Hi everyone,
I haven't been playing tt as regularly as I would like to due to shift work. My last time playing tt was 2 weeks ago, but I have the opportunity to play tonight, and I recorded my games.
I played 3 singles in total.
The first singles, I won the first 3 sets, the first set was quite close, then gradually I managed to pull off a gap, but up to the last set (4th), I somehow managed to get to a 10-0 lead. I have never had this happen to me for long time where I have a 10-0 lead. It was my opponent to serve, I was going to give a mercy point, but he served and the ball hit the edge of the table. It ended up as 11-0 and I felt terrible, but it is what it is. He didn't give up the point, but just served normally, perhaps he was too tired.
The second singles, again, I won the first 3 sets, but it wasn't easy. Then something surprising happened. I somehow played every point well, and got to 10-0 again. It was my opponent's turn to serve. This time I managed to give a mercy point. The following point, I ripped a backhand and finished the match.
I was quite surprised about getting to 10-0, especially when these people are my friends whom I have been playing with for years, and this has never happened before, and it wasn't like I trained up for it or anything, it just seem so out of the ordinary.
But the match that I had most trouble was the 3rd singles.
Again, this is against a friend whom knows me quite well, and has played against me multiple times. He has had more time playing tt nowadays as he isn't working atm. Previously, I used to beat him most of the time, not by alot, but usually just managed. But our last encounter was a 3-0 loss from me. So I knew that even though I played well in my first 2 singles, this wasn't going to be an easy match.
And indeed, it was not easy at all.
He seem to have a solid counter to my 'spiny loops'. Whenever I loop the backspin back on the table, he just sends the ball back with great speed. When he serves and attacks, his attacks against my backspin push were really direct and fast, almost like a 'hit', but I think it has to have some kind of brushing action as it is against backspin. As such, I lost the first 2 sets without an answer to his game.
I managed to barely take the 3rd game 11-9, and then took the 4th game also. In the 5th game, I was losing in the beginning, but managed to catch up. Perhaps he is just too exhausted. I managed to win the game. In the end, he collapsed.
But I do wonder if there is something wrong with my looping. It has worked well against the previous players fine, but against him, it is like nothing. He counters it easily. The player that I beat in the first singles, actually beat him 3-1, so it wasn't like there is a big level difference between all of us, as we do play with each other regularly.
I have attached a link of the 3rd singles, and would really like to know:
What am I doing wrong with my loop (if there is anything wrong)
What is he doing that he has no trouble with my loops even though it works great against the other 2 players.
What should I change in my loop in response to this.
Thanks guys.
