Hesitation

Strategy

jack neo
jack neo Asked 14 years ago

Hey coaches, i've been having this problem of hesitating too much when i receive. The situation is that when i get the chance to attack a serve be it high, little spin or side top, i make it but after being at a losing end of a match, i tend to be nervous and afraid thus making me choose to 'play safe' by returning  passively with a push which gives the opponent a chance to attack. How can i overcome this mental block?

Thanks.


Alois Rosario
Member Badge Alois Rosario Answered 14 years ago

Hi Jack,

You need to have a clear idea of what you want ot do with long serves.  You need to make it an automatic response that if the ball is long that you make the attack.

This will only come with repetitive practice. Work on practicing this by getting your training partner to serve lots of serves to you that are sometimes short and sometimes long and you need to topspin the long and push or flick the short.

Once you get this firmly in your mind it will be easier in a match situation. 


Recommended Video

When to Use Your Best Serve in Table Tennis (Most Players Get This Wrong!)

A lot of players don’t use their best serve enough — or worse, they use it at the wrong time. In this video, Jeff and Alois break down how to make smarter decisions about when to use your strongest serve and how to adjust based on your opponent, the score, and the pressure.

✅ What you’ll learn:

  • Why holding back your best serve can hurt your game
  • How to recognise the right moment to use it
  • What mistakes players make with serve selection
  • A 3-step routine to improve your serve strategy

Your best serve should win you more than just a few points — it should help you win matches.

Watch Now

No comments yet!


Become a free member to post a comment about this question.