How to do a backspin serve in table tennis
On a backspin serve, the paddle face is very open and brushes the bottom of the ball with a short forward motion. The ball spins backward, stays low and, if your opponent does not open their paddle, the return goes into the net. The short backspin serve, which would bounce twice on the other side, is the most widely used serve in table tennis.
In this article
The backspin serve (also called an underspin or chop serve) is the most widely used serve in table tennis, from rec centers to world-class events. It is safe, hard to attack when it stays short and low, and it is the base for variations that keep your opponent guessing.
If you only learn one spin serve, make it this one. Here is how to do a backspin serve, how to keep it short and how to use it to take control of the rally.
How backspin works
With backspin, the ball spins backward relative to its path. That has three effects:
- on the bounce, the ball checks up and does not run forward;
- on your opponent's paddle, the ball tends to drop, and a return with a flat paddle goes into the net;
- in the air, the ball tends to float a little more.
So whoever receives a good backspin serve has to open the paddle and push under the ball, which usually produces a slower return that is easier to attack. Learn more about this spin in what is backspin.
Forehand backspin serve, step by step
- Grip. Hold the paddle a little looser than usual. Some players take a finger off the handle to free up the wrist.
- Stance. Stand in your backhand corner or the middle, side-on to the table, with your paddle-side shoulder back.
- Toss. Toss the ball straight up, at least 16 cm (about 6 in), without spin.
- Open the paddle. Turn the face up, almost parallel to the floor.
- Brush underneath. As the ball falls to around net height, brush the bottom of it while moving the paddle forward.
- Wrist. Add a short burst of wrist at contact. The motion is small but fast.
- First bounce. For a short serve, aim the first bounce around the middle of your side, a bit closer to the net than on a long serve.
You can do the same serve on the backhand, with the paddle in front of your body and the motion going from inside to out.
The short backspin serve
The most dangerous backspin serve is the short one: left alone, it would bounce twice on your opponent's side. With it:
- your opponent cannot hit a full loop, because the table gets in the way of their swing;
- the safest return is a push, which gives you the chance to attack the third ball;
- if they try to flick and the spin is heavy, the ball tends to go into the net.
To keep it short, hit softer and brush more. The spin makes the ball check up on the bounce. Learn when to go short and when to go long in short vs long serves.
Common backspin serve mistakes
| Mistake | What happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting the ball flat | No spin, and it comes out high | Open the paddle and brush underneath |
| High contact, near the top of the toss | High serve that is easy to attack | Let the ball drop to around net height |
| Long, slow swing | Little spin | Short swing, fast wrist |
| First bounce near the net | The ball pops up or hits the net | Aim the first bounce closer to you |
The pair: backspin and no-spin
The backspin serve becomes far stronger when you also have a no-spin serve that looks the same. Use the same motion, but at contact hit closer to the center of the ball, without brushing. Your opponent opens their paddle expecting backspin, and the return floats up, ready for your attack.
This pairing is a cornerstone of the modern game: the receiver has a split second to read the spin. See also how to do a spin serve in every direction.
Frequently asked questions
How do you do a backspin serve in ping pong?
Open the paddle and brush the bottom of the ball with a short forward motion as it falls to around net height.
Why does my backspin serve go high?
Your contact is probably too high or too flat. Let the ball drop further and brush underneath with a more open paddle.
How do you keep a backspin serve short?
Hit softer with more brush, and aim the first bounce a bit closer to the net. The backspin makes the ball check up.
How do you return a backspin serve?
Open your paddle and push under the ball. With a flat paddle, the ball tends to go into the net.
Is a backspin serve legal?
Yes. You just cannot add spin during the toss: at contact with the paddle, any spin is allowed.