How to stop losing 2:3 after leading 2:0?

[blahness]

Lots of 5 set losses are due to opponents starting to adapt and decipher your weapons while you ran out of weapons to introduce and dont have answers to their responses to your weapons.

For eg if your serves are really good you can often win the first few sets easily, then when they adapt and start playing a few more balls back you need to prove yourself to be able to handle their returns.

Or for eg if you have an unblockable opening loop which again nets you the first few sets, then opponent adapts and starts blocking increasingly higher quality and if you cant handle it then you would lose the next sets too.

So some counterplay options are to:

1) detect when they have started to adjust and then introduce new weapons or variations to throw them off further. For eg if you always looped to their BH, now is the time to loop to FH for eg...

2) even if they have adapted, anticipate their return and make a strong shot to follow it, ie adapting to their returns. Eventually once you follow down this path of revealing your next shots, it will lead you to rallying, and usually the player with stronger rallying capability will win (this is why most comeback wins are from players with superior topspin rallying skills, see for eg ZJK, FZD, LJK). I lost quite a bit due to this, because most of my most dangerous weapons are in the serve/receive portion of the game - if they solve my various patterns then my winning chances become much lower because I am not so strong in topspin to topspin rallying.

 

[_ak]

My new rubber sucks, my viscaria also sucks

At least this time I felt that my bat is still great

and usually the player with stronger rallying capability will win

Possibly this. I definitely prefer shorter points to long rallies

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

How to stop losing 2:3 after leading 2:0?​

by never be leading 2:0 in the first place !!!

 

[Kopp]

Stop playing the third set.

 

[canonFH]

Lots of good advice in this thread. I have pulled a few matches down 0:2 and I'll try to summarize my experience. The first set for me is just getting to know the opponent if I'm not familiar with them. I want this to last as long as possible, so I try to continue the rally and test them with varying placement, speed, spin and tempo. I refrain from hitting outright winners.

I also am pretty bad a receives so this set is also for making mental notes about their serves. By the second set, I am usually able to receive most serves pretty well. This is also the time I introduce my hook serve, during which, if I am irritated by the opponent, I will also hide the contact point. This is the time where I go all out. If I lose this set, that means the opponent is probably better than me.

Rest of the time, I just try to implement my strengths and reduce the opponents strengths and try to exploit their weaknesses. If you can't figure out the opponent's strengths and weaknesses by set 2, you're in trouble.

Also after a 2:0 lead, a lot of people get complacent. For example, they will not check if my current push has more/less backspin than the earlier one and put it in the net/pop it up. Same thing with serves.

Also, if they hit a winner, they'll try to recreate the same scenario and not adjust for minor variations, which is an easy way to win points with overly aggressive players.

Sometimes, you focus on yourself too much to notice the clever little things your opponent can implement that can throw a spanner in your designs.

 

[Draycott old man]

I believe the most important thing is stay relaxed and focused on your game plan against your opponent. Remembering that your opponent wants to win too,also you have to tell yourself that they might be complacent after getting the match back to 2-2 thinking they might of won !!! This is very difficult but you have to try and focus on the last game and forget the last two games, this is a new game with everything to play for !! Take it one point at a time if you manage to win the last game remember what you did well , for the next time !!!

 

[Heming Hu]

it sounds simple but you literally keep doing the same thing that got you to 2-0. As well, you continue to treat EVERY BALL like it is 0-0 0-0. When I first learnt to overcome this, I had to actual mumble to myself, "love all love all" when I had a big lead. I got this from Lily Zhang. Reason why this works so well is because when it is 0-0 0-0, you treat every point like its golden. You don't get too loose like when you are killing your opponent, but you also dont overthink like you typically may do when its 9-9 (a topic for another day - best players in the world play 9-9 like it is 0-0 also)

We often feel comfortable once we get a big lead and start experimenting with things and stop continuing to do the exact same things that got us there! It's on the opponent to change tactic and find another that works. Afterall, they are losing and if the same thing and tactics continue, they'll lose 3-0.

I used to change A LOT as a kid and also lead 2-0 or 3-1 or 3-0 in sets, but then start to already and mentally imagine the feel when I win, and how I'm going to celebrate. Problem with that is: I lose focus on the present moment and what needs to be done HERE and NOW. Because, 1 point can literally be the difference between whether you win or lose a match

Likewise, one point (especially a big or key point) can be the thing that lifts your opponents confidence suddenly. They start playing better overall and then you start doubting yourself because tactics that work, no longer work.

You WILL lose matches from being up sometimes, just like sometimes youll win them from being down.

BUT, if its recurring often and often, you'll need to start applying the strategies above. That's whats worked for me when I didn't understand how to close out matches, deal with pressure, and also what has worked for other pros and hundreds of club level players I've coached

Let me know if you have any questions

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Ask Jeon Jihee who lost to Hina Hayata after leading 3-0 (Qatar Open ?? before Tokyo Olympics ???)
JJH was the #1 seed of that tournament and higher ranked than Hayata at the time.
She started crying during G7 and sat crying for minutes after her loss.

you can ask anyone, just don't ask LGY
He is still clueless after having his first issue at the age of 13 or so

 

[_ak]

It's going a bit better lately, experience in leagues play helps. Sometimes I manage to stay focused or get focused again early enough and snatch G5 victory. The trick is not to rush and throw away a few opening points.

 

[Draycott old man]

It's going a bit better lately, experience in leagues play helps. Sometimes I manage to stay focused or get focused again early enough and snatch G5 victory. The trick is not to rush and throw away a few opening points.

It's such a lovely feeling when you win a match where you came through a really rough situation. Try to remember what you did to help you through, but also don't be to hard on yourself if you lose as remember your opponent is trying there best to win to .

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

i agree with all what you've said.
I've got no particular issues with G5. its usually 50/50 or even a bit better against players of similar level to me. But i will tend to lose if the opponent is stronger, so its normal.

or like me, now, it is clearly a fitness problem
the longer I play, the lower level I become

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

That's the thing. I've already solved some of my problems how not to give away too many cheap points and it boosted my rating up but some mental issues are still here.

its actually not easy to go with 3-0 wins
people mind tend to relax, so that could be what had happened.
at 2-0 up, you took game 3 too lightly.

Training to win 3-0 is so important, just like how we train players to always maintain a high level.
for players level to shift up and down in a Game of 5 or 7 is very problematic.

or if it is extreme cases like LGY, then there is just no solution. He totally blacks out and forgot how to play table tennis. that you need sport psychologist.

 

[pingpongpaddy]

I think Waldner has said that being good at predicting how his opponent would change tactics was one of his keys to success. . I. suppose its the same for Ma long and Boll and the other persistent winners

 

[_ak]

Played in leagues yesterday against a stronger team, format was 2x2 singles + 1 doubles match.

The stronger guy was a blocker serving mostly no spin hoping for a popped up push or a weaker attack. I just pushed back with little spin but low, so he began dropping it to the net or hitting out. Flicked long and fast occasionally, in general I was going for speed and spin mostly for winners, the guy began melting down. He cracked in the 2nd and lost 1-11, could be 0 if I didn't make a mistake. Again I got the feeling hey, I am great and lost the 3rd one. Oh boy not again, concentrated and won 4th without much trouble.

I didn't have many hopes about doubles as my new partner is much weaker, we never played together before and we are both left handed, not very convenient in doubles. Nevertheless we won 2 sets, then lost 2 sets and managed to snatch 5th with healthy lead.

My 2nd singles was tough. I began a bit too optimistically, lost 2 sets, then played more cautiously and won 2 sets back, every time with deuce. The guy's serves were quite tricky and he was changing serve every time I got used to it with difficult to attack returns. 5th lasted till 14-14 and then I lost 2 points.

Not ideal but still quite satisfying outcome.

 

[Draycott old man]

Played in leagues yesterday against a stronger team, format was 2x2 singles + 1 doubles match.

The stronger guy was a blocker serving mostly no spin hoping for a popped up push or a weaker attack. I just pushed back with little spin but low, so he began dropping it to the net or hitting out. Flicked long and fast occasionally, in general I was going for speed and spin mostly for winners, the guy began melting down. He cracked in the 2nd and lost 1-11, could be 0 if I didn't make a mistake. Again I got the feeling hey, I am great and lost the 3rd one. Oh boy not again, concentrated and won 4th without much trouble.

I didn't have many hopes about doubles as my new partner is much weaker, we never played together before and we are both left handed, not very convenient in doubles. Nevertheless we won 2 sets, then lost 2 sets and managed to snatch 5th with healthy lead.

My 2nd singles was tough. I began a bit too optimistically, lost 2 sets, then played more cautiously and won 2 sets back, every time with deuce. The guy's serves were quite tricky and he was changing serve every time I got used to it with difficult to attack returns. 5th lasted till 14-14 and then I lost 2 points.

Not ideal but still quite satisfying outcome.

Well done!!! You should be well happy with those results!!