Sidespin Chops
Strategy
Jack Tan Asked 6 years ago
I have a friend who does sidespin chops when he's far away from the table and I've been struggling to return them. He has good variation with his chops, sometimes side/top, side/under and occasionally pure underspin. He often baits me into attacking and then uses his sidespin chop to win the point. He's very good at reading the spin on the ball. He also uses offensive rubber and not any form of pimples/inverted rubber. How do I play against such an opponent?
Alois Rosario Answered 6 years ago
Hi Jack,
That can be tricky. Try to make a topspin when he plays the sidespin chop. Watching the ball carefully is important to be able to tell exactly what type of spin is on the ball. If you can brush the ball finely and fast you will counteract the sidespin on the ball.
It will take time to get the feel of it but making the topspin is the best long term plan.
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Rohan Keogh Posted 6 years ago
Alois, just to clarify, you can't actually do a top/side spin chop can you. A chop is always a downward movement that will impart varying degrees of backspin but never top spin. To get topspin would require a loop (topspin), drive, counter hit or lob correct?
Jack Tan Posted 6 years ago
Thanks Alois :)
@Rohan I Am
He doesn't chop downwards for the side/top. He chops in a similar motion as a backhand serve
Hi Jack and Rohan,
Yes it is a sidespin chopping action that is similar to a backhand serve. That is a good comparison Jack. He is hitting it later in his swing as the racket starts to go upwards in the arc.
Nigel C Posted 6 years ago
Jack, two things to try (if you haven't already) either try to play the ball short to draw him right in before you play the ball long, or if he is lobbing or fishing then standing further back in antcipation of your attack, then you play a drop shot. If he is in close when you play the ball long he will have less time to play his spin shots and so be less effective. If you do get in a rally where he is stood right back you should also vary the pace of your returns. You need to mess him up before he gets into a rhythm.
D K Posted 6 years ago
Jack,I think I understand what he is doing since if I understand it well I use the same principle with my pendulum serve.
Normal backspin pendulum is that I swing the bat under the ball from back to front,the ball flies off,and then I redraw the bat back in exactly reverse trajectory.
But when I want topspin,I simply use the exactly same action but with different timing,so that the ball is hit with the reversely moving swing.
I imagine your opponent's stroke similarly,that he allows the ball to drop to the lowest point of his stroke where he already can start the upwards movement.
Am I right?