I found this video on youtube. If you search badminton trick serve, it is the first result. This guy uses a forehand grip and legal shuttle cup hold unlike the Sidek serve inverted hold. He stands about midcourt and has a straight stance to the net. He winds back a bit and then slices underneath the shuttle in a diagonal direction. The shuttle ends up tumbling and spinning most of the time without popping up too high into the air. If used correctly, this can give a server an obvious advantage. Here are 2 links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HG_-vpFIVk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l7rqiidINk As simple as I made it sound, I still can't seem to figure out exactly how he slices the shuttle and keeps it relatively low. If I try this, the shuttle pops up every time. If there is anyone out there who is an expert in legal spin serving using the technique that this player does, then please reply to this thread on how to do a spin serve. Thanks
Use the settings and slow to 0.25x speed. He's clearly hitting the feather first from the lower side of the racquet head (shuttle is pointing towards the net when he hits from behind with the racquet. This is not a legal shot.
agree... obviously feather hit first on slow mo playback, therefore completely illegal nothing magical about it...
Thanks for pointing that out. What is technique for the legal way of spinning it on the serve? Anyone know? Explain more than just slice across the base. Because it doesn't work for me, it just pops up.
Despite the fact that they are illegal, most of the serves are ridiculously high (which makes them unsuitable for doubles) and most are too short...
I wonder why the "Sidek Serve" was outlawed. People do the same thing in tennis and table tennis (spinning serve). For those who lived that era, was it a big debate back then whether to ban it or not?
Because when a ball spins weirdly you can still hit it. When a shuttle spins weirdly it becomes almost unplayable - it was ruining the game. In Tennis and table tennis, it is easily counteracted.
I wonder if people would find ways to easily counteract it too if given time. Is it anything like the OP's post though? Those seems quite easily returnable. I'd like to see it in real match action but it seems there's no video of it existed.
The Sidek Brothers won countless tournaments using the serve. Players were being beaten in all the tournaments because people couldn't counteract it - so i'm guessing it was tough to handle. However, as you say, maybe someone would eventually work it out! The problem they encountered was that they were often forced to try to control the shuttle whilst hitting the feathers if they took it early, or else let it come out of its unpredictable spin and play it very late. They spun considerably - unlike the OPs video - many of which hardly spin at all. Fortunately I haven't had to try and return such a serve - I don't think I would do very well (would probably just lift it and let them smash! I would be very passive!).
The reverse spinning serve was first used in the mid 70's by Tang Xinfu. I first saw him using it in 1976 HK invitational tournament and according to the commentators and newspapers at that time, he has been using it for some time. I don't think the spinning serve was developed or initiated by the Sidek brothers, so prefer calling it the Reverse Spinning Serve. Badminton used to be a server scoring game. In the game of badminton, a very big emphasis was placed on 'fairness'. The reverse spinning serve gave the server a very big advantage over the receiver, so rules were amended to prevent this situation.
Yes, agree. Still remember my partner used to serve like that and we all learn how to retrieve that kind of shuttle. Almost certainly difficult to attack at all but only to lift for defence. Even lifting, there is a way to do it....
Well calling it Sidek Serve or S Serve doesn't mean he has to be the inventor or anything. It's just because that's what old badminton people are familiar with thus the reference is easily understood by everyone. I'm not sure saying reverse spinning serve many people would know what you mean. Then you have to explain "oh you know that serve that Sidek used to do." Is there any video footage of it though in a real match? I am not lucky enough to watch the original one. It would be very interesting to watch a piece of badminton history and maybe discuss if they were too hasty in banning it or not.
Yes, they had to ban the Sidek serve because if they allowed it to continue, then everyone will eventually adopt it and badminton would have just been reduced to the serve because the receiver won't be able to properly return it...hence zero rallies (no smashes, drops, drives, pushes, nets, nothing but Sidek serves) , which would be majorly boring. More boring than the current short first 3 shot rallies in pro MD, as some would complain ...
There is a saying "To Caesar what is Caesar's". If was developed by Tang Xinfu, I won't call it Sidek serve. I don't think you can find a clear demonstration of the reverse spin serve. You may watch the game below, it may give you an idea about the serve. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx08NkXShzc
That's quite an illogical stand to me. Under that stand, if Tang Xinfu learn that serve from his childhood coach then you'd also have a problem with calling it Xinfu serve. Cool vid. I see one pair serve with shuttle reversed but his opponent seems to be able to attack it. Perhaps he's not doing it right?
Where did I say or mention Tang Xinfu learned the spinning serve from his coach or for that matter any coach?? "Developed" means he analyzed behaviour of the shuttle in certain conditions and then came up with a way to generate the reverse spinning serve - in other words, Tang Xinfu created that serve. Service like any other stroke in badminton, depends on practice. The reverse spinning serve when well executed is very hard to attack. There are matches around 1980/82, you can see almost only serve, lift and smash...
Yes, not only in the 80s. My partner was using this serve in 1978/79 where we were playing in National School competition. We were thought how to retrieve and prepare for the next shot. He served, I smashed. Can't even tap the shuttle down. Just like you said, ...... serve, lift..... smash