Intermediate player. Need help for a set up Trickster/hitter playstyle.

[Polymath]

Hello,

I would like to know if someone can help me to find a set up that meet my goal, and if my current set up is good or bad at doing what I want. This will avoid me to do the EJ.

The main thing I want to do is being able to initiate against underspin with either slow top spin, or fast smash/drive rather than top spin(I mainly have this issue on my forehand), and a set up that value precision as well as speed (low throw angle), over power. Which mean I use to hit the ball at it's maximum height and the point of impact would be at 75°.

Which I currently have problem to do with my current set up.
I like to block/side block, do weird underspin shots with added side effects, and counter attack from mid distance. I also want to learn to underspin block. When the ball is low I prefer to side spin, otherwise I usually hit the ball at it's maximum height with smash.

A little backstory I played table tennis a lot during my youth but always with premade set up, so I think I have developped unconventional technique that was adapted to these set ups as they would be less sensitive to the opponents effects and I have rarely seen anyone use such techniques I use.
I define my old style as a "Trickster" with my serve I would force the opponents to engage with a top spin or offensive attacks to then control the exchange with block/counter attack, mainly using precision shot and timing variation to throw my opponents off. On the opponents serve I would almost always initiate with slow smash as long as the ball was 2-3cm over the net. Also I use a lot of unconventional shot, such as underspin smash...

It's been 14 years I didn't play and 5 months ago I started in a new club. I have noticed the difference in technique with me and the other guy in club, I believe is due to how I adapted to premade set ups.


Here is the thing I have tested during the 5 months:

some premade set up ->not enough spin and speed.

yinhe v14 pro blade + yinhe mercury 2 -> good to initiate top spin against under spin, good at puting effect on the serve, but the set up is too fast and too much throw angle.

yinhe v14 pro blade + ak 47 red,yellow,blue -> So I tested this rubber in his differents hardness variation and so far I noticed that I have a lot of power and control with the red variants but my only issue is that I Have issue to smash/drive against strong underspin as I feel that the ball instantly go down and I don't have time to put my effect. The medium version may be a bit better but I still feel that something is lacking in this set up. I feel that the soft hardness (blue) has less speed and power without necessarely giving me any benefits.


TDLR: Just read the last post with the video, I need to understand these two differences in forehand if it is tied to equipment.

 

[Netbounce]

Hi,

I’m intermediate and quite reckless but see similarities, and your complex question intrigues me.

The Yinhe 14 pro is fast, but Mercury 2 are on the slower side. All good gear. It sounds like a good setup for what you want.

Playing with pre-made bats before could have required a more open racket angle. Have you practiced closing the racket and brush more?

A controlled short game, power away from the table and good spin sounds like Hurricane 3 Neo to me. But it’s not known to excel in flat hits. Maybe Loki Rxton 3 or 5 pro? Nittaku G-1 could be better but is faster.




Stay loose!

 

[Tyce]

Ak47 is simply missing the grip of a "real" tensor rubber. I found yellow working OK on the BH of my Pro 01 but it's just not that good at lifting backspin for example.
Mercury is a good idea. If you want a better throw angle, you could try to get a slightly harder version. But in the end it makes more sense to just try and get used to it if you like the rest of the rubber.

If you want a slightly better rubber than ak47 for a decent price, Vega Europe comes to mind. Mercury 2 in hard sponge could be a good idea too.

 

[Polymath]

I have found the way to explain better the difference I see in the forehand, most players attack with the forehand with a movement going upward at the end of the movement their arms and racket is high up. But I always attacked making a curl movement, going up only at then start then changing direction making a half circle and at the end of the movement the racket is close to the table.
The body movement is also different with the racket going only up the body is also moving up, but with my movement I rotate the hips and my shoulders do the same movement as my arm.

From 0:47 to 0:51 you can see here, Karlsen with his missing shot do the same thing as I describe, at the end his racket is close to the table and his shoulders also go down; his opponent Arouna on the countrary use up movement.

Is the name for these two forehand shots the same or is it just bad technique ?

I believe it may be because with a slow premade the speed of my racket would match the speed of the balls at the impact so I felt I could accompany the ball after the impact ; however with tensor rubbers the balls just bounce back and you just give the impact. So I need to change a lot of things.

I even managed to do a double rebound with one of these premade few months ago.

This is also weird because most people and even pro if you look at their backhand they do the curl movement.

So I tried from someone in my club H3 and indeed It provided good sensations it seems it's also very high on spin. I keep it in mind and will probably try after I test short pimples first.

@Tyce I have this problem with slow backspin ball and Ak47 only the ball drop down,, I thought it was my technique. What I like hoewver is that I don't need to put much power with my body and it is a bit easier.