually pushed, while short sidespin serves are either pushed back (usually high) or attacked relatively weakly (assuming the serve was low).
  • Slow but deep sidespin serves, against an opponent who doesn’t loop, sets you up for all sorts of attacks.
  • A short and low no-spin serve is hard to either attack or push heavy and usually gives you a ball you can attack.

Sign up to stay In the Loop with Butterfly table tennis products/promotions, table tennis news, upcoming tournaments, tournament results and more.

Latest News

What is a Spin Block?

May 21, 2025
Backhand spin block – robot plays spinny shots deep SET TO RING 1 Fethomania Session 3 / Drill… Read More

Jessie Xu Named 2025 Table Tennis Canada Athlete of the Year

May 20, 2025
(by Bowmar Sports) Recognizing Leadership, Excellence, and Sportsmanship On and Off the Table Bowmar is proud to celebrate the… Read More

World Championships Update: Jarvis Powers Through to Round of 32

May 20, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins) A few surprises in the early rounds of the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals… Read More

Apply Finger Pressure With Your Thumb!

May 19, 2025
Backhand block (regular block and no spin block) – robot plays very spinny shots deep SET TO RING… Read More

Bowmar Sports Tournament Highlights – Kef Noorani Tournament Highlights

May 19, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) Bowmar Sports Tournament Highlights, Kef Noorani https://youtu.be/68Or5s_S2yg Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment,… Read More

Learn from Students of the Game, Crafty Veterans, and Hedgehogs

May 19, 2025
(By Larry Hodges) You should always be learning in table tennis, or in any serious activity. I’m always… Read More

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Atlanta International Table Tennis Academy

May 18, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins) With their location just North of Atlanta in Suwanee, Atlanta International Table Tennis Academy has… Read More

MLTT Team Feature: East Division Expansion Team the Atlanta Blazers

May 18, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins) Major League Table Tennis (MLTT) continues to grow, and the Atlanta Blazers are one of… Read More
View All News

Get the latest from Butterfly

Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.