Stopping my opponent smashing
Strategy
Diego Unknown Asked 17 years ago
I wanted to know how to mantain the ball low so that my opponent dosen't return with a smash. This has become a problem for me.
Alois Rosario Answered 17 years ago
Hi Diego,
This may sound silly but the best way to get the ball low is to aim low. Try it!
Sometimes we get too technical about things in table tennis. If you follow this advice you will start to focus on the height of the ball and you will adjust naturally.
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Tactics Against Penhold Players
When playing penhold players it is important to remember to first analyse your opponent as you would if they used any grip. What are their strengths and weaknesses? A common weakness of penhold players is their forehand block especially against a slow spinny topspin. Their backhand may be a weakness if they use the traditional style, or you may wish to explore the crossover point if they are using the reverse penhold backhand.
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Jeff Plumb from PingSkills
Posted 17 years ago
Hi Diego,
The other thing you can try to stop your opponent from smashing the ball is to impart backspin on the ball. Take a look at the backhand push and forehand push lessons. You can really only play these strokes against backspin balls but it helps to keep the ball low and the backspin makes it harder for your opponent to attack the ball. This is because the backspin grips into your opponents rubber and drags the ball down. Serving with backspin is also an effective strategy to minimize your opponents attacking opportunities.
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