Last weekend at a club where I go to there was a heated argument about a guy's doubles service. His would rotate his upper body and then serve (the arm motion comes after the upper body rotation). The argument arose because the receiver argues that he cannot change the direction of his rotation, so if he rotates to left, he can't rotate back to right and then serve. The server argued that as long as his arms/wrist does not move his service motion has not started so he can rotate his upper body anyway he likes. I've seen several doubles players do this, for example the Danish teams and also Cai Yun does this sometimes too. So what's the call on this? Can you change direction of your upper body rotation, rotate left then right then serve? what if you rotate to left, start your arm service motion, and then rotate back right? I've never seen the service judge call fault on those or how the rules technically say what's right/wrong? Thanks
Yes, that is totally legal. There is nothing in the rule that states against it. You can rotate, start your motion and still be rotating as long as your motion is 1 continiuous forward motion. Nothing in the rule says you cannot move sideways. I've even thought up of a serve that would totally piss people off but totally within the rules also But of course I never use it.
Agreed. As long as both feet are planted and there is one continuous forward serving motion (heh, even this part is debatable as Joaquim Fischer has a double motion, the first supposedly for "aiming" purposes ), then your body can rotate, lean back or forward , or even go up and down as you please before and during serve. CantSmashThis, you have to tell us of this "interesting" serve! I for one would be very interested.
You move up and down instead of left and right. When you start that 1st up motion, some people will assume you're gonna serve. So they will fall for the up motion.
I use to do that, not gong up and down but going side to side lol. The point was, before I struggled to get my service on the T spot when I am serving in mixed doubles on the left side. So my friend/coach told me to do rotate left and right before service so I could adjust and aim before serving. I don't do this any more as my serving has improved but when I start serving bad, I usually do this
