1 Game of Mine. Please give me advice

Michael Zhuang said:

Went back to look over your timestamped notes again. Really appreciate your detailed analysis. Hopefully i can put up a better game for you.

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Chill mate no pressure. I am just trying to help you by pointing out the bottlenecks. I will try to record how I was taught to push whenever I am practicing with the robot next.

One thing I might say is take more time on service. Get yourself set a bit better if you can and try not to rush.It looks that way a bt. You'll find it gives you a bit of head space time. It will improve placement and make service action a bit more solid both in control and being correct I would put it... Once you have a bit more control of this you can start to think a bit more set plays.

The spin loop is solid agree with everyone and the other player really struggles with it everytime you get in.

Be interested to see a few more ends against stronger players where the loop comes back a bit more.

Nice video thanks for posting.

Michael Zhuang said:

What counter? I cant really block his loop, too fast and spinny. Even if i block it, he just hits 2nd or third one.

This video didnt have too many oddballs. Its not this guy, but other more quirky players that do a lot of randomness.

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How far from the table and what is your position when blocking? Do you have a robot available?

Michael Zhuang said:

I would say I'm usually 1 pace back from directly at the table. But usually I slowly move further and further back from the table as the rally progresses.

No I don't have robot available.

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I think you should ask him, whether he could teach you how to block. It is much different when playing against spin. If you have no robot that would be the only option I can see unfortunately.

Michael Zhuang said:

What counter? I cant really block his loop, too fast and spinny. Even if i block it, he just hits 2nd or third one.

This video didnt have too many oddballs. Its not this guy, but other more quirky players that do a lot of randomness.

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Just try out what works best to block these loops. Loose grip, tight grip, passive, active (mini loop/brush), try punching (Truls Moregardh style) through the ball to add pace, vary the distance at which you block, and see which effect these have. We all needed time to develop the necessary feeling to block spinny and/or fast loops.
With Chinese tacky rubbers (but also with some grippy Euro/Japanese rubbers) it is easier to either use an active block instead of a passive block especially against heavy sidespin loops or play Hurricane 3 style i.e. loop everything

It is because your current playing environment doesn't requires you to move for the next stroke after your first loop. You loop and you kill the ball, that's all.

Once your game requires you to move around and do several consistent strokes, constantly putting weight on your right foot makes you unable to move quickly.

As you are an extremely forehand oriented player, I think developing your backhand stroke and putting it into your game can help with it to some extent.

Environment is very important. Staying in an environment below your level doesn't help you to be better. So, I think if you could play better players, you will be better soon in many small aspects and you may not be aware of those.

Michael Zhuang said:

One thing I want to ask is: I try to hit a lot of forehand loops, both opening and topspin loops. Because of this, I am constantly putting weight on my right foot. Usually after 1 or 2 games, I feel a lot of fatigue and tightness in my right foot and the muscle between my knee and foot in the front-right area. I'm not sure what this muscle is called, maybe Soleus?

Am I doing something wrong that I feel so tight on this muscle? Or is it just a matter of building up more strength here?

I often get this same sensation when I try to run with too big slippers or shoes or something.

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Soleus is one of the two major muscles in the back of your lower leg. It is under the Gastrocnemius and the two together make up what people see as the muscle in the back of the calf. And they both attach onto the Achiles Tendon. Soleus originates at the top of the tibia and fibula. The Gastrocnemius is on top of the Soleus and originates on the distal end of the Femur.

Since the Soleus is a muscle in the back of your lower leg, if the muscle you are asking about is in the front of your lower leg (shin) then it is not the Soleus at issue. But there are a whole host of muscles in the front of the shin that could be affected in your case. I would not trust anyone to tell you what is going on unless they are qualified and can see you in person to do some kind of assessment.

Hi Michael, I am afraid that I cannot help with it. In my opinion, this is not a single drill that results in this problem. It may involves in forehand loop, footwork, playing style, so many aspects. Every small thing builds up and show as it. When I was suggesting backhand stroke, I was expecting diversifying your strokes to achieve the balance. But if your backhand stroke got the same problem, that is just another aspect that adds up to this problem.

In my opinion, that looks like a no-spin serve and the red shirt guy just totally #$@%&* the return. Blue-shirt guy is just too slow to directly punish it but does still go with a good placement which catches the red-shirt guy offguard because he was expecting a strong 'flick' towards his forehand.
But I might also be completely wrong.

Michael Zhuang said:

What counter? I cant really block his loop, too fast and spinny. Even if i block it, he just hits 2nd or third one.

This video didnt have too many oddballs. Its not this guy, but other more quirky players that do a lot of randomness.

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You are nowhere near the playing level of worrying about countering 2000 level players' spiny medium or fast loops, but one day, you need to grow that... OR... you need to learn how to stay in the point one more shot vs that ball no matter who hits it... so one thing I show players facing a shot so spinny they hit it out all the time is to do a few things.

Loosen the grip a LOT
WAIT for ball to come into strike zone
Use a SHORT stroke, like 20-40 cm only... and do not take much a backswing, if any, just pivot hips and legs a little or step to ball if it is on your side with arm out a little
Do NOT go for much power, just 20-30 percent if that
Keep grip LOOSE at impact

What will happen is MAGICALLY get these balls back on the table. Of course, your return will not be a devastating return that will kill your opponent, but you get it back with some topspin and safe on the table. Your loose grip and short loose swing "eat" your opponent's spin and pace... it is truly like magic what a loose grip at impact and weak short swing will do.

How i would look in real life... 2000 level player hits a fast loop or spinny medium loop to your wide FH... you do a quick short step with hitting foot or a short quick cross step, extend arm to where ball will arrive (keep bent some) and do a weak short swing that almost looks like you not swinging with loose grip at impact... back slows down, goes back on opponent's side with light medium topspin. You stayed in the point and can get back to position and fight on.

Just doing that will sve your bacon vs a 2000 player, but you will face players well under 2000 with a strong spin... this is one tool to nuetralize opponent's spin and develop timing and feel for the ball... so later you can swing harder, stronger, with firmer grip to do a proper counter.