This user has no status.
Member
Hi, a SP penholder here! I'm trying to imagine the situation that you describe (defensive position, strong shot against your FH and difficult to block) and if you are facing this situation in many matches or you are losing too many points with this strategy, I think that you are not applying the right tactic to play with SP in your FH. Because it is difficult to explain, I will assume some point:
1.- You are an offensive Penholder player
2.- You are playing close to the table
3.- Your FH pips is 802-40.
If you decide to play Penholder SP, you must have good service because it is the base to build your game. You should have a good 3rd ball attack because your points should be as short as possible. Every point that is extended beyond the 3rd ball gives you fewer possibilities to win it (Liu Guoliang explained this in an interview). You should have a good service receiving game, which is relatively easy with SP, and because you are playing TPB, you should add footwork. The situation that you describe is that the opponent, on his 3rd ball attack, is targeting your forehand and you cannot block it properly, well you should consider that situation will happen in some moments, especially against a player of a higher level than you, but, the 3rd ball attack comes because probably your service reception is weak, may be a high ball, a long ball without spin... if the service comes short, let the ball short and low, if the ball comes long, attack the ball!. Against penholders, 90% of the services are short to the forehand (let the ball short with backspin if it is a backspin service, or cross it long against his forehand if it is a topspin service) or long to your backhand (you should pivot the ball and attack in with a flat drive if the service is with topspin or attack it with topspin if it comes with backspin). If you are in a defensive situation where the opponent attacks you with a strong forehand to your forehand, you should go back half/one step from the table, lower your body, and block the ball not hard. At the moment of the contact, you should move your body and the arm together to absorb the power and the spin; a good counterattack would be a parallel block; this way, if it lands on the table, immediately you will go from a defensive to an offensive position because the ball will go fast to the backhand of your opponent.
And if you don't have time to think about it, go lower, a short movement of your hand/arm (never a long swing with the arm), and go with your body over the ball, attack it.
A perfect example:
Min 2:05, that is the technique and position of the forehand block.
1.- You are an offensive Penholder player
2.- You are playing close to the table
3.- Your FH pips is 802-40.
If you decide to play Penholder SP, you must have good service because it is the base to build your game. You should have a good 3rd ball attack because your points should be as short as possible. Every point that is extended beyond the 3rd ball gives you fewer possibilities to win it (Liu Guoliang explained this in an interview). You should have a good service receiving game, which is relatively easy with SP, and because you are playing TPB, you should add footwork. The situation that you describe is that the opponent, on his 3rd ball attack, is targeting your forehand and you cannot block it properly, well you should consider that situation will happen in some moments, especially against a player of a higher level than you, but, the 3rd ball attack comes because probably your service reception is weak, may be a high ball, a long ball without spin... if the service comes short, let the ball short and low, if the ball comes long, attack the ball!. Against penholders, 90% of the services are short to the forehand (let the ball short with backspin if it is a backspin service, or cross it long against his forehand if it is a topspin service) or long to your backhand (you should pivot the ball and attack in with a flat drive if the service is with topspin or attack it with topspin if it comes with backspin). If you are in a defensive situation where the opponent attacks you with a strong forehand to your forehand, you should go back half/one step from the table, lower your body, and block the ball not hard. At the moment of the contact, you should move your body and the arm together to absorb the power and the spin; a good counterattack would be a parallel block; this way, if it lands on the table, immediately you will go from a defensive to an offensive position because the ball will go fast to the backhand of your opponent.
And if you don't have time to think about it, go lower, a short movement of your hand/arm (never a long swing with the arm), and go with your body over the ball, attack it.
A perfect example:
Min 2:05, that is the technique and position of the forehand block.
