Favorite combos

Dakota Castleberg Asked 9 years ago

When serving, my favorite combo (I'm a lefty) is starting with a backhand side/topspin serve from my backhand side to cross court, which with the side spin, is much more likely to be returned down my forehand side of the table with a decent bounce because of the initial topspin from my serve, which I proceed to hit a strong wide drive cross court which usually results in an outright winner or nonreturnable ball. This always feels great, having an actual plan come to fruition.

When receiving, if my opponent hits long or wide to my forehand side, most of the time I am able to hit a strong drive cross court, which is usually returned down the line to my backhand side, and now I am finally able to capitalize on the open cross court shot and make the backhand drive cross court for winners.

I don't know if combo is the best descriptive word, but it is just a really great feeling being able to make the strokes you have wanted to have from when you first started playing, and have finally progressed to the level where you are starting to be able to make the hits you know you would be capable of with time and practice.

I'm really curious what both your's and Jeff's favorite "combo"s are, as well as the other PingSkillers.

Alois Rosario Answered 9 years ago

Hi Dakota,

I guess my favourite combo was the fast Pendulum serve down the line to the right handers backhand and then the forehand down the line 3rd ball after that.

Interested to hear other combos...

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Dieter Verhofstadt Posted 9 years ago

I prefer tactics to combos but that's just terms:

Tactic 1:

fast pendulum side spin cross court
return floats high to my backhand
pivot and topspin wide to the backhand

Tactic 2:

backhand side+top short to the middle
return floats to forehand side
topspin wide to the forehand with added sidespin for sharp angle

Tactic 3 (serving tactics)

serve fast to backhand
next, serve short to forehand

Tactic 4 (on the return)

return flick or push to the elbow
conform opponent's choice
1. if he chooses forehand, play wide on the forehand
2. if backhand play wide on the backhand

The latter is a basic tactic. It turns out that I don't have real tactics involving the backspin serve. This is because I'm vulnerable for floating balls to my middle position myself.

Jeff Plumb from PingSkills Posted 9 years ago

I think my standard is a backspin serve followed by a forehand third ball attack with my forehand. As a variation though I do like serving a sidespin topspin short pendulum serve to the backhand and then when they flick into my backhand, playing a strong backhand topspin from close to the table. When this comes off it really feels good!

D K Posted 9 years ago

My favourites:

a)combo-offensive:

fast sidespin topspin pendulumu serve cross court or across the sideline,moving around the corner and forehand kill

b)usual combo: long bacskpin serve to the corners,the heavy chop to the opponent's backhand

c)anti-lefthand combo: fast no spin serve pendulum to their backhand,then short return or block to their forehand,or kill if they raise ball

d)suprising combo: reverse sidespin topspin pendulum to the forehand corner,then forehand loop on the middleline

e)emergency combo:sidespin topspin backhand serve to their backhand,longpips forehand kill to their forehand