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How to Receive Long Serves in Table Tennis

Playing strategy 15 of 16 • Receive

How to receive long serves in table tennis: treat a long serve as an attacking chance, loop it at the elbow, then finish wide. Step-by-step diagrams show the pattern.

Diagrams show the table from above, you on the left. Solid gold lines are your shots, dashed lines your opponent’s. Tap any step to enlarge it.

Use it when — Your opponent serves long, either as a surprise or as their main serve.

The pattern

Receiving long serves, step by step

The animation plays the whole sequence; the frames below break it into single shots.

Animation of receiving long serves: They serve long to your backhand; Attack it at once: loop into the elbow; They block, cramped and late; Finish wide to the open backhand — ANIMATEDThe whole sequence, shot by shot. It loops.

Strategy 15, step 1: They serve long to your backhand — STEP 1They serve long to your backhand

Strategy 15, step 2: Attack it at once: loop into the elbow — STEP 2Attack it at once: loop into the elbow

Strategy 15, step 3: They block, cramped and late — STEP 3They block, cramped and late

Strategy 15, step 4: Finish wide to the open backhand — STEP 4Finish wide to the open backhand

Why it works

Why this pattern wins points

A long serve gives you the time to make a full stroke, so it is the receiver's best chance to attack first. Looping it to the elbow takes away the server's easy third ball, and a cramped block often follows. The danger is reacting late: a fast long serve has to be expected, or it reaches you before you are ready.

Key points

Stand a little back from the table, so a long serve does not rush you.
Attack it: loop or drive rather than blocking or pushing it back.
Aim the return at the server's elbow, so their third ball is cramped.
Finish wide to the side they have left open.

Common mistake

Standing too close and pushing a long serve. You give up the one serve that lets the receiver attack first.

Common questions

How do you return a long fast serve?

Stand a little further from the table, read the serve early and loop or drive it, ideally towards the server's elbow. Pushing or blocking it back gives the server the attack.

Should I attack every long serve?

Most of them, yes: a long serve is the receiver's best chance to attack first. If you are caught late, a controlled, deep return to the elbow is better than a forced attack.

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