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Its funny that I have the exact opposite strategy. My focus is usually on getting the ball back first, then when I understand the serve really well, I go for a quality receive. This is because I have observed that once you put the ball back for opponent's best serves, their mentality takes a lot of damage.
One thing I would like to mention here is that what you call a loop and what someone else call a loop may be different things. There are slow loops, soft loops, and smashes. Depending on the quality of the serve, your understanding of it, the opponents capabilities, your receive varies.
Going with the spin is good for soft loops. My preferred way of safe receives for this serve (long pendulum to mid BH or BH) is similar to a slow backhand flick, (the bottom to top motion usually used by european players) which utilizes mostly sidespin. This will almost always put the ball back, no matter if its top-side, side, or back-side spin. If you're trying to kill this serve, ignoring the sidespin and making a proper topspin shot by contacting the upper part of the ball works better. If you're late, or standing too far back, waiting for the ball to die and going against the spin and making a slow spinny loop is better.
Your receive may also depend somewhat on you equipment and style. Earlier, I used to play with outer carbon and ESN rubbers on BH, so just topspinning everything was more comfortable. Now, that I play with inner carbon and H3 on both sides, I prefer to return backspin on all serves.
One thing I would like to mention here is that what you call a loop and what someone else call a loop may be different things. There are slow loops, soft loops, and smashes. Depending on the quality of the serve, your understanding of it, the opponents capabilities, your receive varies.
Going with the spin is good for soft loops. My preferred way of safe receives for this serve (long pendulum to mid BH or BH) is similar to a slow backhand flick, (the bottom to top motion usually used by european players) which utilizes mostly sidespin. This will almost always put the ball back, no matter if its top-side, side, or back-side spin. If you're trying to kill this serve, ignoring the sidespin and making a proper topspin shot by contacting the upper part of the ball works better. If you're late, or standing too far back, waiting for the ball to die and going against the spin and making a slow spinny loop is better.
Your receive may also depend somewhat on you equipment and style. Earlier, I used to play with outer carbon and ESN rubbers on BH, so just topspinning everything was more comfortable. Now, that I play with inner carbon and H3 on both sides, I prefer to return backspin on all serves.
