How do you return high, spinny, slow opening loops?

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Today, I missed so many returns against high, slow, spinny opening loops. This shot is really hard to return. What is the right way to return this shot?

Should you hit the ball off the bounce when the ball is low? Or should you wait for the ball to come up so you have more angle to work with?

Should you hit the ball lightly? Or should you hit it firmly?

Should the angle of stroke me more of a brushy stroke? Or more punchy stroke? Or should you snap through the ball?
 
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Today, I missed so many returns against high, slow, spinny opening loops. This shot is really hard to return. What is the right way to return this shot?

Should you hit the ball off the bounce when the ball is low? Or should you wait for the ball to come up so you have more angle to work with?

Should you hit the ball lightly? Or should you hit it firmly?

Should the angle of stroke me more of a brushy stroke? Or more punchy stroke? Or should you snap through the ball?
 
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Today, I missed so many returns against high, slow, spinny opening loops. This shot is really hard to return.
Why? You didn't say whether your returns tend to bounce high or low. Normally they will bounce high when return a top spin ball. A high ball should bounce high enough for a light of sight kill shot. The video mentioned the fast low loops. Those are more difficult.

Should you hit the ball off the bounce when the ball is low? Or should you wait for the ball to come up so you have more angle to work with?
Should you hit the ball lightly? Or should you hit it firmly?
I wait for the ball to reach its peak and kill it.

Should the angle of stroke me more of a brushy stroke? Or more punchy stroke? Or should you snap through the ball?
A brush stroke it not necessary when you have a line of sight kill shot.

However, a very good looper will put so much top spin on the ball that it will skip out fast and low after the bounce. These are harder to return. It takes practice. My first coach was a looper and we would warm up looping FH to FH with the goal of having the ball skip out low below the other person's paddle.
 
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Mike,

I too struggle against such ball.

Last week I was doing some short and soft pushes drill with a fellow club mate. The goal was simple, we have to push soft or really short as in to keep the ball inside the table to prevent each other from opening up.

After doing that for half an hour I went to play against other player as per usual and something magical happen. I was able to miraculously block softly these exact slow high arc high rotation topspin ball safely onto the table.

It was an AHA! moment revelation, i.e., soft hand is needed. It is counter-intuitive really, as my rational brain will think, if the ball is soft, then I must block it with gusto and adopt a stiff hand. However, it is on the contrary. Hence I am able to inform from my very own experience, to block back these type of balls, you must keep your bat-hand as relax and soft as possible. Don't exert undue force, just guide the ball back.

To counter-drive, I would assume the same principle applies.
 
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Today, I missed so many returns against high, slow, spinny opening loops. This shot is really hard to return. What is the right way to return this shot?

Should you hit the ball off the bounce when the ball is low? Or should you wait for the ball to come up so you have more angle to work with?

Should you hit the ball lightly? Or should you hit it firmly?

Should the angle of stroke me more of a brushy stroke? Or more punchy stroke? Or should you snap through the ball?
Hit them firmly with top spin.

Cheers
L-zr

 

Dan

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Yeah this can be a tricky ball to return. I think many players tend to take this ball late and tense up. You want to try take the ball at the top of the bounce or slightly earlier with a block whilst keeping a relaxed grip. Alternately if it's coming up slow and high you can try and go for a counter topspin stroke.

If you have any videos of you playing, you could them here then we can see what's going on 💪
 
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Yeah this can be a tricky ball to return. I think many players tend to take this ball late and tense up. You want to try take the ball at the top of the bounce or slightly earlier with a block whilst keeping a relaxed grip. Alternately if it's coming up slow and high you can try and go for a counter topspin stroke.

If you have any videos of you playing, you could them here then we can see what's going on 💪
Your counters in the Zoran Primorac video are perfect examples.

 
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The advice to get to the bounce of ball, cover it, and keep wrist loose is already given and proven.

If you are a meter from the bounce, you have option of a short stroke (or more difficult long stroke) to meet the ball hopfully at chest level.

There are three easy ways to neutralize the incoming heavy spin.

Short stroke in strike zone direct path to ball cover it a good deal with LOOSENING the grip to loose. That will eat the spin, then give back a slow to medium pace ball with some spin.

Short stroke direct path to ball impact ball a little on the side (same as hookshot impact) this impact point is spin avoidance... so when your short stroke hits the ball, it easily over-rides the topspin on the ball and depending on how fast your bat is going, you get medium to heavy topsin right back at them.

Other way is to use either impact point (behind/top of ball or side/top of ball) and FIRM the grip RIGHT AT IMPACT. This will also eat the spin and give a very strong rebound and spin. It is also very tricky at first to get this impact timing down and the timing of your firming... but once you get it, it is pretty simple to do.
 
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I suggest the last way that Der_Echte is saying.
What is going happen will be:
1, You have to eat the spin solidly. You don't eat it solidly, the ball will run away.
2, The ball will be so spiny that it will be wildly trying to jump out of your control.
3, You will want to use the weight of your upper body to cover the ball to stop it escaping.

It is just simple, no skill in there, a hard collision just like what you are doing when you are playing basket ball or football and someone is dashing onto you. When you get used to topspin then you can develop some skillful things against it, but before that stage you just eat the spin solidly and let your body do the thing without any skill.
 
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I don't want to say on the bounce, off the bounce or what ever high / low point.

If you can read the spin, use the spin, generate your own spin, no matter what high or low point, you can still get the ball on.

off the bounce is for forward "drive", high point is for flat hit style, low point is for re topspin
all 3 is fine

But if your own "spin" handling and generating capability is not there, no matter which of the 3 you use, you will have difficulties.
 
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