Dealing with backhanders

D K Asked 3 years ago

Greetings Team,

I would like to ask how can I deal with backhand type players who tend to stand at forehand corner and hitting with their backhand over the entire table. Many of such players in my area use long pips on backhand,but that is not too much a problem for me as I can read longpips well. But they mostly place the ball only long to my backhand or short to my forehand. Thus,I cannot target their open backhand side,because that would require getting a longer or wider ball on my forehand. The opponent basically uses the table to block out my placement. I can play only directly to where he wants it,miss the table,or play a high ball to the backhand corner. (that usually causes the opponent to only change corner and repeat the strategy). I tried to send the ball long from the backhand,but my longpips strokes are not powerful enough,especially when using longpips off longpips. And the hits are usually...not very strong,but fast and hardly predictable,so that I barely manage to insert the bat in the ball's way. (and if I retreat into defensive chopping,I start getting dropshots)

How can I solve this?

Thanks
Dan

Alois Rosario Answered 3 years ago

Hi Dan,

I think it is a matter of moving them around the table as much as possible.  Remember for half of the points you are serving so that you can start to dictate the angle of the ball with the serve.   Serving wide to the forehand corner can be effective.  Go extremely wide which will force them to play the first ball with their forehand at least where I assume they don't have as much control.

Then think about not only wide positions but also into their middle where they can't generate as much angle on their shots.  Remember their middle will constantly change as they move across to cover the table with their backhand.

That middle shot needs to be quite fast to catch them.  If you play that ball slowly it allow them to easily cover the table.

Try also to play a lot of faster 3rd balls to them.  The longer the rally goes the more they will start to position the ball well and get you out of position.