Скачать или смотреть Table Tennis Tutorial: Stop Missing Side-Top/Dead Spin! Master Backhand "Tear" for Consistent Return

Ever feel frustrated when your opponent serves side-top or dead spin? You either hit it out or net it—especially in matches? The solution is mastering the backhand "tear" (a spin-focused return)! This move works for side-top, fast serves, AND dead spin (half-spin/half-dead)—it fixes your consistency, lets you add power, and even helps with rallys. Let’s break down how to do it step by step!

First, tell the difference: Backhand "tear" vs. backhand "hit". Most amateurs mix these up—but the key is racket angle and friction. For a regular backhand hit, you keep the racket face open (bright) to tap the ball. For the "tear", you need to tilt the racket face down slightly (not wide open!). Why? Because you want to rub the middle-top part of the ball—this creates spin and stops the ball from flying out. If you keep the racket open when tearing, you’ll miss the friction (like I did earlier—see? The ball just bounces off, no control!).

To tilt the racket correctly, lift your shoulder and elbow a little (not too high—keep it level or slightly low). This natural lift tilts the racket face down, so you don’t have to force it. Try it: Lift your elbow, and you’ll feel the racket naturally press down—perfect for rubbing the ball’s middle-top. Whether you use a shakehand or penhold grip, this trick works!

Second, nail the force direction: Push forward, not up. A big mistake? Treating backhand tear like backhand loop (for backspin). For backspin, you lift up to counter the spin—but for side-top/dead spin, lifting up makes you net the ball. Instead, focus on pushing from the back to the front. Imagine drawing a straight line forward with your racket—this rubs the ball’s top and adds controlled power. I used to mix this up too (lifting like I was looping backspin), but once I switched to forward force, my returns got way more consistent.

Third, know when to use it (and when not to). The backhand tear is a game-changer for:

Side-top serves (stops you from hitting out)
Fast "rush" serves (lets you add power without missing)
Dead spin/half-dead spin (fixes the "too hard = out, too soft = net" problem)
But it won’t work for super-heavy backspin—for that, just chop it back. No move is perfect, but this one covers 80% of tricky serves you’ll face!


To sum up: Tilt your racket down (lift shoulder/elbow), push forward (not up), and use it for side-top/dead spin. Master this, and you’ll stop panicking when your opponent serves those tricky balls!

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Comment below: Have you tried backhand "tear" before? Or do you struggle most with side-top or dead spin? I’ll reply to every comment!

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