Defending against topspins
Strokes
Muhammad Awais Asked 12 years ago
Most of the time when I try to defend my opponents top spin smash it usually go outside the table.
What should I do?
Alois Rosario Answered 12 years ago
Hi Muhammad,
If the ball is always going long, try a few things.
First try to close the angle of the bat slightly. This means facing it more down towards the table.
Secondly, you can try to put a little topspin on your return. This will help the ball to dip down onto the table. If you hit it very flat the ball will keep going and not have any dip on it.
Thirdly, you can also try to relax your hand a little to soften the impact of their hit.
Take a look a our lesson on the Backhand Block on our Stroke & Technique page. This hsould help you.
Recommended Video
Short Push
Mastering the short push can be your secret weapon in table tennis! We break down the essential techniques to help you dominate by keeping your opponents on the back foot. Whether you're tired of your pushes getting punished or looking to elevate your game, this guide is for you. What You’ll Learn:
- Early Contact for Control: Discover how stepping in quickly and hitting the ball right after the bounce can transform your pushes into precise, low shots.
- Soft Hands, Big Impact: Learn the art of relaxing your grip and using controlled strokes to absorb momentum and control ball placement near the net.
- Experiment and Improve: Don’t fear mistakes—explore the boundaries of your short push to fine-tune your technique and find your ideal balance.
Bonus Training Tip: Try the Short Push Game to practice your skills under real-game conditions!
Watch NowThoughts on this question
Become a free member to post a comment about this question.
Shripathi ramakrishnan Posted 12 years ago
hi alois, when i try blocking off a flat hit of backspin/block, the ball almost always goes long! what am i doing wrong?
Hi Shripathi,
Are you playing with a bit of topspin. This will help you to get the ball to dip down onto the table.
bertus bertus Posted 12 years ago
Keep the bat very still, very close to the surface of the table and don't squeeze the hendle of the bat! Keep it lose in your hand. Blocking is essential in defending against attackers. When you're able to block effectively then think about placement of the ball. My preference is sharp to the opponents backhand side because with backhand you cant hit as hard. And if you produce sharp placed balls you get a weaker ball wich you can counter loop.
Good luck!
Izzy H Posted 12 years ago
You need to hold your bat low to the table so when the ball bounces and it comes up with topspin it almost immediately hits your bat and if you have the right angle it will return to the other side of the table.
This also makes it hard for your opponent to perform another topspin because the ball is getting back very quick.