OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Hello, I am playing TT as a hobby for 2 months or so.
My question maybe sounds stupid but I failed to find an answer around here and I can't figure it out by myself.

Most of the time I play doubles with friends. Most of friends play TT more than a year already.
Right now I am struggling with receiving powerful l/r sidespin serve. Sometimes it also has topspin. Amount of sidespin is varied and such that before ball hits the table on my side it looks like it will go over the back line of the table (10-20 cm from the corner) but after the bounce it goes out over the corner or even sideline if not served deep enough.

I can read the type of spin but not amount by any chance.
1/3 of times I can't even hit it properly - it hits fingers or I even miss.
Rest of the time it goes to the left or to the right of the table after I block because I misread amount of spin (read as I have no clue about it) and even after I put some angle to racket it still rarely goes back to the table.
When I try to step back and chop ball goes to the net most of the time since ball has tendency to fall down rapidly.
When I try to receive it on the table by putting topspin ball hits the net.
If I am lucky enough I return 1-2 out of 5 such serves and even those returns usually getting killed easily.

Besides this moment I feel more or less confident playing against this guy but in couples I feel like I am letting down my partner and what enrages me the most is when he sees I can't handle it he starts getting easier on me more and more with each next serve which makes me feel kind of humiliated.

I used allaround offensive Tulpe blade with 007 2mm rubbers but I could handle 0 such serves with it because of its tackyness. Ball just was flying around like crazy.
I tried medium pimples out - Kokutaku 110. It's somewhat helped but still things are such as I described above.

Thanks in advance

Thank you for reply.
So basically I should replicate his move, right? Did you mean this by "hit side/top as well, with the same angle"?
If yes then what to do when there is an incoming anticlockwise powerful spin coming to my backhand? I am physically not capable to put anticlockwise spin in such circumstances. The only option coming to my head is stepping back and left and trying to get it from below the table which is very very tricky to me.

Hi there
Whats probable is they serving two different variations that have a similar action but one has more top and one more bottom spin ,these are common serves and and you have to counteract the sidespin as well.
so here are some solutions
1.if they hit the left side of the ball then aim to the rightside
2.if they hit the right side of the ball aim more to the leftside
3.the one that makes you hit high and long is just a easy topspin and you can attack it easily by looping at the table to the correct side

... gota go now so ill come back later

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Blade Ulmo Duality| FH Tibhar mx-p Black, Dawei 388D-1 red OX
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Do you mean my left all the way?
So if he contacts the ball his right then I should contact the ball my left?

My partner usually successfully attacks such serves right off the bounce
It looks like he uses his wrist and blade angle but I still haven't figured out how exactly.

And yes, they are extremely spinny most of the time. More spinny than on most of the videos I have seen.

I just watched on youtube serve videos of sidespin serves with top and backspin and to my shame even on video there are few serves with backspin I can't identify as such.
It's not surprising now why sometimes it goes under and sometimes up.

Thanks, I will try. My main concern with stepping back and receving with forehand is I misjudge where the ball will be and usually miss it or hit the fingers.

But if it's the proper way to handle then I will work on it.
Just tell me what type of rubber I should use? Tacky = better here or worse?

One more question.
What's the best way to deal with powerful anticlockwise (i.e. right) spin?
I understand that I should answer with hitting left side of the ball but I am righthanded with shakehand and not sure how to do it in order to produce some relevant spin.
Any tips?

Hi , I myself never realy think about trying to do the opposite of what he is doing but I do usually hit more in in the opposite direction of where the ball is forced to go
the anti clockwise serve is generaly done as a backhand serve and the spin will make you hit to thier right and it is more likely to have a topspin effect
So aim for thier backhand and you if you think its topspin then either get to the ball fast and block to thier backhand side or loop it (Remember not to go long) or if there serve is getting predictable just smack it
if you think he is putting somebackspin (his bat angle will be a bit flatter) you still go to the same side but be wary your retun will be short

_________________
Blade Ulmo Duality| FH Tibhar mx-p Black, Dawei 388D-1 red OX
NZ table tennis selector, ask a question
My Blog here..How table tennis objects are made
Table Tennis abbreviations, and acronyms

Hello rodderz, regarding aiming for the opposite direction where the spin would take the ball, I usually aim for the middle of the forehand or backhand side -- which usually brings the ball to the middle when the sidespin kicks on my bat. Should I aim more towards the corners so that when the sidespin kicks hard, it goes more to the side I intended it to be?

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Viscaria. H2 Neo 2.15. Tenergy 05 1.9.

Well I feel its a bit less risky attacking his backhand as the serve is forcing the ball to the forehand (ready for an easy attack) but if you are quick aiming at the body can be effective also ( sometimes your return will have a mini reverse kick)

Also aiming at the white line middle is something I teach students if they have no idea of the spin lol

_________________
Blade Ulmo Duality| FH Tibhar mx-p Black, Dawei 388D-1 red OX
NZ table tennis selector, ask a question
My Blog here..How table tennis objects are made
Table Tennis abbreviations, and acronyms

As rodderz said, aim at the middle of the table. Practize returning those serves with a partner until you get a feeling for them.
My preferred way to return a side/top-serve is a counterhit. How hard you make depends on your skill.

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Blade: Andro Super Core Off
FH: FS 729 Higher 2.0
BH: FS GeoSpin Tacky 2.0