Reverse Pendelum Serve vs Hook Serve

[SilverCup77]

Is there an advantage of the reverse pendulum serve over the hook serve?

The Reverse Pendulum is very difficult to master. The hook very creates the same rotation and is easier to learn.

 

[Dominikk85]

I prefer hook serve. Reverse pendulum might create higher spin and better disguise though, but not sure.

 

[jk1980]

reverse pendulum gives less forward momentum, which allows for a better short service to the opponents forehand (which in all likelyhood will be returned to your forehand)

 

[AutomaticBackhand]

Hook Serve is easier to learn and has a low entry-level.
RP is harder to learn, but it starts with a medium entry-level.

Once you can do a basic RP serve, it is easier to "scale" from that point on.
Hook serve is harder to scale, but offers more in terms of effectiveness.

Both are hard to master.

Hook Serve has a higher skill ceiling ( more variations in spin, speed placement, disguise ).
RP looks cooler and will impress more people.

For a ( semi-good ) receiver:
- RP Serve is easier to adapt to
- Hook Serve can be more difficult to adapt to

Generally speaking.

 

[IB66]

reverse pendulum gives less forward momentum, which allows for a better short service to the opponents forehand (which in all likelyhood will be returned to your forehand)

true, but with practice, the hook serve, punching across the back of the ball, almost parallel to the end of the table doesn't impart as much forward motion into the ball, keeping any side top spin balls short or half long can be difficult regardless of the type of serve.

 

[Wrighty67]

RP is far more difficult to return in my experience, and also easier to generate more backspin once you master it. Additionally the trajectory is more difficult to receive - for me I win more points with RP when I am relaxed and executing it well. When I am tight the hook is safer..

 

[NextLevel]

Reverse pendulum serves require a lot of practice to control well. Hook serves are easier to control because the use of the body is and the arm is much more natural.

 

[Aizen]

RP has 4 spin option when it disguised and combined with Pendulum serve, 4 feint option (end with top or under, end with reverse or regular pendulum)

Hook serve has 2 spin option, 2 feint option (end with top or under)

Also I find hook is easier to apply even then simple RP,
But Pro level I guess easier to (legally) hide hook serve

 

[SilverCup77]

Are there still many professionals who do the RP regularly? I can't think of many right now. Timo Boll, Fan Zhendong...

 

[SleepyMaster]

RP is working really well - there is something with the curve of the ball that is causing troubles to opponents and making it harder to read amount of spin and variations of it. I surprised by this serve even some pro players I’m not talking bout regular club guys, that are very often even don’t know how to receive heavy spin serves or how to read the variations.

But it is really hard to master and needed to be trained constantly (almost every day) if you want it to be really good and variable.

 

[SleepyMaster]

Are there still many professionals who do the RP regularly? I can't think of many right now. Timo Boll, Fan Zhendong...

A lot more players using it time to time - Wang Chuqin, Lin Gaoyuan, Noshad Alamiyan, Freitas, Harimoto using it quite often

 

[vvk1]

Reverse pendulum serves require a lot of practice to control well. Hook serves are easier to control because the use of the body is and the arm is much more natural.

And because of that far fewer players use the reverse pendulum serve than the hook serve. Which in turn makes well executed reverse pendulum serves more effective - simply because people don't get a chance to practice receiving it often enough.

 

[ShoutGuy]

Are there still many professionals who do the RP regularly? I can't think of many right now. Timo Boll, Fan Zhendong...

Timo Boll, Fan Zhendong. Liang Jingkum, Lin Gaoyuan, Marcos Freitas, Noshad Alamiyan, Maharu Yoshimura, Liam Ptichford, Tomislav Pucar, Patrick Franziska and I don't remember anymore

 

[SilverCup77]

A lot more players using it time to time - Wang Chuqin, Lin Gaoyuan, Noshad Alamiyan, Freitas, Harimoto using it quite often

Harimoto do RP?

 

[NextLevel]

Harimoto do RP?

Yep. Not as frequently as before but he has it for specific opponents like how Ma Long has it.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

Hook serve is easier to hide with the body. Umpire don't care... so, hook serve is F.T.W...

Is there an advantage of the reverse pendulum serve over the hook serve?

The Reverse Pendulum is very difficult to master. The hook very creates the same rotation and is easier to learn.

The greatest advantage hook serve has over many other is that Hook can be hidden more easily. Yup! Wang Chuqin, I am looking at you!!!

 

[SleepyMaster]

Harimoto do RP?

Yes he is, when his pendulum obviously works really bad. Just watch more matches of him and more closely

 

[IB66]

Another plus for the hook serve is the grip. very little change or no change in the grip, you can use your shake hand grip as it is. some players move their thumb to central position pointing up from the handle, you can also 'pinch' or slide your index finger back towards the handle, this can help with getting some extra spin, it also moves the pad of your index finger directly behind the pad of your thumb giving better feel.

 

[JJ Ng]

Are there still many professionals who do the RP regularly? I can't think of many right now. Timo Boll, Fan Zhendong...

Watch Ma Jinbao from the US. He uses reverse pendulum like 98% of the time. No kidding. And he almost always serves to the opponent's forehand to start a match and exploit the opponent's weakness from there on.

Just YouTube his name.

 

[IB66]