Lost Season

D K Asked 3 weeks ago

Greetings,

Seems like my current season turns out to be a tragedy. I have found that not only my new club,but literally every opponent club we can meet,uses Joola Flash balls. I know for longer time that these balls are certainly not compatible with me under any circumstances. I really do not know what to do now

Background: Not only that it makes an awful CRACK sound on my bat,but when playing with this ball,I feel like all opponents were using a hardbat. Just no spin at all. I trained with three players who I are known to me as users of significant spin. Their loops with Joola Flash felt to me extremely floaty,I had to do very weird lift-blocks to deal with their loops which usually pop up quite strongly with other balls.

With Flash,I kept blocking directly into my table every time. When they pushed,or even chopped,the ball was unusually fast and when I tried to push them,the ball kept popping right into my face,not even in the direction my bat was facing. I tried to softly loop it,but the ball either immediately fell off (my NEW rubber),or jumped over the opponent's head. I was completely unable to land it back (and I am usually pretty consistent with returning various spins.)

My own loops were consistently floaty,without any dip which happens with other balls. When I tried to brush more,it was just a very awkard high stroke,completely dead,or went under the table. My chops against topspin mostly ended up in my table or under the table. I was able to get maybe 1 out of 50 to the table at all. I know various balls are different,but I generally do not usually have that much problem among different balls. Even when I smashed, the ball visibly and drastically slowed down very soon after the hit,which does not happen to me with other balls. 

But the technical aspect was not the only problem: we had a match, where I needed to play officially with this ball. I was destroyed despite that at least one of the players was lower level than me,because I was bascially left with two serves and only flat strokes,as they were the only ones I could land with such a ball. That resulted in an argument between me and my new team. The teamleader told me that if I will play like this,I would be suspended from the team. But the balls are so different that I really do not have any way how to change it that quickly. I would need at least a year to undergo such a drastic adaptation. I would probably have to completely change my style and equipment to all-flat play. 

Next match is in two weeks. Last match is in March. That is just too short time for me to change something so significantly. So during my next match I will be forced to play the same way as last time. Therefore,I will probably not be allowed to play this season. I am quite sad as this is very dark situation and I do not really see a way out. Next season,for sure,I am not continuing in this club. No offense to them,but these balls just ruined all my joy and motivation from the sport. As long as I have a choice,I do not want to be a part of a whole league which only uses these balls while most other leagues use other balls. But without them,I do not know what to do,as the chance of me having an option to join any club with appropriate league is quite low. I will probably be forced to play a lower league where I will be bored. I would like to know your opinion on this matter. And sorry for the long text. Dan

Alois Rosario Answered 3 weeks ago

Hi Dan,

Let’s break down the situation and see if we can find some possible solutions to help you adapt and regain your confidence. The Joola Flash ball, like any other table tennis ball, has its unique characteristics. It seems that this ball is not complementing your current playing style, particularly affecting your spin and speed. It’s crucial to understand that while the ball may behave differently, there are ways to adjust your technique and strategy to better suit its dynamics.

- Spin Adaptation: Since you’ve noticed a reduction in spin effectiveness, work on adjusting your bat angle and stroke timing. It sounds like you might need to open up the bat angle slightly more than usual to counter the ball's tendency to float.

- Speed Control: If the ball is slowing down unexpectedly, focus on playing closer to the table to take the ball earlier. This can help mitigate the speed drop and allow you to control the rally tempo better.

- Serve and Return: Experiment with different serves that might be more effective with the Joola Flash. Short, tight spins or low, fast serves could be more effective. On returns, stay active and ready to adjust to the unusual bounces or speeds. Sometimes, a slight adjustment in equipment can make a big difference. Consider trying out different rubbers that might offer better grip and spin with the Joola Flash ball. A visit to a specialist table tennis shop could be beneficial, where you can explain your issue and perhaps try out some alternatives.

- Mental Resilience: It’s easy to get discouraged by such challenges, but try to view this as an opportunity to enhance your adaptability and resilience under varied conditions.

- Tactical Play: Adjust your tactics to suit the gameplay that the ball dictates. If generating spin is difficult, focus on placement, variation in pace, and using strategic flat hits to confuse your opponents. If after all these adjustments, you still find no joy in playing with the Joola Flash ball, your decision to switch clubs or leagues next season might be the right choice for your enjoyment and development in the sport.

Lastly, take it one step at a time, Dan. Focus on the upcoming match and apply some of these adjustments gradually. Table tennis is as much about adapting as it is about playing. Hang in there, and don't let this situation dishearten you too much. There’s always a path forward, even if it's not immediately apparent.