I have been working with a coach here and there (not a professional coach, but a guy who reached 2100 and works directly with Samson Dubina on many occasions) and have been making great improvements in my serves, receives, and third ball attacks. My coach's serves still give me trouble, but I haven't had issues aggressively returning the serves of anyone within 300 points of my rating (1170). Attacking underspin is something I'm seeing >85% success with as well, so my 3rd ball game is progressing nicely. My biggest problem at the moment is playing against anyone 1200+ that consistently can counter my 3rd ball attacks. I used to drop back and lob against an attacking opponent, which was fine until I started playing against consistent attackers. Now, I'm trying to stay more at the table or 2-4 feet back and block/counterattack. I do OK with blocking but am having issues making my blocks more dangerous. So the question - should I work more on blocking to improve consistency, or do I risk taking a step backward and try to counterattack? Any hints for working toward either goal are appreciated as well. Thanks!
Just to add my two cents … and maybe go into the issue more technically than others have. So, the issue is that you powerloop (i.e. loop backspin) then your opponent attacks, and then you have trouble dealing with this shot?
- Firstly, you’ve got to make your powerloop more difficult to attack. That involves putting greater spin on it, making it lower and faster, and placing it where your opponent is weaker – backhand, body, forehand - i.e. where he is more likely to block rather than counterloop. It is different from player to player of course. You should look into your powerloop technique. If it’s too high, try do to a more horizontal than vertical movement towards the ball. If it’s not spinny enough, brush the ball more than hitting it. At you’re level, opponents shouldn’t be able to counterloop spinny powerloops so easily.
- Secondly, I would look into how you’re approaching the fourth ball. Assuming you powerlooped and introduced topspin into the rally, you need to approach the ball far differently than your powerloop. It’s a common error to play a powerlooping-type shot again, meaning your shot is too vertical, so the ball goes off the table. Make sure you’re contacting the ball horizontally – down and forward – and contacting close to the top of the ball rather than the side of the ball as you would with a powerloop.
- Thirdly, I’ve been told and read from various sources about the importance of stepping back, even slightly, after your powerloop. Factor this into your training, as if it’s a crucial component of the shot. You need to step back to give yourself time to block or counterloop effectively with a backswing if possible. If your powerloop is effective, your opponent should have blocked – and if you can manage to move into a position where this block goes into your looping ‘powerzone’ this should lead to a strong attack. It’s this shot that gives the server the advantage over the receiver. This assumes an effective backspin serve that is pushed long, and then an effective powerloop that is blocked quite passively – but if everything goes to plan (and you’d be surprised how often this pattern happens at lower levels) – this is your power shot and you should take advantage of it!