How Did I Win or Lose a Match?

[NextLevel]

One of the simultaneously sad and amusing things in table tennis is watching U1000 level players without technique beat themselves up over missing shots. Peter's opponent in the first video exemplified it perfectly. Competitive opponent, trying his hardest with limited technique to win, and fighting really hard - engaging emotions when things don't go his way, but never really realizing the real gap between where he is and what he is trying to do. It amuses and saddens me because I've been there and done that. Getting your technique and your mind right goes a long way.

 

[Wrighty67]

Looking good, Wrighty67 (Peter). Things are better, everything could be better, but you are headed in the right direction. Hope you are enjoying the game!

Thanks NL, slowly getting better but loving every minute of it.

 

[LDM7]

Evening Wrighty,

Thanks for posting the videos. I've watched your first match vs Steve

I was fairly happy with my BH, being more offensive and winning me more points
=> i can see you trust your BH topspin (4:09, 4:54, 5:10 & 6:03) I love the compactness of your stroke, getting bat ready for next ball
=> all that training is paying off eh mate?!

but I was again really disappointed with my footwork, in particular around my FH topspin - ugly
=> yah, i saw that (a few times), this is an opportunity to shine brighter
=> foot-work is an area i am focusing on BIG TIME, setting proper strike zone & staying balanced, readying for the next ball
=> IMO maintaining a lower stance with feet wider apart help, i recently added captain's chair & light weights working posterior chain
=> finally weight transfer (ground up) after each FH topspin contribute to staying in balance, i am confident your coach can work with on that

what my coach calls my "middle game" where consistency and percentage become the focus as opposed to nailing every shot
=> you did yourself (& coach) proud by placing one more ball back when its not ideal, forcing the other to hit another, your sense of managing risk is growing
=> i watch your vid twice, throughout the match you were in control for putting more balls back on the other side forcing steve to beat you & he couldn't

Finally i am jealous of your BH serves (spin variety & location), your 3rd ball combination (1:42 & 2:59) is nice man!

Cheers!

 

[LDM7]

One of the simultaneously sad and amusing things in table tennis is watching U1000 level players without technique beat themselves up over missing shots. Peter's opponent in the first video exemplified it perfectly. Competitive opponent, trying his hardest with limited technique to win, and fighting really hard - engaging emotions when things don't go his way, but never really realizing the real gap between where he is and what he is trying to do. It amuses and saddens me because I've been there and done that. Getting your technique and your mind right goes a long way.

that's interesting NL's comments on Wrighty's opponent

i saw some of that too ... Steve was sooo upright and footwork could be better, there are a lot going on there

maybe he could get in some sessions with IBB66, jst saying

 

[NextLevel]

Thanks NL, slowly getting better but loving every minute of it.

There is some evidence to my blind and blinkered eye that you are holding the racket a bit too tightly. if you let the racket move in your hand a little and grab it close to contact, similar how you crack a whip, you might transmit more into the ball. Maybe you are doing this already and I can't see it because I am blinkered.

 

[NextLevel]

that's interesting NL's comments on Wrighty's opponent

i saw some of that too ... Steve was sooo upright and footwork could be better, there are a lot going on there

maybe he could get in some sessions with IBB66, jst saying

Well, I shouldn't project too much into him, maybe he knows far more than he is letting on.

 

[IB66]

In desperate need of some structured coaching sessions myself !!
Too busy with matches and coaching others.

Match results haven’t been good over the last couple of weeks, played 15 singles, won 4, lost 11.
2 out of the 5 matches have been against teams that are top of the respective leagues they play in.
So there’s been some tough opponents. One REAL disappointing night, where I lost all 3, and played terribly. I’ve got to put that down as one of ‘those’ nights. I was gutted at the end of the match, not with losing but the way I lost, no shot consistency, no point planning, no movement, no concentration. By the end of the match no confidence!!!
Anyway that’s long gone!! Next match I played much better!!

At the coaching session tonight, the coaches spoke about doing some coaching for ourselves!!! Decided to do some 1hr sessions 1 on 1, with the coaches taking turns to be coached and coach a coach !!!!!!!!!!! 😂 🤣

 

[IB66]

There is some evidence to my blind and blinkered eye that you are holding the racket a bit too tightly. if you let the racket move in your hand a little and grab it close to contact, similar how you crack a whip, you might transmit more into the ball. Maybe you are doing this already and I can't see it because I am blinkered.

That’s one of the observations I made, in fact the whole arm looks sort of fixed and rigid sometimes.
Loosen the grip, let the tip of bat feel ‘heavy’, let your wrist go sort of limp!!!

 

[IB66]

Hey @LDM7 - as promised I have some footage for review!This was a handicap match from a local tournament that I played last night - best of 3 sets to 21. I am a +2 handicap and my opponents ranged from +14 to +10 so a serious amount of work to do in order to draw level, which requires a real focus to build points and not take too many risks but without becoming a defensive bore...I am posting 2 matches here - I won both. I was fairly happy with my BH, being more offensive and winning me more points, but I was again really disappointed with my footwork, in particular around my FH topspin - ugly..I liked the way it forced me to focus on what my coach calls my "middle game" where consistency and percentage become the focus as opposed to nailing every shot.Here you go;

Hey Wrighty,

Good going in those handicap matches, you played pretty well !!! Didn’t play OVER safe, controlled, didn’t waste too many chances. Nicely done !!!

 

[LDM7]

Good going in those handicap matches, you played pretty well !!! Didn’t play OVER safe, controlled, didn’t waste too many chances. Nicely done !!!

Your turn IB66, your turn 💪 🏓

 

[IB66]

Hi LDM7,

Got a match tomorrow tonight, I'll get some footage.

 

[Wrighty67]

Hey Wrighty,

Good going in those handicap matches, you played pretty well !!! Didn’t play OVER safe, controlled, didn’t waste too many chances. Nicely done !!!

Thanks - I appreciate the support. I was pleased with the wins given the large mountain to climb to get to parity on scores! Having watched these guys in warm up at the start it was clear to me they were better than I thought they would be at pushing safely, so I knew if I wanted to win I would have to spin the ball as soon as I could.

 

[Wrighty67]

There is some evidence to my blind and blinkered eye that you are holding the racket a bit too tightly. if you let the racket move in your hand a little and grab it close to contact, similar how you crack a whip, you might transmit more into the ball. Maybe you are doing this already and I can't see it because I am blinkered.

That's a fair observation NL - in general I am tight and tense in the whole arm so do need to loosen up and relax in the swing.

 

[Wrighty67]

Evening Wrighty,

Thanks for posting the videos. I've watched your first match vs Steve

I was fairly happy with my BH, being more offensive and winning me more points
=> i can see you trust your BH topspin (4:09, 4:54, 5:10 & 6:03) I love the compactness of your stroke, getting bat ready for next ball
=> all that training is paying off eh mate?!

but I was again really disappointed with my footwork, in particular around my FH topspin - ugly
=> yah, i saw that (a few times), this is an opportunity to shine brighter
=> foot-work is an area i am focusing on BIG TIME, setting proper strike zone & staying balanced, readying for the next ball
=> IMO maintaining a lower stance with feet wider apart help, i recently added captain's chair & light weights working posterior chain
=> finally weight transfer (ground up) after each FH topspin contribute to staying in balance, i am confident your coach can work with on that

what my coach calls my "middle game" where consistency and percentage become the focus as opposed to nailing every shot
=> you did yourself (& coach) proud by placing one more ball back when its not ideal, forcing the other to hit another, your sense of managing risk is growing
=> i watch your vid twice, throughout the match you were in control for putting more balls back on the other side forcing steve to beat you & he couldn't

Finally i am jealous of your BH serves (spin variety & location), your 3rd ball combination (1:42 & 2:59) is nice man!

Cheers!

Thanks for watching LDM - appreciate that.

Your comments mirror those of my coach - he said lower sand wider on FH and set position of feet earlier!

Cheers

Peter

 

[Richie]

One of the simultaneously sad and amusing things in table tennis is watching U1000 level players without technique beat themselves up over missing shots. Peter's opponent in the first video exemplified it perfectly. Competitive opponent, trying his hardest with limited technique to win, and fighting really hard - engaging emotions when things don't go his way, but never really realizing the real gap between where he is and what he is trying to do. It amuses and saddens me because I've been there and done that. Getting your technique and your mind right goes a long way.

I feel this happens to me as well. Hitting high balls out with the FH is probably the most painful, feels like giving away free points. But when I really think about it I almost never in a practice setting practice putting away high balls with sound technique. It all feels like guess work based on previous technique which might not suit those balls so well for me. So should I really be that surprised and upset? Idk. Adam Barbrow does quite well against pretty good players, so it isn't as easy as it seems. Perception is a strange thing..

 

[NextLevel]

I feel this happens to me as well. Hitting high balls out with the FH is probably the most painful, feels like giving away free points. But when I really think about it I almost never in a practice setting practice putting away high balls with sound technique. It all feels like guess work based on previous technique which might not suit those balls so well for me. So should I really be that surprised and upset? Idk. Adam Barbrow does quite well against pretty good players, so it isn't as easy as it seems. Perception is a strange thing..

Exactly, but on some level, you are at least a bit more aware of the gap between your technique and the limitations and now you are clearly aware, even if the practice isn't there yet because it is hard to prioritize, and even if you feel bad about losing a point in a match that you probably shouldn't feel bad about based on your practice. If someone gave you the theory in real time, having the pathways built up to adapt in real time is almost impossible to build out without practice. You just have to figure out if possible a point pattern that avoids the setup that gets you into those situations.

We had a lobber/retriever at my club but my club had lower ceilings so I never got to see his full game. That said, just having him around tremendously improved my ability to play such players because I had to get to a certain level of consistency to beat him, so you had really lob well (not just fish competently) to cause me seriously problems. He used to make some juniors higher rated than he was weep because they would do so well against higher rated topspin players, but struggle massively with his chopping and lobbing.

 

[Der_Echte]

Next Level has been reading Walt Wiliams and Thomas Sowell again I see. If he hasn't, I'll send over the books.

Why the heck did I say what I said?

Those two gents are always reasonable.

Richie and anyone struggling with hitting high balls out. A couple things usually go wrong. Position not far forward enough and/or bat is not high enough pre-swing. You hit in front of zone, ball will go out. You do not have bat high enough before swing, then you bee swinging u and ball goes out. Another common one is players wait for lob/fish to bounce high, then come down... difficult to discern exact path/position of ball, then player is often out of position trying to attack strongly with reduced vertical angles. You see a lob, especially if it is not gunna land near end line... MOVE FORWARD to the side and catch the ball ON THE RISE at a comfortable height, like say shoulder or nose/eyeball level where you can see it well... you are now quicker, have better vertical error angles, and much better postion/leverage.

 

[NextLevel]

Next Level has been reading Walt Wiliams and Thomas Sowell again I see. If he hasn't, I'll send over the books.

Why the heck did I say what I said?

Those two gents are always reasonable.

Richie and anyone struggling with hitting high balls out. A couple things usually go wrong. Position not far forward enough and/or bat is not high enough pre-swing. You hit in front of zone, ball will go out. You do not have bat high enough before swing, then you bee swinging u and ball goes out. Another common one is players wait for lob/fish to bounce high, then come down... difficult to discern exact path/position of ball, then player is often out of position trying to attack strongly with reduced vertical angles. You see a lob, especially if it is not gunna land near end line... MOVE FORWARD to the side and catch the ball ON THE RISE at a comfortable height, like say shoulder or nose/eyeball level where you can see it well... you are now quicker, have better vertical error angles, and much better postion/leverage.

You are 100% right but if you are used to holding your paddle a certain way most of the time, trying to change where you start it in response to a particular ball without practice is pretty difficult. When you are used to playing topspins, learning to smash and carry your weight through the smash by folding your torso and following through to your non-racket hip as if you are throwing a baseball or serving a tennis ball is alien to most people. All the conversation will not convey that easily in 1 minute of coaching unless player and coach are geniuses.

 

[Der_Echte]

Maybe one day, a copy of SUFFER NO FOOLS by Walt Williams will be on the way eastbound...

 

[NextLevel]

Maybe one day, a copy of SUFFER NO FOOLS by Walt Williams will be on the way eastbound...

You can watch that free online you know....