When facing off against an opponent over the table tennis table, it is important to modify your strategies according to the playing style of your opponent. More often than not, sticking to a rigid style of play will help your opponent learn about your weakness and exploit them, which means you have to pay careful attention to how you respond. The following guide will show how to return a backspin serve in table tennis.
Identify the spin:
The first step towards having a good response is to identify the type of shot that your opponent has played. To do that you will need to pay attention to the movement of your opponent’s playing hand, instead of the ball, as it will give you more time to react. The backspin is performed by moving the paddle in a swift, downward motion.
Backspin in response
The well-executed backspin will make the ball move slower than a normal shot, but it is difficult to hit a good attacking shot as the spin makes it difficult to place the ball accurately. In response to a backspin, you will need to impart a backspin on the ball yourself to compensate.
Mimic and over-power:
Advanced players can use the spin of their opponents to their advantage, but first you must be able to negate the effect of your opponent’s shot. The best way to counter most of the spins is to mimic the movement of your opponent, and this is a good starting place to practice returning spin shots. If you are not sure about how much spin is imparted over the ball, make sure that you spin it more than usual although you may find it tempting to return a neutral shot.
When you practice the return of service over the table tennis table, it is a good idea to start with mimicking the opponent without focusing on winning the game as you gain a better understanding of how the ball behaves with the strength and direction of every spin. Once you gain confidence in your ability to read a spin, you can gradually move on to integrate attack strategies into your game.
