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Table Tennis/ Ping-Pong - Forehand Pendulum Backspin/ Sidespin Serve

By Greg Letts, About.com

5 of 10

Pre-Contact With the Ball

Photo of FH Pendulum Backspin/Sidespin Serve - Pre-Contact With the Ball

Pre-Contact With the Ball

(c) 2006 Greg Letts, licensed to About.com, Inc.
The player is just about to make contact with the ball.

Points to look for:

  • As mentioned previously, the player will not be watching the contact of the ball, since this serve is a familiar routine.
  • The shoulders are just beginning to turn to the left of the player, which will add to the spin, and help the player recover to a neutral position faster.
  • The bat has started to move, but the player has not yet snapped his wrist forward. This shows how the wrist snaps at the last possible moment.
  • The height of the contact shown in the photograph is a little misleading, due to the angle of the camera. The ball appears to be a little higher in relation to the table than it really is.
  • Note how the receiver has an unobstructed view of the contact with the ball.

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  8. Table Tennis/ Ping-Pong Basic Strokes - Forehand Pendulum Backspin/Sidespin Serve - Step 5

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