Playing a tournament match against a Defensive Player

[VictorMoraga]

I have a tourney this Sunday... ( my last one for some time. I pinky promise )

NB: If I upload the vid, you know I played well. If I don't you know I ....

Play well 🙌 🔥 and I hope to see your video.
That means we will know you played well 😆
My best wishes to you in the tourney 👊

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Good eye 👀 Tony.
Somehow I decided to make a sidespin down the line.
99% of the time I like to bother the opponent with a sidespin in the center of the player or cross court.
I will try that one next time.

But like you said, change direction was key.
Hehehe cross court inside out.
Yup way too much Xu Xin there 😅

I think many people under estimate down the line shots.
yesterday I was sitting beyond one of our rh choppers.
She was not causing any problems with a lh sp fh player, and keep chopping to her fh.
And the same with a rh lp bh chop/blocker - keep going into her long pips, but her blocks are very attacking blocks, and making it difficult for the chopper.

I keep yelling for her to chop down the line or move the player across, don't go 3 to 5 chops into an area that has no threat to them, but in the same time, every SP hit coming back, or LP push/attack coming back is a threat to you.

One of the yell, i was actually on the phone, but just had to halt that call to scream out and ask why keep chopping there.

Then same 7-7 match up (1 game only), the rh lp bh player keep topspinning cross court into the choppers fh. I told her, next one go down the line.
every time she goes down the line, she will setup a point to win.

Basic strategy for any match is to move the opponent around, and know what is a threat to you and what isn't.
The players train for it, but during high pressure times, only the good game IQ ones will know when to use what.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

oh wow! I guess you didn't take video of your match with her?

Next time you play her, please record the whole match!

It's very interesting to hear that your attacking style was able to penetrate her defense. It seems her strength is to use her counter-punch and efficiency to negate the strength of opponents attack.

Her strengths is against players weaker than her (she isn't the highest rates player based on her usatt rating)
Give her any player of higher level, majority of them will penetrate her defense.

PS, she isn't a defensive player.

and PS2, most females that play close to the table, would struggle with male players FH topspin shots. speed/power along is on a different level.
and if they are lucky to get contact, the speed/power + spin is another factor

 

[Gozo Aruna]

I think many people under estimate down the line shots.

Did someone mentioned down-the-line? It is my fav shot. One serving of down the line shot like this:

Still want more?
How about like this then?

 

[Michael Zhuang]

The past few days, my practice has been the best since I started playing and especially my backhand has been improving a lot. I'm using the backhand loop and drive a lot.

Today I played a former 2200 player, former U13 and U15 US Open and US Nationals competitor. I lost 2-3 and was reasonably competitive. He doesn't play that often anymore, so he's not as his peak, but still I did well for me.

I'm thinking if I keep improving this year, I can aim for a solid 1700-1800 rating early next year.