The BIGGEST error when returning sidespin serves (and how to fix)

In this video I highlight a big error players make when trying to return a sidespin serve.

This error is very common at the beginner and intermediate level and makes it almost impossible to return a sidespin serve.

To help demonstrate the error, you will see footage of Uma. She is a Division 3 player in Cambridge. Uma is working hard at improving her game, but she finds it hard to return sidespin serves.

But when we fix the error she is making, she starts to return many more of my sidespin serves.

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[janbalompie]

nice one. at first i did not get why she was missing, it was not obvious to me, then you told us. Now its obvious.

[shtr-ptr]

one more tip - slightly loose your wrist and play forward: lead the ball (dont stop your hand at moment of contact - continue the motion) to the opponents side with little bit soft racket. If you keep tight wrist, ball bounces back faster: you have less time to set the direction to the ball and it goes uncontrolled.

[AnasKhokhar-pi]

Sir I have learned a lot from you and this one will help me clear and sort my biggest mistake in the game

[Arief-PCR-A]

Tanks Tom, I have a problem to return side spin serve, you just give me solutions 👍🏓

[Pingpongbatman-cg]

Good video, Tom. I could use some advice for a few things. Some players in my local club will give me tomahawk serves with different spins despite the contact point looking the same. A lot of the time I just have to end up guessing the spin and I'll often flick it into the net, hesitate on my push and push it into the net, push it off the table, flick it off the table thinking I'm converting a backspin, or push up an easy third ball kill because I guessed that it was backspin. Another thing too-- I struggle very badly against higher level players who loop fast to the corner.... a lot of the time I can't even react fast enough to get to the ball in time and it's already gone.... If I do manage to get a paddle on the ball it's not a good return or I hit it way way long. PLEASE help with these massive issues I am having.

[Lanochka]

Greetings from Israel! Uma is responding well. If she starts jumping, she will soon become like a goat!

[gunnarradagastse]

Tomahawk serves by right-handed players are hard for me receive: Lots of side spin, the receive is often far out on my forehand (one or two bounces on the table). I want to play a soft loop if it bounces once, but the wrist angle necessary to counter the side spin makes this difficult. I nowadays step around and return with my backhand far into the forehand side, but then I end out of position.

[XYoukaiX]

as long as I can see it for me Sidespin has always been the easiest serves ever, only when combined with strong up or down spin it can be very efficient against me.

But many players even on professional levels illegaly hide the ball and their racket behind their arm so it can get very hard.

[EAB]

But doesn’t this apply to returning any serves and not only side spin ones?

[fortitude]

Yep but reading serve is the hardest part..

[yama-kaskad]

Thank you for video. A typical mistake of any beginner with a stupid coach is not to play the ball in the triangle, but to stretch. As for this particular lady, just give her short pimples and teach her to turn the racket over. With her physical condition, she does not need two smooth rubbers from the start. It is strange not to understand this.