December 2, 2024 - Where to Serve From

Most players serve from the backhand corner. It’s logical – it allows you to serve and stay in position. A normal ready stance would be with your middle (playing elbow) around the middle of the table, which means your body is mostly to your backhand side. Since many players have stronger forehand attacks or have more reach on that side, many players edge that way even more. And so it’s natural to serve from the backhand side.

But many or most players do it over and Over and OVER!!! Why allow an opponent to get used to where you are serving from? I’ve found that if an opponent gets used to my serve from the backhand side, often all I have to do is use the same serves from the forehand side and they suddenly get very uncomfortable and erratic. So, why not serve from the middle or forehand side, at least as a variation?

Serving from the forehand side also gives you an angle into the forehand, where a short serve can be especially effective against some players. In fact, since forehand short receive is awkward for many players, some will reach over and receive backhand – leaving themselves open if, at the last second, you serve deep to the backhand. When serving from the forehand side, learn to serve both short and long to the both sides, using the same motion.

Serving from the forehand side does mean your opponent can return deep to your backhand, and so you have to be ready for that. But it’s not hard to serve from the forehand side and follow through on the serve by moving back toward your backhand side. And if you are stronger on the backhand side than the forehand, then serving from the forehand side puts you in perfect position to dominate with that backhand.

So, why not experiment with where you serve from? Imagine that look of discomfort from your opponent the first time you do this!