This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Should I serve safely or try to serve a surprise to win deuce game?
Story time:
Well, yesterday, I was playing against a 2389 guy named Ahmed Elmallah in under 2400 in the round robin. The game was 2-2 and I was winning 17-16 and it was my serve.
I'm left handed, and he's right handed.
Now, this player was having trouble with my short serves to his forehand (side spin, sometimes with a lot of backspin). He couldn't push it short well, so I easily got the third ball and attacked his corners. He also stopped trying to backhand flip my serves since I consistently punished his predictions by serving fast and long to his backhand. I did this about 5-6 times.
(I think his coach told him to stop trying to flip my serves after the game 2. He tried to flip twice and missed both anyways, so I think he got the message not to disrespect my serve.)
Now, the reason I was able to last so long was because of my serve. I was losing 2-2 8-10, and I served short twice and third ball attack twice and won both. So it was 10-10.
After it was deuce, I literally did the same serve 7 more times and continued to win most of those points.
I was having trouble when it was his serve. (He was mixing up serves with half long heavy underspin or no spin, a third with short sidespin topspin serve. I would try to flip his short serve that went to my forehand, but he just return fast to my backhand corner. I need to train my in and out of table movement ) He was also out rallying me most of the time. His forehand counter was pretty strong.
(In hindsight, I should have counter looped down the line to his backhand instead. I won the third game 2-1 that way.)
But I finally won one of the rallies when it was his serve.
So there I was, 2-2, 17-16. I knew this point was crucial.
Now, I was used the same serve about 9 times already and I was wondering whether he would play safe and push, or risk and flip. He was probably thinking the same thing: Is this kid going to serve short safely or take a risk and serve long? He was probably just waiting for me to serve long since he just chose to push 8 times in a row.
I served long topspin side spin to his backhand and surprised him, and his shot went high. I thought his shot would go out, but it instead hit the near edge of the table. Now, I was surprised. Being the 2000 me, I missed the following shot. Score was now 17-17.
I lost one more counterlooping rally. So it was 17-18, I'm down.
However, I was used to this situation, since this was the same scenario I faced about 8 times in this game already. I planned to serve short and third ball attack again. BUT I MISSED MY SERVE. I anti-climatically lose 17-19.
I was jokingly angry at myself afterward (I do miss my serves slightly more often than the average 2000 player. It was only a matter of time). A lot of players thought I was some underrated kid that nearly took down a 2400. He turned out to get into the finals, where he lost to Kokou Fanny(2398).
Story time is over.
Now for the actual question: Should I have stayed with a scenario that the opponent and I was familiar with, or should I surprise him and drive ourselves into more unfamiliar point?
Story time:
Well, yesterday, I was playing against a 2389 guy named Ahmed Elmallah in under 2400 in the round robin. The game was 2-2 and I was winning 17-16 and it was my serve.
I'm left handed, and he's right handed.
Now, this player was having trouble with my short serves to his forehand (side spin, sometimes with a lot of backspin). He couldn't push it short well, so I easily got the third ball and attacked his corners. He also stopped trying to backhand flip my serves since I consistently punished his predictions by serving fast and long to his backhand. I did this about 5-6 times.
(I think his coach told him to stop trying to flip my serves after the game 2. He tried to flip twice and missed both anyways, so I think he got the message not to disrespect my serve.)
Now, the reason I was able to last so long was because of my serve. I was losing 2-2 8-10, and I served short twice and third ball attack twice and won both. So it was 10-10.
After it was deuce, I literally did the same serve 7 more times and continued to win most of those points.
I was having trouble when it was his serve. (He was mixing up serves with half long heavy underspin or no spin, a third with short sidespin topspin serve. I would try to flip his short serve that went to my forehand, but he just return fast to my backhand corner. I need to train my in and out of table movement ) He was also out rallying me most of the time. His forehand counter was pretty strong.
(In hindsight, I should have counter looped down the line to his backhand instead. I won the third game 2-1 that way.)
But I finally won one of the rallies when it was his serve.
So there I was, 2-2, 17-16. I knew this point was crucial.
Now, I was used the same serve about 9 times already and I was wondering whether he would play safe and push, or risk and flip. He was probably thinking the same thing: Is this kid going to serve short safely or take a risk and serve long? He was probably just waiting for me to serve long since he just chose to push 8 times in a row.
I served long topspin side spin to his backhand and surprised him, and his shot went high. I thought his shot would go out, but it instead hit the near edge of the table. Now, I was surprised. Being the 2000 me, I missed the following shot. Score was now 17-17.
I lost one more counterlooping rally. So it was 17-18, I'm down.
However, I was used to this situation, since this was the same scenario I faced about 8 times in this game already. I planned to serve short and third ball attack again. BUT I MISSED MY SERVE. I anti-climatically lose 17-19.
I was jokingly angry at myself afterward (I do miss my serves slightly more often than the average 2000 player. It was only a matter of time). A lot of players thought I was some underrated kid that nearly took down a 2400. He turned out to get into the finals, where he lost to Kokou Fanny(2398).
Story time is over.
Now for the actual question: Should I have stayed with a scenario that the opponent and I was familiar with, or should I surprise him and drive ourselves into more unfamiliar point?
Last edited: