Finding what to do in a match

Hi Coach,

I am very new to playing matches, and I never manage to win any. Table tennis is very unpopular in where I live, the only reason I am allowed to play matches is that there are not enough members in our team. 

When playing matches I managed to get up to deuces quite often and sometimes can even win the first set, but the problem starts from here. Since my team doesn't even have a coach, I have to work out everything all by myself, I always start losing my advantage when the opponent's coach gives them advice at the end of the first set and then lose the entire match eventually.

I know this is totally due to my lack of experience, and I am unable to change club or have a personal coach at this moment for personal reason. I don't want to just give up right here before I can have a better environment,  is there anything I can do to improve this situation base on my current condition?

E.g. how to find out opponent's weakness; what next after they have recovered their weakness; how to recover my own weakness etc.

I am the type of player who thinks a lot during a match, so any mental tactics advice would be useful.

Thanks a lot.

Hi Hin,

I think you are actually at an advantage because you are being forced to work things out yourself.  If you persevere you will end up with more knowledge than your opponents who are being fed the information.

Take a look at this tutorial on Developing Tactics Against a New Opponent.  This will give you a few ideas.

You can also use the Vault section of the site.  You will find this by clicking on your name on the website and see it in the dropdown list.  The Vault will help you to record the information that you develop on each player.

Keep working hard and thinking about each match that you play.