Receiving Technique with Long Pimples

Hi Coach,

My opponent does a service against my OX LP in BH as under:

Pendulum Serve with backspin and sidespin. The serve is short and low towards my back hand and curve aggressively towards the side of the table.

When I am returning the serve with my OX LP in my BH as per the following technique:

1. Shovel Push at the bounce - the return is very easy for opponent to finish wherever I place as he is a two winged attacker
2. Shovel Push at the top of the bounce or a little later - The ball has already started curving sidewards and the ball slides down to the net upon contact with my LP
3. Left to Right side swipe with LP at the bounce - The return goes long off the table
4. Left to Right side swipe with LP at the top of the bounce or a little later- The ball has already started curving sidewards and the ball slides down to the net upon contact with my LP
5. Keeping the grip so relaxed that almost holding the bat with 2 thumb and index finger and soft toughing below the ball so that it just crosses the net - To contact below the ball I have to wait for the ball to reach the top of the bounce and wait for it to drop. But by then the ball has curved aggressively and moving sidewards so this technique becomes unreliable with low success rate with most of the return not even reaching the net (due to lack of ball momentum towards me, to counter this if I strengthen the grip then the return is too easy for two winged attacker)

I have seen your video of received pendulum serve by thinking the bat as a rudder to guide the ball but the ball slides down to the net from LP contact.

Please advise.

Hi Rajat,

Thanks for the detailed description of your issue! Receiving a pendulum serve with a combination of backspin and sidespin using an OX long pimple rubber can indeed be tricky, especially when the serve is executed well by your opponent.

Let’s try to refine your return strategies to make it more challenging for your opponent to capitalize on their serve:  While using long pimples, it’s crucial to adjust the angle of your bat based on the spin. For the pendulum serve you described, try to slightly open the racket face when you contact the ball during a shovel push, especially when contacting the ball at the bounce. This minor adjustment can help in handling the side spin better.  When attempting the left to right side swipe, try adding a little more wrist action. This can help you not only to counteract the spin but also to direct the ball with better precision. Focusing on a compact, quick swiping motion could keep your return low and short, making it harder for your opponent.  For the very soft touch you’ve described, it seems like your timing might need slight adjustments.  

Mixing up your returns can sometimes throw your opponent’s rhythm off. Try alternating between aggressive pushes and soft touches in your returns. Adding variation might make your opponent second-guess their next move.  Sometimes, stepping slightly to the side to address the ball from a different angle can help manage tricky serves. If the serve curves towards the side of the table, step around a little to use your forehand or position yourself to get a better angle on your backhand side swipe.