Long pimples to play backspin
Equipment
Peter Habich Asked 4 years ago
Hi Alois,
in the last few years I have always been playing with inverted rubber on both sides.
Now I want to try long pimples on the backhand side because I have so much trouble receiving heavy backspin with inverted rubber. In my club there are so many people who play very strong backspins. Do you think it is worthwhile to change to long pimples to play against these kind of players? What are the advantages and disadvantages of long pimples?
Best regards
Peter
Alois Rosario Answered 4 years ago
Hi Peter,
I think it is worth trying for a couple of weeks at least to see if this helps.
It is still a matter of being able to understand the variation in spin that they are putting on the ball. You could try to first work on adjusting the angle of your racket with inverted rubber. It is a matter of really getting the angle of your racket back till the racket is basically facing the roof.
If you use long pimples against the heavy backspin the ball will tend to jump up off your racket and may give your opponent an easy ball to attack as well.
One big disadvantage of the long pimples is that you can't generate your own spin with it and rely on the spin that is coming in from your opponent.
Let me know how you go with either of these options.
Thoughts on this question
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Rajdeep Paul Posted 4 years ago
I think you should think twice before switching to long pips. because, you can't generate your own spin in such case, and the reviving of those backspins, what you are mentioning, those are more difficult to receive using long pips. I think you should practice with proper techniques with inverted rubber, unless you want to be a chopper or push blocker.
besides, you have to change a lot in your backhand strokes to practice with longpips.
D K Posted 4 years ago
Peter,against really strong backspins even longpips have to adjust.
I am no pro player,but I am a long pimple user and one thing that used to work against me was exactly this: heavy deep backspin serve.
Starting using longpips just for the purpose of dealing with backspin is not a good idea in my opinion,as you will lose more that you gain.
Could you describe more in detail what is your playing style and your equipment?
As Alois says,long pimples do not generate too much of spin.
Saying "they generate no spin" is a bit too hard in my opinion,but there are brands for which it is true.
There are numerous brands. For example Palio longpips are really insensitive. I know a player who uses them to great effect,even being able to temporarily push back a highly trained young professional with solely the pips. (the young pro had to retreat from state 3:8,0:1)
Counter example could be TSP Curl P4 or Butterfly Feint Long III.
These rubbers are very soft and their sensitivity to spin is quite high,maybe highest among longpips.
I am an user of TSP Curl P4 and I have to use almost fully opened bat against heavy backspin just as if I was using an inverted rubber.