Your hard work and your initiative in seeking coaching has done you a lot of good. The level of opposition might be different, but your technique is much cleaner here. You are playing over the ball on both sides with solid topspins and not flat shots. A radical difference to me from the last video you shared. Sometimes, the core isn't as involved as ideal because of movement/footwork, but we are adult learners, that is what we do. But here, you are playing a lot of genuine topspins.
Other comments:You could get a bit more out of your backhand serve with some practiced variations - your wrist is currently a bit too stifff. Your punch serve is really good. I think you need to work on circular high ball technique - you throw away a lot of points trying to flat smash easy balls.'
We are adult learners for sure with all the age and physical limitations therein but if you found away to get your legs ready to play the forehand topspin when the ball came to your forehand side off a push and did it more often, I think this would be a game changer.
More comments: Watching the match later, you started using circular technique and topspinning the high ball and did better. I don't see why with a more consistent approach to picking up balls on the forehand side you shouldn't do well in this matchup.
HI IB66
1st body language:- I think a more poker face is a big asset in any match - dont show emotion
Unless I am very much mistaken you possess a very good pendulum serve which you did not use at all but still you showed a very good hook serve with backspin to good effect throughout so altogether you seemed to have the tools to win against this gent 3-0.
with the serves at your disposal you just needed to have the mental control to play safely and its job done. Next time dont go for outright winners immediately instead soft shot small advantage, win on NEXT SHOT.
So i would say you need to practice soft flips and touch play along with practicing yr fh opener against push
practicing yr fh opener is not about rocket loops but just consistent play,, but I am sure you know that...
practice against a chopper to do gentle topspin-push gentle topspin to all parts of table. When you can do 30 stroke rally of this kind you would win this match with ease.
I think the good news is that the long path ahead of you is upwards !
I suspect if you played him without the history and the pressure from it that you put on yourself, you would have won (that's my opinion). You have lot of the right tools, the key is to combine them to make it work, a little less power, a bit more placement, but stepping to the right place to make it work is a challenge. I didn't feel watching the match your opponent was better than you, though I suspect he took less risk because he probably felt safer than he should have.
BTW, you played an awesome quasi-pivot FH point I need to find. That is what we play TT for - those moments where we hit the highlight topspin 
.
This ties in with one of pingpongpaddy’s comments about not using my FH pendulum serve.I suspect if you played him without the history and the pressure from it that you put on yourself, you would have won (that's my opinion). You have lot of the right tools, the key is to combine them to make it work, a little less power, a bit more placement, but stepping to the right place to make it work is a challenge. I didn't feel watching the match your opponent was better than you, though I suspect he took less risk because he probably felt safer than he should have.
BTW, you played an awesome quasi-pivot FH point I need to find. That is what we play TT for - those moments where we hit the highlight topspin
There’s an old saying “ if you can’t do it, teach it” !!!! 🤣😂
I am in the school of thought it is OK to show emotions (release stress & anxiety) so long not going for Harimoto Award (intensity) every opportunity
I think sports should be played with fear, jubilations, frustrations and celebrations ... this is what makes competitive sports fun for me
I THEN RE-SET, I have at least two rituals that direct my focus (& brain) to the next point and next point alone. After all - one can only lose or win one point at a time!
The having a plan before serving (or receive) is the hard part for me, still WIP
Finally, execution is equally challenging for me b/c my concentration comes & goes during a match.
I do know the more I try, practice & self-talk positively, I am confident I will execute my plan better and not just putting my serves out there & going through the motion on other rally points
Ta' Ta'
LDM7
Hi PPP,
Hi Der,
Yep 100% correct. Wasn’t expecting anything less!!!
1st 2 ends were very poor, just lame!!!
Didn’t do what we have been aiming for, which compared to other matches that I’ve won and lost recently, when I did implement things better, is the REAL let down!!
I am with NL, Paddy and anyone else of the opinion that you should have won 3-0 or 3-1.
Hi IB66,
back then you already stood out as moving in the right DERection!
Morning IB66,
One area focusing to improve is striking EVERY ball with quality (spin, location, timing, height ...) exerting pressure onto the other (especially on opening)
This requires an attitude adjustment above my neck, between my ears
I am training every shot with intent (BH whip, FH power from the ground up)
Also I make certain I am physically warmed up, ready to compete, even a practice session as I am a believer of you practice how you play matches (carries over better)
Good show mate 👍
Let's do another round of video analysis in two week (a break & get some training in)
LDM7
