ScolPingTab

The choice of the length of your serves (long or short) is one of the easiest ways for students to vary their serves.

The distance will next be combined with speed and spin.

Students will play points using a long serve (a themed game).

This will be a long exercise (1-2 minutes, 6 serves or an entire set), staying on the same server.

Here we can see long serves with little speed or topspin.

Let's watch and see what you have to do to serve long.

Advice from the coach:

Technique: To serve long, observe the ball-racket contact point (height of the throw and blade direction), but also the ball on the half-court, in this case close to you.

If I hit it too high (throw) or too far in (on my half court), then the ball may go out of play without touching the opponent's half-court.

Method:

The ball by ball situation (basket only) should only be used to obtain a quality of serve compatible with the choice of server.

If I wish to start the game playing long and attacking right from the serve, then I will choose a long serve. By working on this, ensuring that is really is long, not too high and sufficiently fast, may take a little while to perfect and understand what needs to be modified. As soon as the service has improved, I'll need to get quickly back into practice with an opponent to reinforce my ability to choose this shot and integrate it into my game.

Let's alternate the themed games using given or chosen serves with more precisely targeted situations to perfect the service technique (adjustment).

Start a game with a short serve

Players will attempt to get into the game using placement and, occasionally, speed.

In this exercise, we will focus on the key elements needed to perform a short serve.

The throw and the racket-ball contact are essential, as is the ball-table contact.

Advice from the coach:

Technique: If I strike the ball too high (throw) or too close on my half-court, then I risk giving my opponent a long and high ball, opening up the table for an attack. Wait until the ball has finished its descent before striking it. Choose a push or spin, and contact underneath the ball (depending on the skill level).

Method:

The ball by ball situation (basket only) should only be used to obtain a quality of serve compatible with the choice of server.

If I want to start the game short to avoid an attacking return, then I'll choose a short serve. By working on this, ensuring that is really is short and not too high, may take a little while to perfect and understand what needs to be modified. As soon as the service has improved, I'll need to get quickly back into practice with an opponent to reinforce my ability to choose this shot and integrate it into my game.

A reminder of the rules

If I don't throw the ball high enough (16cm according to the rules, almost the height of the net), then I am not following the service throw rule and I'm playing an opponent who is not ready. This may be because I have not mastered the coordination required for the throw and strike, but also because I'm tempted to surprise my opponent by serving quickly. In this case, not following the rule gives me an unfair advantage.

You always need to know both the rules and the technique. In order to respect both the spirit of the game and your opponent, you need to ensure that the ball properly leaves your hand.

Advice from the coach:

Spin serves will disrupt your opponent's return by forcing him or her into a specific control shot (see the action section). Here, the server is trying to provoke the opponent into committing a fault. Later, with the development of the opponent's returns (see the following step concerning building your game), he or she will redirect the game, in particular using side spin for a return appropriate to the serve and then to the third stroke (the second was the return of serve).

We can foresee a choice of simple serves according to the responses you get, which are often predictable.

Observing your opponent before service and choosing your serve are key factors in order to obtain a favourable ball:

• If the opponent is close to the table, then the serve will be fast to surprise them and force them to return a high, favourable ball,

• If they step back, a short serve will then push them to take the ball with an open racket head, leading them to lift the ball, giving you again a good ball to attack,

• If they balance their return position (equal distance for forehand and backhand), then they will open up the space on the extreme backhand side, which can be attacked using a long, fast serve.

Identifying these patterns will have a certain impact on the progression of the student's education, directing how they play and boosting their confidence in the way they play (style or game plan).

Students will develop:

• The quality of the spin they produce,

• The variety of spin,

• The amount of speed applied to the ball,

• lThe precision of the placement on the opponent's halfcourt

• The type of balls returned by the opponent

Exercise

Idea

Other combinations are also possible, so feel free to seek them out and discover them. Collect all of these in a table of the group's possibilities (plan a table, zone or box to keep all the different serves in, with links to the consequences of the different spins on the opponent's game)