The advanced table tennis serve is one of the most important skills you can master to achieve the best serve possible. Having a strong advanced serve will give you the best advantage at the start of the point.
Although, before you can master the advanced table tennis serve or turn, you need to be highly skilled in the four basic tennis table strokes.
You also need to make sure that you are using the correct grip and have already mastered basic serves. In this article, we will be uncovering the advanced table tennis serve and how you can achieve them all.
While also, we will look at how to achieve the advanced return of serve as well.
Basics
Before we go straight into the advanced serves and return of serve, we need to go over the basics. As stated above, before you can move on to the advanced serves, you need to make sure that you have mastered the basics.
Therefore, we are going to go quickly through some of the basic strokes and skills that you should have already mastered. Once you know you are confident in all of these areas, then you can move on.
However, if you think a certain skill needs improvement, then you should work on that before moving onto the advanced strokes.
This is because, if you have mastered the basics, then the advanced strokes will be a lot easier to learn and put into practice.
Grip
Your grip is one of the most important table tennis skills that you have. It is also the most basic skill that you need to understand the most. Having the correct game is vital, especially if you want to improve your gameplay.
When you look at some of the best players in the world, you’ll discover that they have all been taught and mastered how to grip the racket properly.
There is a range of different grips that you can use. However, there are some grips that are more favored than others.
For example, the penhold grip is commonly used by Koreans, Chinese and Japanese. Yet in the western world, the shake-hands grip is favored.
You may wonder why the grip is so important. Yet, having the right grip means you can handle the racket much more effectively.
Therefore, the angle of the racket controls the ball. It controls the height, depth, speed, spin, and direction of the ball.
A lot of the top professional players actually switch their grip depending on the stroke they are playing.
It is common that a different grip is used for a forehand serve, and then it is switched back to their natural grip after they have hit the ball. They are then ready for their next stroke.
As a result, before you can even think about any advanced serves, you need to make sure that you have the correct grip for yourself.
Basic Serve
Along with having the correct grip you need to make sure that you can effectively achieve a basic serve. You should know inside and out how to perform the perfect basic serve shots before thinking about moving onto the advanced serves.
In general, the serve is the most important stroke of the entire game. As you have complete control over the ball. It is up to you where you put it and how. To perform a basic serve you should do the following:
Place the ball in the palm of your hand.
Throw the ball up vertically.
Allow the ball to drop slightly in the air and hit the ball with your racket.
Hit the ball, so that it bounces on your side of the table, bounces over the net, and bounces on your opponent’s side.
Once you have mastered the basic serve, you can go onto the more advanced table tennis serves.
Basic Service Return
The basic service turn is just as significant as the basic serve. It is the first opportunity that you have as the receiver to hit the ball. You must be in the ready position, ready to respond when the ball comes your way.
When you are the receiver, you want to be able to vary the direction of your return serve. Thus, making your opponent unsure where you are going to play the ball.
Once you can successfully perform the basic service return, then you will be able to learn the advanced return of serve much more easily.
Table Tennis Strokes
There are a couple of table tennis strokes you must learn before you learn any advanced strokes. However, as there are so many strokes to learn it can be a little overwhelming, knowing where to begin.
Yet, there are four strokes that we would recommend you start with. Therefore, before you think of any advanced strokes, you need to make sure that you have learned how to correctly play with the following four basic strokes.
Backhand Push
For this stroke, you should use a short action. Your arm should move horizontally from the elbow. For this stroke, you are aiming to hit the ball when it is at the top of its bounce height.
Your racket should make contact with the bottom portion of the ball. This will give the ball a slight backspin. Ideally, you want to play this shot short over the net.
The objective of this stroke is to stop your opponent from having the chance to play an attacking stroke.
Forehand Drive
This stroke is a little different from other strokes, as you stay near the table. However, you have a sideways stance, facing the line of play. For this shot, you want to use a medium stroke.
You will notice that your racket arm will move forward and slightly upwards. This is typically in the direction that the ball is going to travel to.
The racket itself will be slightly closed, as this will produce some topspin to the ball. You should be aiming to hit the ball when it is at the top of its bounce.
For this stroke, your body will rotate around 45 degrees to the right and then turn back to face the ball. As this is happening, your body weight moves from your right foot to your left foot.
The forehand drive is a great aggressive stroke. Which then stops your opponent from playing an attacking shot as well.
Backhand Drive
For this stroke, you will stay close to the table. You will face the table and use a medium stroke. Your arm that holds the racket will move forward and slightly upward, just like the previous stroke.
The racket angle on this stroke is slightly close. With a loose wrist, you should be aiming to create topspin as you push your arm forward while making contact with the ball.
Again, you want to hit the ball when it is at the top bounce height. This is another aggressive stroke, which you can use to hit the ball as close to your opponent’s sidelines or end line as possible.
Forehand Push
While standing close to the table, this stroke uses a short-stroke action. The arm containing your racket will move from the elbow in a horizontal direction. With this shot, you are aiming to hit the ball at the back bottom part, to create backspin.
This shot is to prevent your opponent from playing an aggressive or attacking shot. Also, this shot is ideal for being short over the net.
Advanced Table Tennis Serve
As previously stated above, the serve is one of the most important aspects of a game of table tennis. It is a very crucial and important stroke, as it is the only time when you have complete control over the ball.
You can decide how much spin to give the ball, and where you want to hit it onto the table.
Hence, having an advanced table tennis serve can give you an even bigger advantage over your opponent. Therefore, once the basics are nailed, you can look into learning and developing your advanced services.
There is a range of advanced table tennis services that you can learn, that will greatly improve your game. All of these advanced serves will need to be able to vary the direction, speed, and spin of the ball.
Short Backspin Serve
The aim of the short backspin serve is to not allow your opponent to play an attacking stroke in return. You want to make it difficult for your opponent. Therefore, with this service shot, you should try to create as much backspin on the ball as you can. You also want to make the ball bounce as close to the net as possible.
If your opponent struggles in returning backspin strokes, then this service shot will be highly effective. Below are the steps on how to produce a perfect short backspin serve.
Stand close to and face the table. You should have a low stance while keeping your arms and wrists relaxed and loose.
Place the ball in the palm of your free hand.
Throw the ball vertically into the air. It should reach about 6 inches into the air after leaving your hand.
Let the ball drop slightly in the air.
With a fast-forward motion, strike the ball with a brushing action, by hitting on the underside of the ball. This is what will give your ball maximum backspin.
With this stroke, you should be using a short stroke and keeping your body movement to a minimum. Ideally, you want your ball to bounce on your side of the table, and then go over the net and bounce twice on your opponent’s side of the table.
Your opponent may try to stroke the ball after it bounces once on their side of the table. However, you are hoping for the ball to bounce twice on your opponent’s half of the table.
However, as this ball is coming towards your opponent with so much backspin, you are limiting the number of strokes your opponent can use.
This serve limits your opponent from playing a return shot with their racket over the table. As a result, this also means that your opponent is more likely to perform a weaker return shot. Thus, this advanced serve limits any chance of your opponent attacking the ball in their return shot.
You can easily practice this serve by yourself, using several balls.
Short Backhand Sidespin Serve
The aim of short backhand sidespin serve, is to again limit the choice of strokes that your opponent has to return with. Thus, the chances of a weak return increase.
The sidespin will force your opponent to play a return shot in a way that is favorable to you. If you give the ball more left sidespin, then your opponent’s return will naturally be directed towards your forehand side. That is, as long as your opponent doesn’t try to counteract the sidespin.
Sometimes, players will also add alongside sidespin, either topspin or backspin. Below are the steps on how to produce a perfect short backhand sidespin serve.
Stand close and face towards the table. While also having a low stance.
Keep your arms and wrists relaxed and loose.
Place the ball in the palm of your free hand.
Throw the ball vertically into the air. It should reach about 6 inches into the air after leaving your hand.
Let the ball drop slightly in the air.
With a slightly forward and sideways motion, make contact with the ball with your racket. For a right-handed player, you should be moving your racket from left to right. From your backhand side to your forehand side.
Just like with the short backspin serve, you should use a short stroke and keep any body movement to a minimum. This serve has a fast wrist action, on the middle to back part of the ball. This is so you can achieve the maximum sidespin that is possible.
Forehand High Toss Serve
This serve is not used by anybody, as it is quite difficult to do. Therefore, this is quite a tricky advanced table tennis serve shot to achieve. Hence, it is only used by a couple of the top players in the world. This serve shot isn’t used by your average player.
The Forehand high toss serve originates from the 1980s. It was mainly seen used by Asian players, however, the popularity of this serve shot has died down over the years.
Yet, if you do manage to achieve this serve, you will achieve extra speed on the ball that allows you to put even more spin on the ball.
As the ball is tossed high into the air, your opponent will struggle to determine whether you will be playing a long or short shot. They will also struggle to guess the path of the ball, as it is tossed high into the air.
Below are the steps on how to produce a perfect forehand high toss serve.
Stand close to the table. For this serve, you need to be stood in your backhand corner.
Place the ball in your free hand.
Throw the ball vertically in the air. You must make sure that your free arm and body don’t hide the ball at any point.
Let the ball drop slightly in the air.
Then, by using a fast but loose wrist action, make contact with the ball. You want to produce the most spin as possible on the ball. The best time to strike the ball is when it is 6 inches above the table surface, they’re at the same height of the net.
Try using different stroke actions to produce different kinds of spins on the ball.
Finally, try disguising the type of spin that you have given the ball, by your follow-through action. Therefore, you should be moving your racket in a different direction to the one that you used to strike the ball.
As your opponent will struggle to know what kind of spin you are giving to the ball, their return will be weak. Therefore, you can either win the point quicker or have a strong follow-up shot, if your opponent does manage to produce a weak return.
You can create different types of spins with this service shot. Therefore, you can keep your opponent guessing what you will do next.
Also, by creating a sidespin on the ball, you force your opponent to return the ball to a specific area. This then means you can be more prepared to deliver a strong follow-up shot.
With this service shot, you want to keep the service short over the net. This then limits any chances of your opponent trying to attack the ball in return.
However, you must vary the speed, length, and direction of your serve. This will then keep your opponent unsettled, as they then can’t predict what you will do next.
Half-Long Serve
The previous advanced table tennis serve was quite complicated. However, advanced table tennis serves don’t have to be complicated, sometimes simplicity is still just as effective.
With the half-long serve, this serve is all about the second bounce on your opponent’s side of the table (that is if they haven’t hit the ball back to you). You want the second bounce of the ball to be at the very edge of the table.
This serve is all about the placement of the ball. You are leading your opponent into a false sense of security. After the first bounce, on their side of the table, they will believe that the ball will fall beyond their end line.
Your opponent will then think that they can play a full swing stroke to return the ball, not realizing that the ball will bounce near their end line.
You should try to vary the length of your stroke with this service shot. This will help trick your opponent. It should be noted that it doesn’t matter what kind of spin you put onto the ball with this serve.
The idea of this serve is to just fool your opponent into thinking that after the first bounce, the second bounce will fall outside their end line. This serve is all about the placement and length of the ball.
Long Fast Serve
The half-long serve was all about deceiving your opponent, while the long fast serve is all about surprising your opponent. Most top players will commonly serve quite short over the net.
This then allows their opponent to return the ball over the table. Hence, they can’t take a full swing at the ball.
As a result, a long fast serve can either win a point outright or force your opponent to produce a weak return, which you can strongly attack back. However, the aim of a long fast serve is to disguise the serve, so your opponent doesn’t see it coming.
Using a long, fast serve is quite effective. Although you don’t disguise it or use it too often, then the effectiveness of the serve will be reduced. A long fast serve is like a topspin serve.
However, it can also be a sidespin and/or backspin serve. You should be aiming to bounce the ball on your opponent’s end line or getting as close to their end line as possible.
Below are the steps to produce the perfect long, fast serve.
Stand near the table, in a low stance.
Place the ball in your free hand.
Throw the ball in the air and let it drop slightly in the air.
Strike the ball and aim for it to bounce on your end line.
You then want the ball to bounce over the net and onto your opponent’s end line.
This serve is all about disguising what service shot you are going to produce and where you are going to place the ball. You want to make your opponent believe that you are going to play short or are aiming at a different part of the table.
Advanced Return Of Serve
Once you know how to produce an advanced table tennis serve, then it is only time before you will want to master how to produce an advanced return serve. However, you must be able to successfully complete the basic returns before you move onto anything too advanced.
You need to have nailed basic push and drive strokes for return shots. Then you can move on to learning a wide range of positive returns. You will notice that a lot of the top table tennis players will serve short over the net.
The reason for this is that their opponent is limited in how they respond. Which typically means that they cannot play strong attacking return shots.
Hence, the best way to work around this is by learning more advanced return shots. We have put together some of the more advanced return of serve shots that you can learn, to improve your return service.
The Short Push Return
The short push return is a really effective return shot, that makes it difficult for your opponent to play an attacking stroke. With any return stroke, you want to stop your opponent from playing an attacking stroke.
As a result, you want your stroke to fall short over the net. You want the ball to bounce at least twice on your opponent’s side of the table.
Thus, you want the ball to hit as close to the net as possible and then bounce again on the table.
Below, we have given you the steps for you to be able to produce the best short push return shot.
With a low stance, you should be close to and facing the table.
Your arms and wrists should be loose and relaxed.
Your free arm should be pointing towards the ball, to help you keep your balance.
Once the ball is coming to you, you should lean over the table.
Then, by using a short-stroke, hit the ball. You should be making contact with the ball before it reaches the top height of its bounce.
You should be aiming to achieve the perfect length on the ball. This causes your opponent to think quickly about what they should do. You want the ball to bounce twice, and the second bounce should be near your opponent’s end line.
The Long Fast Push Return
The aim of this return stroke is to surprise your opponent. As we have previously mentioned, the top players like using short service shots over the net. This is to make it more difficult for their opponent to play an aggressive and attacking stroke.
However, sometimes playing a long, fast push return stroke will catch your opponent off guard. This then will cause you to either win the point outright or cause your opponent to play a weak stroke in response.
This stroke is played in the same way as the short push return stroke that we just spoke about. However, the difference between these two strokes is that with this one, you need to use a fast wrist action to push the ball. This fast action will then make the ball gain speed and go further across the table.
With this shot, you want to be aiming for the crossover point or into the corner of the table. The crossover point is the area where the player has no clear choice of forehand or backhand. For example, for a right-handed player, their crossover point is roughly in line with their right hip.
The Forehand Flick/Flip Return
The two push shots use an open racket, while the forehand flick/flip uses a closed racket. The techniques used are very similar, except you hit the top or back of the ball. All while using a loose wrist action.
This type of shot can be used as a return stroke, however, it is commonly seen in rallies as well. If your opponent plays a short return shot over the net, then this is the perfect opportunity to play the forehand flick/flip return stroke.
Below are the steps for you to be able to achieve the perfect forehand flick/flip return.
Start off in the ready position. Stand near to the table, in a low position.
Once the ball is served, lean over the table on your half of the table.
Strike the ball quite early at the top of the bounce.
Flick the ball diagonally across the table.
Usually, with this stroke, the player will take a step forward when they are about to perform the stroke. Therefore, they can get real power and speed behind the ball.
The Backhand Flick Return
During 2010, some of the top Chinese players introduced a new variation to the traditional back flick return shot. This variation has coined the name the banana shot.
This is because this variation creates a lot of sidespin. Whereas, the traditional backhand flick return stroke, has mainly topspin.
Below are the steps for both the traditional backhand flick return and the banana shot.
Traditional Backhand Flick Return
Start in the ready position. Stood near the table in a low stance.
Take a step in when you are ready to take the ball.
Try taking the ball as early as possible, at the top bounce height.
Your wrist should be loose and ready to flick the ball, in a fast sideways motion.
With this stroke, you will be making an upward brushing action on the back of the ball. This is where the topspin comes from.
Banana Shot
Unlike the traditional backhand flick return, the banana shot asks you to brush around the side of the ball. This is what causes the sidespin on the ball. This return shot requires a lot of practice to properly get it right. Once you get right, you can normally guarantee to win the point.
It may have been invented by Chinese players, yet this stroke is now being used by players all over the world.
Start in the ready position. Stood near the table in a low stance.
Take a step in when you are ready to take the ball.
Try taking the ball as early as possible, at the top bounce height.
Keep your elbow high and your wrist loose. Your wrist will turn the racket really quickly from left to right. Which creates your desired sidespin.
The banana shot is a very fast stroke, and can be played all over the table. Typically, the traditional backhand flip is used from the backhand side of the table. However, some of the top players have been using the banana shot all over the table. Yet, it is still only used against short services.
Table Tennis Serving Tips
Now that we have gone through both the advanced table tennis serves and return of serve strokes, let’s go through some tips to help you with these shots.
When trying to improve your table tennis game, you must practice. Like with any sport, practice makes perfect. Although, there are two key elements that will help you a lot more if you can do well. These are spin and aim.
Below, we have gone into a little more detail about why these two things are important. You may already be aware that spin has become such an important part of table tennis.
While with aim, there are certain areas that you want to be aiming for when serving. These areas will help you win more points overall, as they are areas that are difficult for your opponent to respond to.
Spin
You may have noticed from all the advanced strokes we have mentioned, that they talk about spin a lot. Spin is quite important in table tennis as it can help confuse your opponent.
Having a great serve spin is crucial. The top players will use spin to make the ball curve and change how it bounces, this can throw your opponent off guard if they aren’t sure what to expect.
Over the years, spin has become a lot more dominant in table tennis. Therefore, for any player that wants to improve their game performance in any way, they need to look at their spin.
It has to be said that spin can take a lot of practice to get right. Yet ideally, you want to add enough spin to the ball for it to curve once it makes contact with the table.
It is even better if the ball with enough spin hits the end of your opponent’s side of the table.
There is sidespin, topspin and backspin.
Topspin – Topspin increases the downward pressure on the ball. Therefore, after it bounces on the table, the ball will remain low and accelerate forwards.
Backspin – Backspin decreases the downward pressure on the ball. Hence, unlike a ball with topspin, after the ball has bounced on the table, it will continue to rise upwards. A ball with backspin doesn’t accelerate as far forwards as a ball with topspin.
Sidespin – There are two things that can happen when a ball has sidespin.
Left sidespin on a ball is caused by brushing against the left side of the ball with the racket. This then makes the ball go to the right in direction.
Right sidespin on a ball is caused by brushing against the right side of the ball with the racket. This then makes the ball go to the left in direction.
We would encourage you to mix up the spins that you give your balls during serves, returns and rallies. Even have the occasional ball with no spin at all.
You want to keep your opponent on their toes, and they shouldn’t know what to expect from you next.
Serve To The Corners
There are two places where you should aim to serve your balls. This is the first one. Try to serve balls deep into the corners of the table.
These areas are much more difficult for your opponent to get a strong stroke in return, which can lead to a missed shot or a weak return.
Serve Short And Over
The other area you should be aiming for when serving is short and over the net. This is the best place to serve, and you will notice this is where professionals serve about 80% of the time. However, sometimes a long serve will be thrown in to keep their opponent on their toes, as it is unexpected.
Alongside that, this area is much harder for your opponent to be able to generate any swing on their shots. Which results in a weaker shot overall. They can’t hit the ball as hard, so they can’t generate much speed or spin.
Thus, you can produce a much stronger return shot. Therefore, you can understand why a lot of the shots we have spoken about ask you to aim your ball in this area.
Final Thoughts
There you go! We have gone through all the advanced table tennis service strokes and advanced return of serve shots.
All of these are achievable with a bit of practice and effort. All of these advanced shots will help you improve your serve overall.
However, as previously mentioned, you should only move onto the advanced strokes only if you have mastered the basics. This is because all the advanced strokes use basic strokes within them.
Once you have mastered the basics and now know how to produce a great spin on the ball. Then these advanced strokes will be simple.
Now you know how to produce these advanced serves, your game performance will definitely improve.
Hi! My name is Dave White, and I have been playing ping pong semi-professionally for the last 5 years. It is a big passion of mine, and I want others to experience the joy that comes with this sport themselves.
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