Blocking - How to contact the ball

[Metaxa]

In my opinion, blocking is something completely different.
The best block-player ever was Desmond Douglas.

 

[pingpongpaddy]

In my opinion, blocking is something completely different.
The best block-player ever was Desmond Douglas.

Its great to see Des showing the current England boys a thing or two!

It seems to me that des's backhand block is pretty orthodox technically but Des has a special talent to play super aggressive and super early. In your clip he seems to be executing an early forehand drive smash.
You have to remember most other pros use backhand block to setup their forehand winner, whereas Des uses his speed of redirection with the backhand to do the job quite often.
here's another example of Des playing another super quick player Ding Yi
https://youtu.be/Y_oal7VqsqM

 

[Metaxa]

Its great to see Des showing the current England boys a thing or two!

It seems to me that des's backhand block is pretty orthodox technically but Des has a special talent to play super aggressive and super early. In your clip he seems to be executing an early forehand drive smash.
You have to remember most other pros use backhand block to setup their forehand winner, whereas Des uses his speed of redirection with the backhand to do the job quite often.
here's another example of Des playing another super quick player Ding Yi
https://youtu.be/Y_oal7VqsqM

I know this video, great one!

His BH block was marvellous. I first saw him play live in 1977 in Birmingham at the World Table tennis Championships.
Yes indeed, i do exactly the same, use my bh block most passive sometimes active to setup my forehand, but on a much lower level than pro-players.