Serving to an aggressive player.

Discussion in 'Techniques / Training' started by Flick, Jul 31, 2003.

  1. Flick

    Flick Regular Member

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    Do you guys have any advice about serving to a very attacking player who will jump at the net when you serve short and can recover to smash at you when you serve high & long?

    I was playing against a guy like this and I didn't know what to do.
     
  2. Neil Nicholls

    Neil Nicholls Regular Member

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  3. Neil Nicholls

    Neil Nicholls Regular Member

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    Do you serve forehand or backhand?

    If forehand, you might want to change to backhand.
    If backhand then practice more so your serves are lower over the net.

    Does he always return serve with a backhand, or always with a forehand?
    If so, then try to serve somewhere that is awkward for his grip.

    Vary your short serves.
    I don't mean huges variations like 1 to the centre 1 wide to the tramlines.
    I mean 1 to the centre, 1 10cm wider, 1 to the centre, 1 20 cm wide.


    How close to the service line does this player stand when waiting to receive serve?
     
  4. Flick

    Flick Regular Member

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    He stands very close. One step and tap!


    :(
     
    #4 Flick, Jul 31, 2003
    Last edited: Jul 31, 2003
  5. Kennyb

    Kennyb Regular Member

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    Am I scaring you too much?? I'll stand further back then for you so you can serve it in. :D :p
     
  6. Pointfore.Ca

    Pointfore.Ca Regular Member

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    Practice a good drive flick serve if your opponent has slow reflexes, or a good high flick serve if your opponent is shorter. Otherwise, the best serve is still a short serve that is tight to the net. If your opponent has a bad sense of judgment, feel free to serve a few short sometimes because then your opponent will go for it regardless.

    When you watch international level games, it's pretty much impossible for them to ace their opponent, and everyone stands right on the line. Don't be intimidated either! :D
     
  7. Neil Nicholls

    Neil Nicholls Regular Member

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    hmmm..
    If your opponent can see the advice your getting it is going to make it a bit trickier.

    You know those huge platform shoes from the 70's?
    Wear them on court so that your waist is higher than the net. Then you can serve an ace like in tennis :D
     
  8. Dill

    Dill Regular Member

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    Take one step back and drive hard at their face.

    Usually works especially against someone who is tall;)
     
  9. yonexfanatic

    yonexfanatic Regular Member

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    for this situation, you have to really haev a good serve whether it's serving short or long. your short serve has to be just over the net..low enough so it's tough for him to attack it down. With a good short serve, the best your opponent will be able to do is push it down the lines, middle, or even force him to lift it..however it won't be an angle attack.
     
  10. valourarc

    valourarc Regular Member

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    A lot of the receiver's attack off a serve comes from timing. If you alter the speed at which you serve, you can throw off his timing. For example, sometimes serve quickly after getting reading.. sometimes take your time and make him sweat it out. You can also change the speed of your deliver (as long as you keep your forward momentum).
     
  11. cappy75

    cappy75 Regular Member

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    I agree with everyone else on this thread... also, if you serve forehand... consider drive serving from a wide angle (ie. near the tramlines). Important thing is to mix it up so that your opponent won't get used to your serves... attack the four corners if possible. If consistency is what you strive for, good backhand serves that touches the tapes is what you need to achieve.
     
  12. wilfredlgf

    wilfredlgf Regular Member

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    Most perceptive, dear Watson. But it's also quite effectly against shorter players, but the trick is to serve it quick and by surprise.

    But what I like best is the flick serve - change the speed at the final second and lift it up. Nothing beats seeing the opponent rush and then retreat quickly to see the shuttle had flew past.

    The other one I like most is to 'slice' the shuttle sideways so that it falls on the tramline. What I learn from this is that the opponents will suddenly find the shuttle going sideways, which can be... surprising?

    But experienced players are unlikely to fall for that trick because it relies on the initial position of your opponents. I do it often against 'beginner-type' players, gets them almost all the time. The key, again, is the last-second change in direction. The other factor is how 'tricky' you are. Experienced players will have better positioning, and will keep their eyes on the shuttle rather than on the racquet and body.
     
  13. cappy75

    cappy75 Regular Member

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    One related question here... does anyone know what's the legal time limit for service? I heard from someone that you can't delay serves for more than 7 sec. after indication of service (ie. placing birdie before racquet for backhand service). Or was it 3 sec? There really should be a limit to how long one can delay service after indicating to readiness. What's your take on this, Kwun?
     
  14. yonexfanatic

    yonexfanatic Regular Member

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    hey cappy..do u know who alan thom is? apparently, i heard from him once that the time limit is 5 seconds..
     
  15. cappy75

    cappy75 Regular Member

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    Hey Yonexfanatic,

    Really? Thanks! Now my opponents have no excuse to delay the inevitable smack down to the head:D
     
  16. cappy75

    cappy75 Regular Member

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    Hey Flick,

    You could go for physicality... go for body with taller players and go for length with shorter players. Just don't hit the birdie within their swing range. With regards to serving to agressive players... master the short service and the flick service and observe where they like to play their return shots.
     
  17. yonexfanatic

    yonexfanatic Regular Member

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    haha..yeah, that's what he heard from him...might want to double check though in case i misheard:D
     
  18. Dill

    Dill Regular Member

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    The funniest and best serve that I did to an agressive player was to firstly stare them out, I just waited for the guy to adjust (well he started to fall sideways) his balance and then flicked him. When he moved to get the shuttle he fell over his own feet.

    But as earlier posts have suggested it may have been slightly against any time regulations on serving!!
     
  19. cappy75

    cappy75 Regular Member

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    Hey Flick,

    You might wanna search the forum for the proper method of serving backhand. One benefit of backhand service is a faster learning curve. Another would be faster defence against an agressive return... depending on your reaction, of course. When you BH serve your racquet is already infront of you, so all you need is to keep track of the birdie. Keep your racquet up and in front of you after a short follow thru and you will take care of most drives and smashes to your body.

    If you serve at the "T" like many other players, you'll minimise the effort to put the birdie over the net and just concentrate on aimming for the tape (mostly wrist control with little arm movement). Decide which direction would allow you to serve all four corners of the receiver's court and stick to it. Learn about rotations to know how to position yourself after service.

    Make sure every kind of serves you make look almost the same... this is where you get into deceptions. A server should always be like a poker player... little show of emotion or any indication where you will put the birdie. Give no information to your opponents.

    Strenghten your wrist so that you'll be able to serve long backhanded and practice, practice, practice. Always strive to be consistent (ie. serve on the same spot of the court, swing technique) and keep your opponents guessing. Short service in doubles is the norm and should be the mainstay of your repertoire, vary it once in awhile with a flick or a drive service when opportunities presents themselves.

    A player who can't serve short won't likely progress far... much less be welcome in a higher level game. Good Luck and hope you had a good game!
     
  20. Californian

    Californian Regular Member

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    You definitely need a good low serve. Practice it whenever you can, trying to drop it just inside the T. The alternatives are serves to the outside, and the drive serve--low and quick.

    When I come up against a good rusher, I don't even look at them when I'm ready to serve, but rather focus on the top of the net tape as the point I want to just barely clear.

    You're not going to eliminate a good rusher from being able to hit down somewhat most of the time. It just means that both you and your partner have to be ready. When a receiver rushes, he is going to be fairly close to the net and maybe not on balance to move to the sides, so it's a good chance for the back player on the serving team to place a midcourt shot into the nearest side alley. So, a rushed serve can be turned against the receiving team.
     

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