How to receive table tennis service short – Ma Lin Soft Touch

Welcome back to PingSunday. Table Tennis Tutorial every Sunday. I hope you are doing well. Today we will learn a very important skill in table tennis “Touch Shot at the Forehand to return the serve shortly”. I’ve explained, “how to serve short“. Now I explain how to return the service shortly.

We will learn the technique of Ma Lin. Penholder players with amazing forehand skills. His main advantage is his serve, his forehand, and service return as he is the best penholder in the world.

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Why is returning serves short very important?

At the high level of table tennis, you have only 2 options: attack first or return short. If you can’t return the ball short then the opponent can attack the ball easily.

Like this:

 

 

But if you can return it short, then it’s much better. Like this.

And attack first if the service is long.

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Ma Lin Forehand Short Serve Return

How to return serves with a touch shot. Let’s hear Ma Lin‘s advice.

So if you like to spin up the ball, then you will prefer using the backhand flick. Like this. Lin Yun Ju moves to the forehand side and uses his backhand flick.

However, moving around and using the backhand flick requires good footwork and a lot of practice. If you not comfortable with this technique, then you can use the forehand touch shot to return the ball short.

Like this:

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3 tips to receive the serve with your forehand

• Tip number 1: You need to move forward to the table. Watch my video about the footwork pattern. Use the “small steps” pattern to move. Put your right leg under the table.
• Tip number 2: Put your elbow above the table. And you need to be as close to the ball as possible. If you too far, then you can not return the ball short. Because to make it short, you need the feeling. You will guide the ball just over the net. If you are too far, then you can’t guide the ball over the net.
• Tip number 3: The moment of contact is very important. You should hit the ball right after the first bounce. And you should hit the ball lower the net height.

 

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How to practice

Even the top players, like Ma Long, Wang Chuqin, practice the soft-touch before the tournament. They want to get used to the feeling in a new environment.
So you should also practice the soft touch. It will boost your level very fast. Find a partner. Try to soft-touch and keep the ball as short as possible. Try to play a simple game with your partner. If the ball bounces off the table, then you will lose. Practice this technique for 20 minutes every day.

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Conclusion:

Practice is the only way that you can get this feeling.
And remember my 3 best tips:

• Move toward with your right leg under the table.
• Put the elbow above the table, and close to the ball.
• Hit the ball right after the first bounce. Hit the ball lower the net height. This is a small detail but very important. Because if you hit when the ball bounces higher than the net height, it’s very difficult to return it short and low.

That’s it for this week. If you found this tutorial helpful, then please share it with your friend. Support me on Patreon if you like. Cheers, see you.

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