Article for USATT
February 10, 2005
By Masaaki Tajima, National Level Coach
In virtually every racket sport, serves and the ability to
return them effectively are dominating factors in the outcome of any match.
Besides table tennis, tennis is another example of a sport where this is true.
Whether it is the men’s or women’s division, the big serve sets the tone of the
match; if you serve well, you play well. On the other side, the player who can
receive well can stay in the point until it is his or her turn to serve.
Conceptually, the serve and return of serve is the same in
our sport as it is in tennis except, I believe it is more difficult to receive
in table tennis because of the complexities involved. In tennis, the variety of
serves is limited to elements of speed, variations of topspin, placement and
cross-court serves only. In table tennis, in addition to the above, there is
variation of backspins, dead-balls, all of the court being open and most deadly
of all, deception — the disguising of the type of spin and speed generated and
the placement of it.
The Serve
Ever since the revolution in table tennis in 1954, the basic
tactic of the serve has not changed: to gain an immediate offensive advantage.
The most effective deception technique which transformed tactics of serving
started about 30 years ago when former world champion Cai Zen Hua’s (1975-77
Men’s Teams) executed racket flipping serves using anti-spin on one side and
inverted rubber on the other. The two-color rule was not in effect at that
time.
During that period, the use of combination racket was not
new, but he was the most effective in using the tactic of disguising which side
was being used and how to gain an immediate offensive advantage. The two-color
rule for rackets was enacted soon, after when powers that be deemed the
technique more trickery than skill. But coaches and players continued to find
new methods of deception. In the 1980’s, the “hidden serve” came into play: in
which the body or the arm tossing the ball hid the point of contact with the ball
which made it more difficult to read what spin was imparted. The player who
first developed it is debatable, but Swedish players during their domination in
the late 1980’s through the 1990’s were very effective in its employment and
they influenced generations of new players.
In table tennis, as in tennis, the impact of a strong serve
is undeniable. Tennis also struggles with the consequences of “big” serves
leading to shorter matches, a direct result of the technological evolution of
stronger and faster rackets and athletes’ physical development through
strengthening programs. This trend, whether in tennis or table tennis, will not
change. Overall tactics, equipment and even rules regarding the serve have been
evolving, but the basic tactic of the third ball attack remain constant — first
ball is the serve, the second is the return of serve, and the third is
attacking that return with some variation of strong topspin or a hit
establishing an offensive advantage. Some of the best exponents of this, and my
favorites, are GuoYuehua, Cai Zen Hua and, of course, Jan Ove Waldner.
Recently, the service rule changed again to outlaw the
“hidden serve,” ostensibly to improve the image factor of table tennis by
allowing longer rallies. But the reality is, and statistics prove it, that most
points are over by the fifth ball. If history is an indicator of the future,
coaches and players will continue to find other means, within the rules, to
execute the goal of the server. Mastering the basic skills of serve and return
of serves is not enough to be a world-class player. It just keeps you in the
company of thousands of other top players. To be exceptional and be above the
rest, one must develop extraordinary techniques.
Return of Serve
The consequence of the inability of a player to return
deceptive and innovative serves is obvious from bottom levels of play to the
top. Events at beginner levels to world championships are often won or lost by
margins of just a few points, and these points are won and lost mainly by effective
serves or returns of serve.
The significance of the ability to effectively return serves
was demonstrated clearly by Sweden’s domination of China (Men’s division) in
the late 1980’s through the 1990’s. China, with their massive talent pool and infrastructure,
has a history of producing innovative serves, playing styles and tactics when
faced with challenges. When Stellan Bengstan won the world championships in
1971, they came up with Huang Liang. When Hungary won the teams (1979), they
came up with great servers in Guo Yu Hua, Cai Zen Hua, and the acrobatic Chen
Zenhua, followed by the team of Jiang Jialiang, Teng Yi and Chen Loncan, who
won the next four world championships.
However, Sweden in the ensuing period found a technique to
overcome then world champion China’s mainly short pips players Teng Yi — who
used pips on the forehand and inverted on backhand — Jiang Jialiang and Chen
Loncan, the latters using a close-to-the-table quick attack by attacking short
serves with quick flips. The other contributing factor was the introduction of
speed glue and Sweden’s new generation of talented and diverse-style players
exemplified by Appleggren, Waldner, Persson and Eric Lynd. Sweden went on to
win the next three world championships.
Priority
Like anything else in life, prioritizing the training
program is a critical factor in maximizing one’s available time. An accurate
and realistic assessment of a player must be done before any formation of a
training regimen. For important elements, such as serve and return of serve
training, there is a need for much dedication and discipline, because these
drills are not fun like other drills.
The intricacies of serve and return of serve require
absolute timing. It means developing the ability to time contact with the ball
and consistently execute basic shots, like flipping or rolling and loops, along
with enhanced anticipation to read the
serve and have the physical flexibility, adaptability and the technical skill
to cope with the ensuing sequence of shots.
These are basic fundamentals. Serve and return of serve must
be a training priority because the basic offensive-oriented strategy in our
sport will not change in the foreseeable future. At higher levels, it is the
player who is able to attack first and establish the momentum and the receiver
who has the know-how and the courage to use offensive returns will determine
the outcome of these matches.
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