Serving to a Pusher/Chopper

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

given all the above, and knowing this is USA, maybe he should take baseball, basketball or american football instead ?

 

[FH_Project]

If the chopper doesn't attack backspin balls, push long, then play topspin. Even the players with 1600-1800 TTR points do it.

Here is the scenario;
You: long dead serve(with variation in placement)
Chopper: chops
You: play topspin because first ball from long pips mostly comes with very light backspin.
Chopper: chops
You: if you aren't confident in playing topspin against very strong backspin, try to play drop shot. Holding racket in backspin position will do the job.
Chopper: lifts the ball(light topspin)
You: if ball comes short, you are lucky. You will have very wide angle. Play counter topspin against these light topspin balls. If ball is long, you may target your opponent's body, because choppers have a big transition point. You will catch him off guard.

Play like above until you find a high shot. Of course playing against wide angles is not easy. Don't forget to vary placement deep and wide either.

Sent from Tapatalk

 

[SkySowers]

In my opinion, if you notice that your opponent is returning a heavy backspin to you, you need to realize if you can loop that backspin or not. If yes, then keep practicing looping the ball. Whether it goes in or not, then you are practicing that. I wouldn't rush into looping it hard also. I would focus on soft loop returns and placement.

Your opponent is trying to make you uncomfortable, that is their goal. So why don't you try to return the backspin by just lifting the ball and give it to your opponent short. That should lose the spin a little bit so if they try to chop it hard again it will pop up higher then you are in a better position to consistently attack the ball.

If they won't give you the opportunity to do topspins, which is your style of play, then you have to learn how to create it for yourself.

 

[perham]

All really good advice here. I had the exact same problem two years ago. Honestly speaking, even today I’m not always in position to loop a fast chop coming my way. The way I overcame this strategy is to become good at pushing back, and therefore getting much easier returns to loop. Varying the placement and speed of your pushes is a great way to force your opponent into a mistake, however it takes time before you’re confident enough to pounce on the opportunity to kill the point. I would say whatever strategy you choose, just remember that you must lose some points at first to become confident with your play, so don’t just revert back to the ‘safe’ option you used to do and keep practicing your ‘new’ strategy. You’ll get more comfortable over time and eventually will find yourself playing against such players with ease.

 

[suds79]

I remember back in the day when I use to be in the shoes of the OP here.

Now I love it when people chop my serves. I'd much prefer that than them attack it.

OP you just need to get better at looping backspin. Imagine if your opponents knew that's suicide vs you. That's where you need to be.

One of the best setups one can learn is to have a really good backspin serve that almost forces one to push it back long, and you loop regardless. You'll get real good at that shot real fast. And you'll find that with their help on top of your loop, it's so much spin, it's hard for them to get that next ball back.

One tip about serving topspin to these people that I didn't learn until sometime later. Anytime you serve topspin and someone pushes it or chops it AND is able to keep it relatively low (a high ball doesn't matter), know that ball is even heavier than normal. You'll really have to pick that ball up. IMO it's more than say if you serve backspin and they simply push back. But once you know that? You make the adjustment and it's easy going from there. Just have to be able to recognize it.

 

[CroneOne]

I'm going to agree with the people suggesting to advance your convert backspin to topspin game. A pusher will do well until you get that topspin going. Then the attack/advantage becomes yours. If the pusher is a good blocker/retriever, you'll have to be patient with your attacks. Place them around, waiting for a weak block.

 

[mart1nandersson]

The solution is to glue long pips on the BH and learn how to hit with them

Pushers are a godsend to LP players.

 

[perham]

The solution is to glue long pips on the BH and learn how to hit with them

Pushers are a godsend to LP players.

I always wondered what the gain is when people spread pure evil [emoji48] [emoji23][emoji23]