Site Products
Larry Hodges

Study Opponents’ Serves

(by Larry Hodges)

The single most important thing you have to adjust to with any given opponent is usually their serve. Many players take a game or so to do so. But there’s a shortcut, and a secret of mine and many top coaches and players.

If you have a match coming up, it’s great to study his game, either live or on video. When I coach at tournaments, at the start I always put together a list of opponents my students – or me, if I’m playing – will play. Then I find videos of them – Youtube is your friend. (Put in the name of the player followed by “Table Tennis.”) But the single most important thing to watch is the serve. Don’t just watch it; you or your student should imagine receiving it as they watch it. Even stand up and go through the motions of doing so. I often assign players to watch upcoming opponents with the focus on their serve. If they are watching the upcoming opponent live, then I have them stand and watch from directly behind the opponent’s opponent, so they can imagine seeing and returning the serve. By the time the match starts, they should be somewhat comfortable against them – which often may save them from losing that first game, which they otherwise would have spent adjusting to the serve.

Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.

Latest News

WTT Champions Incheon: Sang-Su Surprise in Korea

April 1, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins) The WTT Champions Series event is in Incheon Korea this week, and a huge upset… Read More

FETHOMANIA 21: Drill 1

April 1, 2025
FETHOMANIA 21: Drill 1 – Robot plays long topspin to Backhand, Logan Backhand chop to Backhand, robot plays… Read More

Study Opponents’ Serves

March 31, 2025
(by Larry Hodges) The single most important thing you have to adjust to with any given opponent is… Read More

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Vancouver Table Tennis Club

March 30, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins) The Vancouver Table Tennis Club (VTTC) stands as one of the largest table tennis facilities… Read More

A Look Back – Nathan Britt’s Journey with Butterfly!

March 30, 2025
(by Nathan Britt/Butterfly Americas) Nathan Britt, one of Butterfly’s prominent influencers and the creator of NBTT (Nathan Britt… Read More

Oh Junsung and Miwa Harimoto Win in Chennai

March 30, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT) The Men’s Singles event was full of surprises at the WTT Star Contender… Read More

WTT Star Contender Chennai – Semifinal Surprises

March 29, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT) Late Saturday, the Quarterfinal matches were played at the WTT Star Contender Chennai. … Read More

WTT Star Contender Chennai – Top Seeds Fall

March 29, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT) The first action on Friday went pretty much as expected at the WTT… Read More
View All News

Get the latest from Butterfly

Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.