Changed to thicker rubber (2.0 to 2.2 mm)

Walter Klockers Asked 15 years ago

I'm an all-around player. I primarily use a hitting stroke, although I can also loop, block, push and flip. My blade is a Stiga Clipper Classic (shakehand) and I use Friendship 802-40 Pips on each side. I've recently purchased new rubber with more thickness (2.0 to 2.2). I really like what it has done for my game except for one thing -- I have yet to figure out how to flip with it. The ball bounces too quickly off of the rubber for me to produce the stoke. For returning short serves, I would (with the 2.0) sometimes step in and smack the ball hard with a quick stroke, using an open blade to begin, hitting the ball with it even, and following through with it completely closed. I could even achieve this with short backspin serves. Now, I'm at a loss for what to do returning short serves. I pop them up all too often. Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks!

Alois Rosario Answered 15 years ago

Hi Walter,

Believe it or not, often this is just a confidence thing.   It is still possible to make the flip stroke with the thicker sponge.  Allow yourself to adjust to the slightly different speed. 

You need to close your bat a little at the start, but the change is minimal.  You are better off getting on the table and just hitting a lot of flips.  See if you can get a partner to just feed you the ball in that position regularly.  Really go for them and don't worry about where they are going at first.  In fact, see if you can hit a few long and a few into the net.  Then you will start to feel the two limits of how you need to hit the ball.  Eventually you will feel how to hit the ball correctly.

Believe the stroke is possible and it will start to happen for you.

Try this technique out and let me know what happens.