Setting up a 3rd ball attack!

Hey guys,

I've been getting group coaching for the last few months (starting about Feb) and my coach has been improving my forehand and block.

Recently he told me to start playing more aggresively (penholder) and to set up a 3rd ball attack. Some of the things he said was to serve a long and deep slight topspin and then attack the block or loop that the opponent would reply with. He also said that this would be devastating to people in my age group at my level if I developed a good 3rd ball attack.

I see Ma Lin serve possibly...side topspin short serves and get really powerful 3rd ball attacks.

Anyone got any ideas about how to setup a good 3rd ball attack?

Thanks a bunch.

Yes... have serves that force errors. The best error would be a ball popping up and then just kill it.

Somewhat depends on what works for you, try different types of serves. Ma Lin uses many different serves, but his bread and butter is chop and no-spin.
LGL used top-side spin variations as his core serves.
See what serves gives you balls that you are most comfortable attacking.

i just gotta back up the side/top spin serves. Two serves that I do that have an efficient weak return is really short side/top spin (right sidespin) so its really short to the net, and i tend to do it down the line or at an extreme cross, either way away from the center of the table. I also do this serve really long and fast with a larger amount of sidespin/topspin down the line which sometimes gets them to try to attack it, but usually they get hastey and attack it weaker and right to your FH, perfect for a counter loop/kill.