playing the wide ball

Shripathi ramakrishnan Asked 13 years ago

hi alois and jeff, 

how do i attack a wide and spinny push to bh and also how do i play a wide topspin from fh/bh.

 how do i play the spinny and wide push at the same time?

Alois Rosario Answered 13 years ago

Hi Shripathi,

The key for all of this is your footwork.  You need to move out to the position of the ball before you make the stroke.

Once you are in position then the stroke becomes the same as if it were in the middle of the table.

Footwork is something that is often neglected but is vital for us to improve to a higher level.

When you get to the ball and play it the thing you then need to consider is your placement and speed.  If you think that you will not have time to get back to the next ball you need to play the ball as strongly as you can to make a winner.  Now that doesn't mean you necessarily have to hit it fast but you need to play it at a speed that is going to trouble your opponent.  That could mean a slow spinny ball.

Also think about placement because it could be your last chance to win the point.  Playing cross court is often the safest but it is also the one that they are most likely to be ready for.  You need to weigh this up in the rally and by where your opponent is.  This all sounds like a lot to think about but it will become instinctive.