short serve in singles

well it depends on whether your short serve is strong or weak. it takes practice to have a really good short serve, but u also need a far serve too.

i usually mix it a little bit of everything. i can do a flick that goes relatively far that looks the same as my short serve, i use my short serve, and i use a long far serve, or a short serve that looks like a long far serve. just look at their positioning and pick the one that you think will get you the point without much work.
oh one more thing.. if your short serve is too high, they'll get to it. if its low, or pretty low, there is less chance of ppl getting to it.

 

Also, footwork is very important in this aspect. A low serve may give the opponent less time to hit the shuttle, but you'll also have less time to get ready and react to it.

I feel that this kind of service is more suited for the explosive, attacked minded type of players who wants to gain the attack first.

In singles, it's very normal to serve a high serve. But you must make sure that your serve, clears and lobs are high enough and deep in the rear court! Otherwise, you opponent will not have to move around much from the "base" and you'll end up running around for every shuttle..... A smash from the rear court (from a high/long serve) shouldn't really cause much problems.

 

i tried doing short serves in singles, but ultimately, i find that a long serve is best. With a short serve, they can either return it to the end of the court, or to one of the front corners in a "tumble' return. Its very difficult to position yourself such that you can return both shots. If they hit it to the back, my return is usually weak, so they can just fast drop it. Long serves are much better because when he returns it, you are already in position to make the return, and you chose any shot you wish.

 

Different people will serve short in singles for different reasons. Personally, I use the short serve in singles for control of the net. Most experienced players and coaches will tell you that singles is won or lost at the net. If you can control the net, then you can generate the short lifts that can be put away. Short serves are also useful if you opponent has an overwhelmingly big smash backed up with a good slice. I tend to serve short in singles about half the time.

Something to watch out for when serving shot is the flat drives down the line - you need to make sure you can cut them off. When serving short in singles, mix up the tight short serves that land as close to the line as you can make it, with ones that travel a little further (pretty much straight to the opponent), but are still low. The longer ones will give you a little more time to see the shuttle if they try to drive it past you and are harder for you opponent to make a tight tumbler back to the net (as he's so far from the net).

 

Yeah Short serves are vital

Short serves are vital if only to pick up some easy points. It has to be concealed though, and not high enough for them to drive behind/either side of you. Best thing is to take a huge swing at the bird like a far serve and then either angle the racquet to slice it, or stop just as u hit the bird with no follow through so it goes quite flat and short.

It's quite difficult to tumble a shot if you're standing quite back (ready for a long serve) and if u take the bird low-which they should if it's a good serve. That way, the net shots can be put away (if not outright winner, then forcing a v. weak return from a driven shot to the backhand box) and if it's a high return, then u have the initiative. This is a good position also because the opponent has just stepped forwards and will probably be running back to centre position. A drop shot/fast drop will hopefully wrong foot him and win you the point. Also if the opponent stays nearer the net, just lob it over him and watch him run backwards and fall over...........

 

It all depends on your opponent's position. If the opponent is crowding the net, serve long, if a good distance back, serve short and mix it up. The whole point is to make your opponent feel unsure about the footing as much as possible and keep the opponent guessing.

 

exactly

 

I always use low service when I'm playing singles. Well, only if I know my opponent can smash. If not, I serve it high and far. Sleepy, have to go to sleep.

 

When I used to play singles, I would pretend to serve long on the forehand side and at the last minute pull up and serve short. I sometimes do that in doubles where I serve long to the weaker players or when both sides have 1 strong and 1 weak player. In doubles, I usually use the backhand serve because I am more consistent.

A lot of professionals now use the backhand short serve in singles, with a flick to back every now and then prevent the opponent from charging the net. I guess that a powerful smasher at the top level can kill the bird from the baseline but one needs to be an excellent smasher to pull that off.

The main trick is to keep the opponent gjuessing.

Ron

 

Swie King vs Luan Jin

Get hold of the tape, Swie King vs Luan Jin, 1st singles match, Thomas Cup final 198....(?) Indonesia vs China and you shall see both employs short service through out the match.

Reason being ? Both were well known hard smashers !

 

Han Jian vs Morten Frost

...and also Han Jian vs Morten Frost, World Cup (Championship ?) Final 198...(?).

Han Jian won the match.

Later when interviewed, he mentioned when trailing, he resorted to short serve because he needed some quick points and true enough, he gained 7 points in a row and subsequently the game.

The short serve somehow rattled Frost and took him out from the game. Frost at that time was riding high, being fleet footed and a maestro at tactics, rallying game and attack at the right moments, somewhat emulated by Peter Gade.

 

Sometimes I'm expecting a high service and I suddenly get a low one, well, it's better to be prepared. lol.

 

Interesting one. i was at the BUSA individuals this weekend (a british universities tourney) and the 'trendy' singles serve at the moment is a backhand low serve. I can't say that i can resort to this since i never have learned to backhand serve - prefering to practice my forehand

i'm not sure how many foul serves there were but apparently it means you can drive, flick and low serve on the backhand. Supposedly this variation prevents a return that is too quick for the server to react to. then again my coach sticks to his high serve. his classic high serve caused problems due to the height he can achieve. and of course he has plenty of time to get the smash back and return an attacking block of block to the net.

Neil

 

I have seen the backhand serve in some video clips in singles, but I have not used it for singles. What am I talking about as I rarely play singles anymore as I am too old and not fit enough. I prefer the forehand serve in singles and the backhand serve in doubles.

Ron

 

It just all depends on how good your opponent is at smashing........