How to play against blockers
Strategy
Ardak . Asked 5 years ago
Hi coaches!
Recenly I played with blocker. He doesn't look like a professional player, he doesn't do topspins, there is no spin on his balls. Even his racket is not professional. He hits flat and fast, blocks are very accurate. When I do topspin, he returns very fast and to different sides each time.
What strategy should I use?
Alois Rosario Answered 5 years ago
Hi Ardak,
The main thing when playing against a Blocker is to vary the spin and speed on the ball. The worst thing you can do is play every ball fast because they love the speed coming to them and they will use that to place the ball well and get you out of position.
We have a tutorial on how to play against a blocker for our Premium members in our Playing Against Series. Take a look at the tutorial on Playing A Blocker.
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Ardak . Posted 5 years ago
Thank you, coach!
Today I played again against that blocker. He is better player than I expected. He controls the ball good and does adjustments during the game. Today I lost again, but this time scores were very close. Won 11:8, lost 9:11, 9:11, 14:16. But when we played first time I lost 2:11, 4:11, 4:11. Then I did the worst mistake that you said :)).
Today I tried to apply the strategy you suggested. That's why today scores were close. Couldn't win because of my own problems in technique of strokes.
Hope, next time I will add more variations of spin and speed to my strokes. Thank you, again!
Well done Ardak! Great to hear about your improvement.
D K Posted 3 years ago
Ardak,if he uses only a backhand side,then he has still an explitable weakness.
The weakness is to fire two opposite wide balls in a rapid succession.
This player seemingly relies on game-reading and tactics a LOT.
Try to move him,make him run around.
Maybe aim for his wide forehand,from what you he does not look so condident here.
I could maybe share info about one of local players,who is similar.
He looks he never plays seriously,uses custom-made (but pro level) blade which is very fast on one side and very slow on other side.
On the fast side,he uses Dignics,very fast rubber. On slower side,he uses Palio OX longpips. He uses the pips for 80% of the strokes.
Seemingly unreadable,he follows a simple pattern: if you are pressed against the table,he plays long. If not,he plays short.
And he CAN play short really well.
I played him recently and he even returned my topspins with double bounce. My topspins are not really strong,but even against offensive opponents,he is able to keep the balls short enough so that the highest point is safely over the table.
Against me,he frequently places the balls on the inner corners of table.
He plays 2rd STate League,that is third best League in my country.
I play formally 1st,practically 4th District League. That is the second,respectively fifth WORST League (out of 12).
Last match,I lost 3:0,but I was able to pressure him into states 11:13,14:16 and 21:23.