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[Zezima]

Hello guys,
I have been playing Table Tennis for about 7 years now (28y 196cm). Managed to get into the highest League in my state, though we will be relegated this season (3rd last place and 3 teams will be relegated..).
Whatsoever I filmed myself this season and realized I made a lot of improvements but also that I do some really weird movements like lifting my feet up when FH Top spinning or weird arm movement during FH stroke. Problems with punishing long serves. Hand is shaky and no confident during my own serves.. So most of them end up with no spin short or end up long over the table.. Movement is bad but that's due to no proper anticipation skill, so I wait too long and then just adjust by leaning my body. FH TS stroke looks stiff and hard (lifting left leg up might be the cause of this as well)

Here are my latest 3 games from 2 days ago (was 2 weeks ill prior and no trainings game before these games but shouldn't be an excuse):

Close game 3-2

got destroyed by 250+ Rated Player He just attacked everything. My pushes being weak and Blocking non-existent. I wonder if it would have been better to step back against such players? By staying close to the table, I had no chance to block.

Lost 1-3 against close to equal player I beat him 4 months ago when we faced each other the last time. Felt like his Backhand got so much stronger. Also felt like giving the ball back to the middle of the table on his side was a big mistake. Thats where he could either use his FH or drag me out with his backhand "sidespin block"

4 months ago same player when I won

Generally, I feel like my Setup might be too heavy for me. Felt like I couldn't use the power that you can get with a heavier setup. Long 5 and G1 2.00mm FH and Rakza 7 2.00mm BH. I just wonder if I go with a lighter Setup whether I would do even more mistakes because then I tend to change my racket angle during stroke even more. I also feel like specially in the 1-3 loss or even in the 3-2 win that my opponents didn't struggle to block my TS at all. Time to swap the rubbers, or is it really my technique/them being very confident in blocking? Also thought about buying.

Nittaku Acoustic SG Special​

This should be a slower blade than what I have, right? If so, I guess my opponents will have even easier time to block my FH TS? I also have a fresh C1 2.00mm and Vega Japan 2.0mm at home too.

I just realize that when they serve long to me that I hit the edge of my racket, or I miss the ball entirely, which just feels bad.
If anyone has the time to watch the vids and then give me feedback, I would appreciate it.

 

[H3R0]

Hello Zezima, I will be short in my advice.
In the video where got “destroyed”, you opponent was not attacking every ball as you mentioned. Even more, if you count how many points he got from his attacks, it just 3. Your opponent mainly got his points, from hesitant receive from you and missing attacks. I think you should work on serve/receive game. Cause your serves are very high and sometimes long, opponents feel comfortable starting aggressive. Same for you receives. If you push serve and return high balls, even if the ball is barely higher than the net. Skilled player could flip it or attack.
Also, I have some doubts about Long 5. Very good blade, but requires very good technique. I would still stick with. Growing to the blade might be a good idea. If it’s not working for you, might consider changing it. Good luck.

 

[dingyibvs]

Hi, the 1st and 3rd videos are private, so can't see what's going on there. In the one where you played the 250+ higher player, I can see a few issues which are not equipment related. In general, you're not playing with an outlandish setup, so equipment change is not gonna be the answer.

1) You're not aggressive enough. He gave you a floaty and not very spinny ball to start which is just asking to be killed, and you just push it back to him. That may be because you don't have a good BH attack yet. This one isn't the biggest issue, it's the next point.

2) At the 2-4 score you misjudged the spin, as you opponent just lightly lifted the ball instead of giving you a heavy push. What then happened is that the ball didn't slow down as much as you expected, so you hit it more to the back than you wanted, resulting in the ball going long. Because it's not as spinny as you expected, you also aimed too high up, also resulting it going long. Combining the two, and the ball went way, way out.

3) You failed to identify the root cause of the error from the previous shot, causing you to half-ass the next shot. Perhaps you thought it was because you looped too hard, because it was a weak loop that tanked into the net. The next shot was even worse. You missed one high then one low, and this time you had no confidence in your shot and completely whiffed.

IMO, right now you're having trouble identifying correctly what went wrong when you miss. Changing equipment right now is the worst thing you can do as it'll simply add yet another variable, making you even less certain about how to fix your game.

 

[Aizen]

I have both long 5 and Nittaku acoustic,

If you want to increase consistency, it may help. But I don’t think your fh topspins with acoustic won’t be much stronger than long5.

 

[Zezima]

I am sorry. Both videos are now public! Unfortunately, my phone battery has died against the +250 player. But the other 2 sets were the same, with him attacking more. In the last set my serving game got much better in terms of him pushing or attacking and misjudging the side backspin for example. At most, he did a weak flip and I didn't take the initiative.

Everything felt so fast for me. I usually have a really strong backhand flick but having missed training grounds for 2 weeks (illness) and then being out of breath and so stressed against a much better opponent I didn't really feel comfortable doing it. You can see my backhand flick in the 3-2 game, I believe I used it in the last or previous to last set once. Because he was mostly serving to my FH.

@dingyvibvs
1) you are right I wasn´t agressive enough. Because my service return game was very weak. I just knew my flipping would be more error prone and also that's what he wants (topspin the flip) so I tried to just get better at my pushing game. My idea was also returning to his wide FH because he was out of balance and could only reach for those balls. Sometimes it worked out but clearly not enough. but I don´t even remember opening up with my backhand ever. But thats a mental brain thing. I don´t know how I can work on this, without having to be afraid of losing the game within 5min.

2) First I thought I hit the edge (still not sure) but it looks like I hit it completely fine with the racket but the movement was entirely wrong. From my perspective (during the rally) it looked like as if he did a chop motion so basically expecting a kind of backspin ball. Now in the Video I see he was kind of just lifting/carrying the ball over. So the ball jumped faster towards me, and because of that I was very late hitting and getting over the ball which resulted in the last moment correction of lifting the ball. That usually happens when I am late to to the ball that I go upwards.

So looking at that point It feels like not only am I terrible at anticipating the ball but also seeing how he manipulated the ball. Hard to do the according stroke if during the rally I think the ball has a different kind of spin. Any Idea how I can train this match specific?

3) You mean the next shot at 3:38 right? Yes i think it was because of the previous shot and I wanted to get a feel and a safe topspin to the other side and then afterwards work with more power. Wanted to do a high slow but deep Topspin and then loop faster from there but it was too weak no body rotation/ weight transfer to get the ball forward. I should have known better after all its a classic block ball that I have trained x times before.

4) I also agree. I feel like I completely forget what I did wrong and I only live with the negative feeling that I did something wrong. This negative feeling impacts my future shots (both ways if its positive -> more confidence and trusting the gut feeling more but negative the other way around)

Equipment wise I would only change the FH rubber to Vega Japan or C1 or put a new sheet of G1 again. The first two rubbers are appearently "softer" than my G1 and I wonder if that would give me better confidence for now?
My next game is on Wednesday. Most likely against these 3 Players again:

3-2 win against +200

0-3 against +250

0-3 against pip +200

 

[Zezima]

I have both long 5 and Nittaku acoustic,

If you want to increase consistency, it may help. But I don’t think your fh topspins with acoustic won’t be much stronger than long5.

so not worth the extra 120€ I would pay? I still like my Blade. I just can't Countertopspin with it properly, it always goes out, but that's my technique I guess. And against better Players, I miss the timing and somehow blame the blade's heaviness.

 

[TackyForehand]

Buy G1 and Rakza 7 Max thickness.

Get back in ready position faster after serve.

Take a half step back from the table since you're tall and have long arms.

Rest well. Your complexion appears terrible and movements seems a bit sluggish.

Commit on your attacks. Half the time you are blocking when you should kill the ball.

Stop repeating serves that the opponent attacks.

 

[Aizen]

so not worth the extra 120€ I would pay? I still like my Blade. I just can't Countertopspin with it properly, it always goes out, but that's my technique I guess. And against better Players, I miss the timing and somehow blame the blade's heaviness.

I don’t think so, If you don’t want to really slow down.
My long 5 89-90gr, acoustic 88-89gr. Although acoustic headsize is 2mm is shorter which makes difference but I think thinner or lighter rubbers makes more difference. G1 is heavy rubber.

For counterspin, hybrid or chinese rubbers makes it easier to manage (also slower)

But of course, technique, timing part are another story, more important.

 

[dingyibvs]

I am sorry. Both videos are now public! Unfortunately, my phone battery has died against the +250 player. But the other 2 sets were the same, with him attacking more. In the last set my serving game got much better in terms of him pushing or attacking and misjudging the side backspin for example. At most, he did a weak flip and I didn't take the initiative.

Everything felt so fast for me. I usually have a really strong backhand flick but having missed training grounds for 2 weeks (illness) and then being out of breath and so stressed against a much better opponent I didn't really feel comfortable doing it. You can see my backhand flick in the 3-2 game, I believe I used it in the last or previous to last set once. Because he was mostly serving to my FH.

@dingyvibvs
1) you are right I wasn´t agressive enough. Because my service return game was very weak. I just knew my flipping would be more error prone and also that's what he wants (topspin the flip) so I tried to just get better at my pushing game. My idea was also returning to his wide FH because he was out of balance and could only reach for those balls. Sometimes it worked out but clearly not enough. but I don´t even remember opening up with my backhand ever. But thats a mental brain thing. I don´t know how I can work on this, without having to be afraid of losing the game within 5min.

2) First I thought I hit the edge (still not sure) but it looks like I hit it completely fine with the racket but the movement was entirely wrong. From my perspective (during the rally) it looked like as if he did a chop motion so basically expecting a kind of backspin ball. Now in the Video I see he was kind of just lifting/carrying the ball over. So the ball jumped faster towards me, and because of that I was very late hitting and getting over the ball which resulted in the last moment correction of lifting the ball. That usually happens when I am late to to the ball that I go upwards.

So looking at that point It feels like not only am I terrible at anticipating the ball but also seeing how he manipulated the ball. Hard to do the according stroke if during the rally I think the ball has a different kind of spin. Any Idea how I can train this match specific?

3) You mean the next shot at 3:38 right? Yes i think it was because of the previous shot and I wanted to get a feel and a safe topspin to the other side and then afterwards work with more power. Wanted to do a high slow but deep Topspin and then loop faster from there but it was too weak no body rotation/ weight transfer to get the ball forward. I should have known better after all its a classic block ball that I have trained x times before.

4) I also agree. I feel like I completely forget what I did wrong and I only live with the negative feeling that I did something wrong. This negative feeling impacts my future shots (both ways if its positive -> more confidence and trusting the gut feeling more but negative the other way around)

Equipment wise I would only change the FH rubber to Vega Japan or C1 or put a new sheet of G1 again. The first two rubbers are appearently "softer" than my G1 and I wonder if that would give me better confidence for now?
My next game is on Wednesday. Most likely against these 3 Players again:

3-2 win against +200

0-3 against +250

0-3 against pip +200

I don't think softer rubber is the answer. If anything the HL5 pairs better with harder rubber, and you're not nearly explosive enough and brush way too much to really take advantage of the HL5 right now. It's a blade that rewards really hitting into the blade, a very hit-then-brush kind of stroke. That's the type of stroke that would cause the ball trajectory to be too straight with say a Viscaria, but would have a great combo of speed and spin on a HL5 variant.

Either way, I don't think equipment change is the answer. You're not missing your shots by a little, you're missing them by a mile. While equipment can be changed to fit your style, if you're missing the shot by more than a few mm's above or below the net then equipment change will at best give you a slight improvement.

If you want to get better at judging the ball, which IMO is a major issue of yours right now, give your training partner various services and have your training partner give you various pushes. Long, short, fast, slow, high, low, spinny, no spin. First all to one location, then vary the location. First you start the practice at your regular ready position, then do the practice starting with you standing at your wide BH, or wide FH, or 3 feet back from the table, or right up against the table to practice quickly judging the ball's trajectory and then moving into position before making the shot.

 

[Zezima]

Buy G1 and Rakza 7 Max thickness.

Get back in ready position faster after serve.

Take a half step back from the table since you're tall and have long arms.

Rest well. Your complexion appears terrible and movements seems a bit sluggish.

Commit on your attacks. Half the time you are blocking when you should kill the ball.

Stop repeating serves that the opponent attacks.

Why max thickness? Wouldn't that make me play even more scared? But I get the Idea that I will be generating more spin with it.
My movement is sluggish because I don´t really move after my stroke and stand still and wait till the ball is on my side again. Like where should I move if I don´t know where the ball will come next. I have big trouble with that. But I guess I can try to take a step back after my serve or generally after my first stroke. I just got told so many fkin times that I should play close to the table. I used to play from further back. You can check out the 3-2 game I won against the +200 Player I feel like I played much better there.

By killing the ball you mean smash it? I don´t think I ever smash. I always try to finish it with a topspin. I always try to spin the ball. But something feels off because mostly It feels like I don´t transfer the power correctly, It's just too weak.
Interesting. If I do the same serve I try to do it shorter. But I need to practise serves more it´s just not good enough for this level. I don´t know if it´s because I cant put much spin on it or the placement is just bad.. but I heard spin is not so important.

 

[Zezima]

I don't think softer rubber is the answer. If anything the HL5 pairs better with harder rubber, and you're not nearly explosive enough and brush way too much to really take advantage of the HL5 right now. It's a blade that rewards really hitting into the blade, a very hit-then-brush kind of stroke. That's the type of stroke that would cause the ball trajectory to be too straight with say a Viscaria, but would have a great combo of speed and spin on a HL5 variant.

Either way, I don't think equipment change is the answer. You're not missing your shots by a little, you're missing them by a mile. While equipment can be changed to fit your style, if you're missing the shot by more than a few mm's above or below the net then equipment change will at best give you a slight improvement.

If you want to get better at judging the ball, which IMO is a major issue of yours right now, give your training partner various services and have your training partner give you various pushes. Long, short, fast, slow, high, low, spinny, no spin. First all to one location, then vary the location. First you start the practice at your regular ready position, then do the practice starting with you standing at your wide BH, or wide FH, or 3 feet back from the table, or right up against the table to practice quickly judging the ball's trajectory and then moving into position before making the shot.

I just heard the softer the rubber the more forgiving is it in a way that you are more confident in doing the strokes properly without being scared that it goes out?? And according to the internet those 2 rubbers are around 45° so just 2° difference but alright I will stick to my current setup. Interesting, I didn't know that with long 5. I always did brush and then hit so the other way around kinda. But now, looking back, my best shots were those where I hit the ball more.
As you said, I need to work on my ball reading / serve return / movement to the ball(anticipation) more and that's not changeable with a different setup. So things I noted are: be faster in the ready position after serving. Take one-two steps back going into a rally. Keep moving and get low. Serve shorter.

then do the practice starting with you standing at your wide BH, or wide FH, or 3 feet back from the table, or right up against the table to practice quickly judging the ball's trajectory and then moving into position before making the shot.

How would you start this drill if I have to start with me being in a "bad" spot?

 

[NextLevel]

I just heard the softer the rubber the more forgiving is it in a way that you are more confident in doing the strokes properly without being scared that it goes out?? And according to the internet those 2 rubbers are around 45° so just 2° difference but alright I will stick to my current setup. Interesting, I didn't know that with long 5. I always did brush and then hit so the other way around kinda. But now, looking back, my best shots were those where I hit the ball more.
As you said, I need to work on my ball reading / serve return / movement to the ball(anticipation) more and that's not changeable with a different setup. So things I noted are: be faster in the ready position after serving. Take one-two steps back going into a rally. Keep moving and get low. Serve shorter.


How would you start this drill if I have to start with me being in a "bad" spot?

Will watch the videos and respond but your comment on softer rubber is not quite correct - softer rubber is more forgiving when you don't put energy into the stroke. Harder sponge is more forgiving when you put energy, but if you don't put energy, it can punish you because if is hard to spin with harder sponge and low energy. Everyone has different feeling but for me, when I use softer rubber, my depth of contact leads to me hitting the ball into the net most of the time because I like to brush with closed angles, especially close to the table. I personally prefer hard tacky sponge because I like to brush deeply/thickly and create fast spinny balls. IMHO, most players who are even basically competent will do well with something reasonably hard and sticky on forehand, I have seen 1400 USATT (lower level than you) players use Rakza Z decently well. Hybrids are very easy to play nowadays. But everyone's timing and feeling is different, Bobrow can play with soft rubber somehow, his game is alien to me. Just had to respond to that part, will add more after seeing your bideos

 

[mocker88]

I think that you might need a better game plan when serving and really think of what you want to come back from your serves, and be prepared for that. And you have to do the hard work and get your foot work going. When you loop, you have to bend your knees and work the full body. In the first game that you won (4 months ago) you actually did go for the top spin backhand some times and you had a better foot work. Not good but better than in the last game.

I would say that the blade is a really good one. Not too fast with good feeling, but your rubbers bounce your balls away some times.

Now I might be a bit colored, but I feel that you would gain more confidence with less bouncy rubbers and you could check out some more linear rubbers like Chinese rubbers. You would have to work more and your technique would evolve, and in the end you would have more control over your game.

Of course Euro/Jap rubbers can help you out when you're out of position and they can "bounce you right", but what about the rest of the game?

Why not check out a Yinhe - Big Dipper 38deg (FH) and a Rakza 7 Soft, Joola - Tronix CMD or a Pimplepark - Epos for a more soft backhand touch?

 

[NextLevel]

Here are my recommendations:

I think you have good touch, I think you don't play aggressively for the first attack or understand the broad rules of modern table tennis that high level players follow.

Basically high level players serve to get opportunity to attack or return to prevent the opponent from attacking. To serve to get the opportunity to attack, the serve quality matters a lot, you need to learn to serve short and keep the ball low. If the ball.drifts long and lazy, better players will bring you under pressure with opening topspin so unless you are inviting that , you need to keep the serve tight. Best return when your opponent serves if the serve is short is to return the serve short or to flick to where they are nor expecting it. But if they serve long, you need to look for opportunity to loop unless the serve surprises you. Many players around your level overestimate the ability of opponent to serve short so they push the ball too early rather than letting it come long to attack. Part of the reason you felt pressure against the better player was because you served down the line a lot and you couldn't keep the ball short and he as a better player recognized that but because you were used to lower players giving you lazy pushes, you thought your serves were tight. In general, I tell people that at my level and below, expect most down the line serves to drift long, if you want to serve short into someone's forehand, give yourself more table by starting from the forehand side unless you have practiced a lot of serving.

Your game in general lacks physicality, you have good touch but you don't try to give the ball heavy power and spin. Maybe using sticky/hybrid rubber so you can feel more confident adding power to your strokes might help so you can hit the ball a bit more, or even a smaller blade head. If you compare your game to your opponent that you said improved his backhand, you can see that he is confident taking fast swings at the ball, but you don't feel confident driving lower balls, you always need to arc the ball, and this means your opportunities for first attack ending the point will be limited.

Usually it is easier to analyze someone from practice. Watching your matches doesn't let me see what you are working on and how you swing. But the warm ups showed me you don't add quality during the warm up, it felt like you were just floating the ball, which is not bad, but I would have hoped you would produce a variety of ranges of power during the warmup. From the warmup I like your backhand, the structure looks good, but the fact that you don't use it tells me you don't practice getting stronger with it especially on backspin. Your forehand for me was worse in practice, you don't drive through the ball, but maybe it is because you don't have power in your legs or something. But I just wanted to see some evidence of your putting heavy quality on the ball. Your serves look reasonable so it is likely just an approach. During the matches, the forehand looked better but there was still room for more aggression.

Maybe it is physical strength or something else but I think you will get best input if you post technical practice of you trying to do things like loop to block, attack long and half long serves, loop underspin and counter topspin. You look like someone who should be playing better, but you need to develop the ability to put away easy balls against players at your level. Lacking such power and placement is caused by many things, but I can't tell which unless I know what you are working on in practice.

Do realize that if you learn to attack half long balls or open early, that will have the biggest impact on your game. You don't aggressively play to attack first, but attacking first at the lower levels usually is enough to gain a good initiative if followed up appropriately with power and placement.

 

[NextLevel]

I think that you might need a better game plan when serving and really think of what you want to come back from your serves, and be prepared for that. And you have to do the hard work and get your foot work going. When you loop, you have to bend your knees and work the full body. In the first game that you won (4 months ago) you actually did go for the top spin backhand some times and you had a better foot work. Not good but better than in the last game.

I would say that the blade is a really good one. Not too fast with good feeling, but your rubbers bounce your balls away some times.

Now I might be a bit colored, but I feel that you would gain more confidence with less bouncy rubbers and you could check out some more linear rubbers like Chinese rubbers. You would have to work more and your technique would evolve, and in the end you would have more control over your game.

Of course Euro/Jap rubbers can help you out when you're out of position and they can "bounce you right", but what about the rest of the game?

Why not check out a Yinhe - Big Dipper 38deg (FH) and a Rakza 7 Soft, Joola - Tronix CMD or a Pimplepark - Epos for a more soft backhand touch?

I was going to recommend going to Rakza Z but it might be too heavy for him and I don't know whether he has a strength problem. But he should consider using his legs to drive the ball more. He has good rubbers but he needs something that makes him take confident and powerful swings, he seems scared to swing at the ball powerfully which is a symptom of fast equipment.

 

[jk1980]

I would note a few things:
Your setup itself is spinny enough, which is not to say that you use it properly currently.
You might benefit from something tacky like Rakza Z, but only In The very long run. You would need to adjust technique for the tackiness. That is why you ought to learn to generate spin the more easy and traditional way, because this translates to more of the available tensor rubbers.

I feel it is hard to Improve if you always only play against better players, because that makes you hesitant to try more forceful shots.
Realise that half assed strokes of yours will not even threaten players on your level, so better opponents will take these invitations to attack you. I think you should try to attack forcefully, because anything less will not be able to bring uncomfortable to better opponents.

You will be relegated anyways, so go out all guns blazing.
There is not too much power in any stroke, if you give more power you just have to adjust the angle and the brushing/spin to make it still dive down onto the table.

 

[Zezima]

I disagree. I don't think I have a good touch. Only against short backspin, I have a good touch. But against sidespin balls. I have a terrible touch because I don't know quite how to touch the ball from the sides to keep it nice and low and not go into the net.
Specially if they serve the sidespin halflongish or long.

So when I try to flip is there any difference flipping against the spin or with spin? Against spin would be if a right-handed player serves a pendulum serve that goes into my backhand and from my perspective spins to my left. I would be flipping with the spin.
And then there is reverse Pendulum serve that would drift away to the right from my perspective again. That one I can just hit the ball at the back and go a bit forward, the ball will go to his forehand because of the sidespin then.
But I find it hard to control the placement with these sidespin balls, so my return gets very predictable if I don't miss the Ball entirely, which seem to happen a lot lately.

I have a service plan but the better players tend to change the placement which took me by surprise many times. Specially if I served to the FH and I received a flip to my backhand. Also has to do with me not getting into ready position fast enough / maybe also too close to the table.

I don´t want to change to chinese Rubbers. I feel like it's not worth the time, and I am also someone who saves a lot of points by reaching a lot, so I want to keep that as my special ability. But I do agree, specially if I go over the ball with my BH that it goes out sometimes.
I can try Rakza 7 soft for my BH, but I just heard Rakza 7 is better overall. And I know from my training games I can do everything I want with this rubber. My Backhand is mostly a mental thing that I can't use during the game. I actually think I have a really good backhand.

You guys prob won't believe me, but I think I am very high up in the list that can use the backhand as aggressive as I can. Everyone else uses their backhand to keep the ball in the game kind of. They have superior FH and control and service/return game compared to me.
But I have a really good Backhand flick and during rally change up the space by slow looping or aggressive more forward looping also good blocks.

I feel like the last 3 Videos I posted is a better measurement on how I usually play. (3-2, 0-3, 0-3 vs pips) We are focusing too much on the one set against that better player.


This game is also from 4 Months ago and displays more appropriately me being more aggressive and more confidence. Against +300 at that time. Link down below.


I hope you have the time to check this one out as well. I just want to make sure if you guys think its more of a mentality problem. Not saying everything is a mentality problem but it kinda makes me disappointed, that I can´t show my true ability every game no matter the outcome.
If I played every game like this at least I would be more than happy. I just checked again and I did lots of FH TS in this game against Michael W. I think that's the most "quality" I can produce in a match setting and maybe some others I played in the 3-2 win against Wolfgang S.
I would say those 2 games are my best 2 games that I felt truly confident.

But as you can see I am trying to arch the ball all the time. I don't really "smash" unless the ball is very high and slow. So from what you said I should practise more hitting lowish no spin balls flat and forward without trying to add spin on it?

If I give more power I have to close the racket angle more? Because when I slowmo my FH TS it feels like my racket angle is super closed and I think sometimes even with a closed racket angle it goes out. I would need to check that again in a training session.
My assumption is I hit the ball very late and go more upwards with the motion because I hit the ball too late or It's too much hitting and the ball can't spin down to the table?

So the games that truly represents my ability of the shots are these 3 (from the ones I have filmed)

1) vs Michael W. +300

2) My first big win against a much better player : 3-2 Wolfgang

3) Trainingsmatch this is the timestamp of my "aggressive" backhand <-- In a familiar setting (I have played against him many times) Its our trainingshall so everything is familiar and I have a good feeling that day.

Serve return Mistake
Also how to properly attack this serve? Do I have to hit the ball more from the side? Felt like I had no time to properly shift my weight forward. Its long Underspin Sidespin.

​

jk1980​

Yeah, I guess I can try to put new Sheets of the same kind on it, and then I will have no excuse. I am just not used to people always being able to block my topspin. And you are right I will go all out in my next games. Specially now that I have already played against them before. I will try to make some notes on what I need to watch out against them and bring it with me to the game.

 

[NextLevel]

I just watched the last 3 matches you posted and I see what you mean. My comments are still relevant, but you do attack more consistently in that video because you are your opponent are more similar in playing style.

Good touch is a mixed compliment for someone who pushes and blocks a lot of balls including some of the ones he probably shouldn't push and block. You do that a lot as you pointed out, you reach for a lot of balls and get them back on the table. Since you don't have any physical issues that are obvious, it might hold you back when you face players who take advantage of the quality of ball you are putting back on the table unless you practice placing it where it makes it harder for them to attack two in a row.

You are on a good path, your loops arc a lot, because you are tall and it is hard to stay low and swing forward all the time. I can't defend half as well as you do, so I am usually trying to get the first attack very aggressively and avoid serving long. That you can serve long so often and stay in the rally is good for your defence but is probably not how you want to play better players on a regular basis unless you can control the length of the serve at will.

There is also some need to develop the ability to add power on easy balls when you are in position. You did hit one good such shot against Wolfgang in the 5th game I think, but in general, one should practice trying to put away opportunities to attack easily even if the ball will come back sometimes. Even if it is just high quality opening followed by loop drive or smash with perfect placement, that is better than arcing topspin after arcing topspin unless you just want to play that way. The main change is to either get your body lower or to sometimes swing a little shallower if height does not permit getting lower. Getting the body lower so that you don't swing so upwards is usually better.

But the main point here is that good players get better by controlling the first 4 balls better and better, and you play a bit too much for the rally. That said, you are playing better players so everything you said makes sense, you are not used to people controlling your topspin so easily, i am not used to it too, but when you play better players, you have to realize that if you do not cause them problems, they are not going to miss. Serving long is not causing them problems. Pushing long balls is not causing them problems. When a serve drifts long, you need to be able to consistently attack it, and to multiple points on the table to avoid being set up for easy counters. You need to be able to move your attacks around to get easier balls. But the biggest thing I will repeat is to find eays of tightening the early strokes especially the serve and the return. Your rally game is already good, your backhand and forehand are good, but you are not confident to use them early in the point, which means that you need to work on that a bit more.

Even when your opponent is missing your long serves, you should not fall into the trap of thinking that this is how one should be playing because as you get better, the habits you form that may work on one level might hurt you at the next.

So my main thing is for you to figure out how to be more aggressive earlier and earlier in the point, not to always rely on your good rally skills and spin consistency to win the points.

 

[Zezima]

I guess one way to attack sooner is being faster in ready position after serving. And when the opponent is serving long I just have to tell myself to loop even if I make mistakes and try to remember what went wrong in that shot, so I can adjust for the next serve return. Especially in the first 1-2 Sets. And as you said vary the placement so they can´t counter it easily. How would you say my Topspin was during those 3 games? I feel like most of the time I was attacking very early. But ye I will keep in mind to open up more with my backhand as well. Feels like just right after my backhand push, they seem to start being aggressive.

 

[NextLevel]

I guess one way to attack sooner is being faster in ready position after serving. And when the opponent is serving long I just have to tell myself to loop even if I make mistakes and try to remember what went wrong in that shot, so I can adjust for the next serve return. Especially in the first 1-2 Sets. And as you said vary the placement so they can´t counter it easily. How would you say my Topspin was during those 3 games? I feel like most of the time I was attacking very early. But ye I will keep in mind to open up more with my backhand as well. Feels like just right after my backhand push, they seem to start being aggressive.

A lot of it comes down to playing better players, it forces you to know your limits. It is often not a bad idea after a heavy backspin serve against a lower rated player to push it back if it comes to an uncomfortable place to reset the rally and you are saving energy. But against a better player or a competitive player, the long return should be obvious the instant the opponent touches the ball and that should either lead to a backhand opener or a pivot to play the forehand.

Part of the reason you have the issue is that because you serve too long, it is harder for you to track the ball when the opponent brings it back long. Having shorter serves will improve your backhand opener almost by default because when they push long, you will read it better. Backhand openers are easier to track of pushes of shorter balls and harder when done against the push from a long ball or serve.