Session 3: Table tennis serve/Tactics

Serving in table tennis is very important, if someone were to have a good serve, it’ll improve their game dramatically and more likely for them to win more points. This is because, if you are able to perform a serve that is very hard to return, then the more points that you’ll win. A serve is a shot that takes place behind the edge of the table, it will then start off a rally between two players. There are 4 different types of service when serving in table tennis, they are:
Top spin serve– You slide your paddle over the top of the ball as you hit it. When hit properly and with force, the ball will actually curve downward in its flight and then skip forward after it hits the table.
Side spin serve– You bring the paddle across your body to create the spin.
Back spin serve– This serve is very useful against attacking players and against less experienced ones as well.
And no-spin serve– Can be useful when your adversary is too far from a certain side of the table.

1) On your backhand side, position yourself at the side of the table, halfway between the net and your end of the table.

2) Hold the racket at an open angle – as if you were going to play a backhand push – and with your free hand, hold the ball between your thumb and first finger at a height of around 30cm (12 inches) directly above the racket.

3) Without moving your racket, drop the ball onto it so that the ball is projected towards your opponent’s side of the table.
The ball must first bounce on your side of the table and then go over the net and bounce on your opponent’s side of the table.
Once you’ve mastered this technique standing close to the net, gradually move further away from the net, nearer to your end of the table, and repeat the exercise.
Tactics
when your serving in a table tennis match, it is very important that you know what tactics that you are going to use, and make sure that you don’t give them away. You may serve the ball in a very aggressively to try and gain control of your opponent. Or, you can serve the ball normally, with a little less power, and play more defensively and try and hit your opponent on the counter by placing the ball in an area that they may find hard to return the ball.