The surprising benefits of serving a knuckle half-long serve to the forehand short!

Today, I would like to introduce a serve that I use often.

When strong players serve, there is always a reason for using that serve.

Well, I'm not that strong!?, but I still have my own reasons for it (lol). What!?, you don't want to hear the opinion of someone who isn't strong!?

It's okay, I have at least competed in the national tournament in singles, so please listen with peace of mind!! (lol)

What I am introducing today is the "forehand short knuckle half-long serve".

For those who are hearing the term "half-long" for the first time, you can just think of it as "a serve of an awkward length that is neither long nor short"!!

Let's get started.

(1) Reasons for recommending a knuckle half-long serve to the forehand short

1. It makes it easy to attack the third ball

First, there is the advantage that because the placement is to the forehand short and it is not too short, it is difficult for the opponent to perform a Chiquita.

Even if it is to the forehand short, if it is too short, it becomes easy to perform a Chiquita, but if it is half-long, the Chiquita will be slightly jammed, making it difficult to execute.

Also, since it is a knuckle serve, even if they push it, it will float a little. Unless they are thinking, "I'm going to make a good push!!", it will inevitably float up softly.

In addition, the opponent's stop is also likely to be weak. When receiving a half-long serve, compared to a short serve, the ball must be struck at a position further from the net, so a corresponding sense of ball touch is required to return it short.

Even if they manage to return it short, it will still be returned floating softly, so I think it is relatively easy to deal with.

Moreover, since the receive against a knuckle serve has relatively little variation, it is returned with a ball quality that is easy to attack.

Furthermore, because a half-long serve is at a length that is right on the edge of whether it will go off the table or not, it is easy for the opponent to be confused about whether it is long or short.

If you can slow down the opponent's reaction even a little, the ease with which you can attack will increase significantly. ♦In short, if you serve a knuckle half-long serve to the forehand short, the opponent's receive is likely to be half-hearted, making it easier for you to transition to an attack on the third ball.

2. You have time to spare even if they attack over the table

And, even if they attack your half-long serve over the table, you can easily deal with it.

This is because when the opponent attacks your half-long serve over the table, they will be striking the ball at a distance somewhat far from the net.

Since the opponent hits it from further away from the net, it takes longer for the ball to reach your side of the court, making it easier to handle than when you are attacked on a short serve over the table.

Conversely, if the serve is too short, the distance the ball travels to reach you when attacked over the table is shorter, making it harder to react.

I used to use short serves a lot, but I really hated getting flicked.

I would even pray to the gods, saying, 'Please, just push it back!!' (lol) ← Do you know this feeling?

However, since I started using half-long serves frequently, the opponent's flick is not as scary as it used to be.

If anything, I think, 'A flick!? Go ahead, I'll counter it! It's actually easier to hit since it has topspin, so lucky me!!'

3. Long serves to the backhand become more effective

Another benefit of serving to the forehand short is that it makes long serves to the backhand more effective.

Naturally, a half-long knuckle serve to the forehand short can also make the opponent conscious of the forehand short area.

When you feel the opponent has become conscious of the forehand short, go ahead and serve a fast long serve to the backhand.

If you do that, their return against this long serve should easily become quite monotonous.

The combination of forehand short and backhand long is often talked about as a course, but I want you to try consciously placing the ball in these areas once again.

I might even be serving only to the forehand short and backhand long? (Of course, I strategically serve to other areas too, but a large percentage is forehand short and backhand long!).

(2) How to use the knuckle half-long effectively

Up until now, I have been saying over and over that the knuckle half-long to the forehand short is effective!!

That said, there is naturally a skillful way to use it.

I would like to write about ways to make the knuckle half-long to the forehand short even more effective against your opponent.

1. Combine it with a strong backspin-type serve to the forehand short

Combining a knuckle serve with a backspin-type serve is the classic way to go, after all.

In my case, I serve with sidespin-backspin to the forehand short.

I try to keep the half-long length in mind when serving this as well. This is because it makes the trajectory similar, which makes it difficult for the opponent to distinguish between a sidespin-backspin serve and a knuckle serve.

Then, I make them focus on the forehand before hitting a long serve to their backhand.

❷ Serving a knuckle ball using the same form as the serve you are combining it with

A characteristic of the knuckle serve is that it can be delivered using any form.

You can deliver a knuckle ball even with a backspin serve swing, or a sidespin-backspin serve swing.

Therefore, it is important to be able to deliver a knuckle ball using the same form as the serve you are combining it with as much as possible.

In my case, for example, I use a sidespin-backspin form for a knuckle ball, or a YG sidespin-backspin form for a knuckle ball, and so on.

(3) When the forehand half-long knuckle serve is not effective

In that case, please use a different serve.

♣ Summary

How was it!?

Did you like the forehand knuckle half-long serve? (lol)

After reading this article, here is what you should do!!

~Today's To-Do~

❶ Try serving a knuckle half-long serve to the forehand to make it easier to hit the third ball!!

❷ Combine the forehand knuckle half-long serve with a backspin-type serve to the forehand and a long serve to the backhand to make your opponent's receives monotonous!

❸ If it doesn't work, just use a different serve!!

That is all.

Next time, I would like to introduce 5 tips for delivering a heavy backspin serve.