Didn't have a chance to post about last thursday night. When it's the Lunar New Year's Eve, traditionally Chinese families are home to have a family dinner. I planned to to to my club after work just to hit a little to break a sweat and then go home for the Family Dinner. My regular partners weren't there probably because of the New Year's Eve dinner LOL.
I hit with someone for a little, older gentleman playing CPen pips, my first time hitting with him. I had trouble with the pips and/or his strokes. There seems to be a lot of downspin on his shots! It was a great experience playing with a good pips player. When I was a teen, I started off with pips, but after maybe a year, i changed to inverted. I forgot all about how to hit with pips. I happened to be on the table where generally the higher level players played. And one of them showed up and waited for next.
My partner had next on a different table, so I asked that higher level player (2 or 3 levels higher) if he wanted to hit with me. We recognize each other by face because i did a favor for him ages ago ... he was going on vacation the next day and saw my small Joby magnetic tripod and wanted to buy it off of me. He wouldn't have time to guy it off of Amazon. So I sold it him.
I was thinking if he said no because he was waiting for his regular partners, i would go home early enough. Only played him once ages ago when I was using the Avalox P700, 2 blades ago, which is a lifetime ago. He said let's hit. I stayed a little longer than I wanted to, but I didn't want to pass up this opportunity. Many of his regular partners didn't show up yet. So we hit. He smoked many past me LOL He amped it down a notch or 2 and we were steady enough. Then he chopped, i still have not gotten confidence in my slow spinny loop ... i had to crank up my loop to get his chops back over. The 80 yr old chopper showed up and my partner started to chop because of him.
No video ... -5, 7, -4, -3 ... he took it easy on me. the 2nd game, he had 3 freak missed serves, and 2 edge balls went my way ... i got lucky. that 2nd game, i jumped out to a 9-2 lead - LOL at me!
Overall, I had maybe 3 quality shots, and some very lucky shots which was really the tensor rubbers doing all the work. First game, my 2nd serve, i served down the line for an ace and surprised him.
Obviously if he played his regular game level/speed, he would've smoked me at -2 or -3.
Before we started hitting, he was changing and we were chatting. He commented that he has seen me play a lot lately and that i must be good. I said, nah, i came back from a break and only recently worked up to hitting 3x/week and still working at it. I thanked him for his time.
Lately a few members of my club said i've improved. Here and there I hit with some higher level players. Kind of strange for me in that i think i am at a certain level and if i'm just hitting, i'm looking to return the ball. Generally i look to be a steady partner. During games I rush and look like a player 2 levels below. And because of injury breaks, I just hit more than play games during my returns unlike when i first joined. Perhaps the membership has thinned also because we have 6 tables instead of 9 and also various other clubs opening which allows me to just practice and not forced to play games. With that said, my gameplay is still bad ... still rushing my shots, still not able to read spin on serves, etc. Perhaps i have improved because i'm using tensor rubbers now and getting used to them compared to before.
Regardless of whatever, I am having fun, getting exercise, and putting in the time in towards Self-perfection.
May all the net and edge balls go your way DTT CCers!
