Physical Education

Backhand sidespin serve

From the backhand side of the table, stand with the feet and shoulders 45 degrees to the left. This helps the body block some of the stroke from your opponent's view. Bend the wrist back. Bring the paddle, which is open, back and upward, while the ball is tossed from an open palm in front of the paddle. When the ball starts to drop, bring the paddle downward with your elbow in a semicircular motion sideways. At contact, snap the wrist. If you desire a sidespin serve with a little bit of backspin, graze the ball in the first third of your semicircular motion(downwards, right). For almost pure sidespin, contact the ball at the bottommost part of the swing. For topspin/sidespin serves, hit the ball at the last third, when the paddle is travelling upwards in the semicircle. This last spin may be the toughest to execute, but it can be done. Remember that topspin in these serves is not at all like the basic topspin serve, where the racket moved forward through the ball. The advanced topspin serve is more of a lob, or loop against backspin, where the paddle 'tugs' the ball upwards, causing spin. Thus it can still be executed with an open paddle. Follow through is the same regardless of the spin you chose, and this is important to complete the deceptive movement of the serve.