How to play against flat hitters.

[OldschoolPenholder]

Hello Sakumi:

I do not know how to beat flat hitters. I sometimes am described as a flat hitter.

I will tell you how to beat me:

1) Do NOT loop slow topspin to me, usually I put heavy downspin to elicit the slow topsin loop which I time and smash

2) if forced to lob, add sidespin. Best to do it under the table so I can't see the sidespin you put on it

3) make me move, do not hit to me, hit away from me, especially if you can with sidespin running away from me, although if you can add sidespin runinng INTO me to keep me guessing

4) if forced to return high, try to put downspin or make it look like you had downspin stroke on it to keep me guessing and put doubt in mind so I don't outright smash it

You do these well, or not do in the case of #1, you should beat me

HTH!

~osph

 

[Shuki]

Hello Sakumi:

I do not know how to beat flat hitters. I sometimes am described as a flat hitter.

I will tell you how to beat me:

1) Do NOT loop slow topspin to me, usually I put heavy downspin to elicit the slow topsin loop which I time as smash

2) if forced to lob, add sidespin. Best to do it under the table so I can't see the sidespin you put on it

3) make me move, do not hit to me, hit away from me, especially if you can with sidespin running away from me, although if you can add sidespin runinng INTO me to keep me guessing

4) if forced to return high, try to put downspin or make it look like you had downspin stroke on it to keep me guessing and put doubt in mind so I don't outri fh t smash it

You do these well, or not do in the case of #1, you should beat me

HTH!

~osph

most penholders I play love when I do a slow heavy topspin loop >=[ . I quickly noticed the trend among you monsters smacking those back at me and stopped.

 

[Archosaurus]

I think we both try our best to beat each other but sometimes in a match they just outperform you because we are very similar abilities. Most of the time when I attack they won't return it as a flat hit but as a block. My problem is when they return it as a flat hit. The trend is when they flat hit they win easy points which can lead to a win in a set or a win for me when they block.

When they flat hit it after your attack, what exactly happens? Where does the ball go, where are you, and what stroke did you play? Are you set and ready before they hit their stroke?

 

[Sakumi]

I'm often slightly over the table but I can still return incoming topspins. The flat hit will end up with the ball going past and sometimes with returning it as a high ball.

 

[Sakumi]

Hello Sakumi:

I do not know how to beat flat hitters. I sometimes am described as a flat hitter.

I will tell you how to beat me:

1) Do NOT loop slow topspin to me, usually I put heavy downspin to elicit the slow topsin loop which I time as smash

2) if forced to lob, add sidespin. Best to do it under the table so I can't see the sidespin you put on it

3) make me move, do not hit to me, hit away from me, especially if you can with sidespin running away from me, although if you can add sidespin runinng INTO me to keep me guessing

4) if forced to return high, try to put downspin or make it look like you had downspin stroke on it to keep me guessing and put doubt in mind so I don't outri fh t smash it

You do these well, or not do in the case of #1, you should beat me

HTH!

~osph

Hey,

Thanks. I will add these into my match play.

 

[Archosaurus]

I'm often slightly over the table but I can still return incoming topspins. The flat hit will end up with the ball going past and sometimes with returning it as a high ball.

Where do you stand? Forehand side? Backhand side?

Where do they return it on your side? Forehand, backhand? Long on the table or short on the table? Wide over the sideline? Into your elbow?

It sounds like you're not ready, if you return it as a high ball. Is your stroke too long?

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

most penholders I play love when I do a slow heavy topspin loop >=[ . I quickly noticed the trend among you monsters smacking those back at me and stopped.

I'm no monster, just a dinosaur ... I noticed many of the players I've played have not played a smasher/hitter ever or in a long time. the look of their surprise tells me plenty

 

[Sakumi]

I stand on the left side. They play it anywhere but not normally out wide to my backhand. The high shot is from ball hitting my bat and the upward movement of the bat.

 

[Archosaurus]

I'm no monster, just a dinosaur ... I noticed many of the players I've played have not played a smasher/hitter ever or in a long time. the look of their surprise tells me plenty

The people I play with are used to me looping everything nowadays. Usually pretty slow, to train the touch.

You should have seen the look on the face of my opponent when I looped the 3rd ball slow and heavy, then just slapped their block right into their backhand court because it was a tad bit high. They didn't even react to the ball.

I stand on the left side. They play it anywhere but not normally out wide to my backhand. The high shot is from ball hitting my bat and the upward movement of the bat.

Sounds like you're simply not set and ready, physically and mentally perhaps. I imagine them usually playing a wide forehand, you cross-step into it and then lift the ball, and they just smack that one, when you do catch it. Or is it something else?

 

[Sakumi]

By that point I'm pretty much out of position and off balance. Need to be quicker in and out of the table.

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Sweet Archosaurus!

 

[Archosaurus]

By that point I'm pretty much out of position and off balance. Need to be quicker in and out of the table.

Do you think your stroke has something to do with it, or are you too high and your footwork is not fast enough? If you accurately know what's the problem, I think you can fix it.

 

[Sakumi]

Do you think your stroke has something to do with it, or are you too high and your footwork is not fast enough? If you accurately know what's the problem, I think you can fix it.

Definetly the footwork and being lighter on my feet

 

[Milan Nemec]

The way you describe it you have the biggest problem when you BH-Flick as the opponents smash this ball. There are two ways what to do:
1. STOP BH-Flicking, as it is a loosing strategy, use backspin push and then a spinny loop instead
2. Greatly improve your BH-Flick

Another thing - no matter how good your shot is, if it is PREDICTABLE, it is a disadvantage.

Competition is not about playing your favourite shots, it is about finding a way how to win. If you can beat your opponent with playing your usual game without much thinking, fine. If not, you need to find his weaknesses and outplay him. Everybody has got a weakness.

I have problems with players who flip all my serves, my best tactic against such players is to use a strong backspin serve - it kills the serve variation but takes their A-game away from them.

 

[Archosaurus]

Definetly the footwork and being lighter on my feet

Well, you know what to do.

I'm not entirely sure what downsides it would have, but perhaps for the time being, step a little back from the table more than normal and try to force them to play your style of game? Step back slightly on the serve return to loop long serves a bit later, and push short serves spinny and long to give yourself time to get back. Maybe it could work.

 

[Sakumi]

Well, you know what to do.

I'm not entirely sure what downsides it would have, but perhaps for the time being, step a little back from the table more than normal and try to force them to play your style of game? Step back slightly on the serve return to loop long serves a bit later, and push short serves spinny and long to give yourself time to get back. Maybe it could work.

Will give it a try next time I see him...

 

[Archosaurus]

Will give it a try next time I see him...

I have no idea how good you or them really are, and you're probably much better than I am, so don't be surprised if it just gives them easier balls to hit. But if you haven't tried it, why not try it?

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

(BEGIN Yoda's voice)

"Do or do not. There is no try."

(/END voice)



Good luck with your future games vs flat hitters!

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Okay, here is the thing: Milan Nemec's post covers some good info that seems to be on point.

1) You probably need to mix your short game better.
2) When you consistently flip, throwing a short push in every so often is worthwhile to keep the opponent off balance.
3) If you are flipping with BH, there are some optimal placements: if you are going to the FH, you need a big angle that goes off the side of the table. You also have to be able to go at the BH with the flip as well. If they rip the ball off your flips, then you don't have enough pace, spin or your placement is not so good.

But regardless of what is said above you need to train to handle the return of your flips. This can be trained.

1) opponent serves short
2) you flip to FH
3) opponent attacks your flip
4) you footwork, get ready, and counter the attack

That is the biggest thing you can work on: attacking the return of your flip.


Sent from Inside The Chamber of Secrets by Patronus

 

[Der_Echte]

OP,

Let's just say the flat hitter is a little better level than you from what you say and you seem to also be making it easy for him in a few ways. Your job is to not make it easy for him, he may still win if he is much better, but you can still perform way better vs this player if you think a little and change a few tactics.

*** No 1 thing is to not give them a ball over the net height right to their FH power zone ***

Many ways to get this done...

- Make them move.
... - Use a hookshot if you can.
... - Soften your grip at impact and then impact the ball halfway on the side and whip through medium power. This will have some corkscrew and bounce away from them.
... - Hit the ball down their BH line by waiting for ball to come into impact zone some more - do not use open wrist.
... - Hit really fast or really heavy topspin right at his armpit. he must move. I he cant see it coming, he is in trouble.

- Change the depth of the ball. this isn't just how shallow you land it, but also low it is by the time ball arrives to him.
... - If you can, make ball go only halflong.
... - If ball is landing deep with a little pace, making a double bounce isn't practical. Instead, greatly soften hand at impact. ball will not kick as much to him. This will wreck his timing.
... - Use a loose wrist, 1/3 to 1/2 power and make a soft very heavy topspin that lands very shallow. Those are hard to attack and by time it reaches him, it is low.

- Be unpredictable. TTD Members and I discussed some of this already.
... - Use different parts of hitting zone depth at impact to disguise where you are hitting ball.
... - Use different (think much softer) grip pressure at impact after you hit 1 or 2 like normal.
... - After a hit or two suddenly take the ball off the bounce
... - Stay close to table and use BH for balls you normally step around. Take off the bounce. BH is very unpredictable to see.
... - Give a no spin ball or take away a lot of your spin suddenly.
... - Use a very heavy push, then a very light push. Punish the push-popup if he pushes again.
... - Change your receive. Even if it is a safe push, change depths, directions and pace. Try to take serve off the bounce.