Friendly Match US1260 vs US1537

be more aggressive in your shots, hit those high returns with pace and spin and dont just push them back, your form is better than theirs

 

icontek wrote: As a side note: I'd like to figure out how to receive serve the way he does. He uses a push against almost every serve, and is able to even push my top-side serves low and safe. His push motion is like the bottom half of a C, and acts like a push-block/drop shot against topspin and also returns underspin well with virtually the same motion. I think he varies the contact point during the push to achieve this.

ohhgourami wrote: I'm willing to bet a nice slow spinny loop will be enough to finish the point.

I agree that slow spinny loops are necessary but Alan seems to be good enough to get those back. I wouldn't expect to win the point from one spinny loop but Alan is not fast enough to handle shots angled off of one side of the table and then the other. That is why I liked Icontek's shots to the side edges of the table.   I would do one loop get the the opponent to back up and then start flat hitting the high returns.   I agree with those that say getting more aggressive is what is required.   Make the other guy run.

Well, for one thing I think you have a GREAT setup. Virtuoso has great feel and feedback, and your choices for BH and FH rubbers are just perfect in my opinion. It is a very loopy setup. 

dabookerman wrote: I have a few thoughts, too.  Thanks for posting the second video; the first video looks awkward while it looks like both of you are playing much more seriously in the second.

That's not me in the second video. He looks more serious in the second video because his opponent is more predictable.

He looks uncomfortable against me in the first video because he doesn't know whether I will attack or simply bloop it over to lure him into making a mistake.

The whole blocking loops thing is a bit like serving, you serve a sidespin to a beginner and you will win the point, at a certain (low) level predictable spin no matter how much of it there is becomes just another ball. The same thing happens with loops, you get to a point where no matter how much spin is on them if the opponent can get to the ball on balance and in time you can be 100% sure it's a non effective shot, once again you get back the the same old place of having to win the point on placement and getting the ball *past* the guy.

I would do more to punish the loose lobs.  I would also work more on attacking his FH with your serve.  

I hope you don't take it as rude to suggest you watch a professional like Ma Long and mimic their movements.  Right now you look like you're just being lazy on a lot of things you could easily remedy:

1.  If the ball is chopped or pushed long enough that it's able to be attacked, then get under it and use topspin.
2.  Looks like you're standing on your heels in quite a few spots.
3.  Stop trying to backhand from far away and move to your forehand.  Admittedly, you're playing in a small space but the top professionals ALWAYS prefer to move to their forehands when attacking a chop or a lob.
4.  Keep your knees bent.
5.  Quit letting your opponent serve when you're still walking back to the table - you always wait for him, why not expect the same courtesy?

dabookerman wrote: I also noticed that it appears that your opponent is rushing to serve to you.  I play a few folks like that and make sure that I double-bounce my tosses of the ball back to them.

I go one step further at times.  I hold the ball until I'm about 90% set and then toss it to them.  That usually makes the point.  You can, of course, hold your hand up to signal that you aren't ready when they start the quick serve, but I think it is better to just head it off at the pass.

I have no tips, just wanted to say thanks for posting the thread. It's very helpful to read about someone else trying to improve their game.

hookumsnivy wrote: So I watched half of the 2nd video and I can't force myself to watch the rest of it.  Outside of basement players it is the 2nd most boring match I have ever seen.  Push, push, push, fish, push, finally something ridiculously high - hit.  The pushes weren't even strategically placed - all were towards the center of the table.  Someone please teach these guys how to attack underspin.  And why were there NO short serves?  Not a single one. Against the guy you played...just loop to his backhand side.  He doesn't play close to the table so you'll have plenty of time to recover if he returns it.  If he returns it, it will likely be a chop/fish because he doesn't do much else w/ his BH.  Put the next ball short to his FH side and make him run.   If I had to guess - a fast loop and the point is over.

My only advice (I am about the same level as you are but rapidly improving) is to practice with faster rubbers *if* you have stronger players to each you the technique.  Your real problem is that you don't have stronger players to work with - the people who are criticizing you from afar take those things for granted.

I agree with hookumsnivy's and mhnh007's comments.

I don't agree with NextLevel. It isn't the rubber.   Icontek needs to think differently (aggressively).   I can think aggressively with Reflectoid on my FH or with a hard bat.   Icontek needs a different opponent that plays very aggressively. Such an opponent would not give you much of a chance to push more than once before putting him on the defensive.

There was way too much pushing. Even then the pushing could have be directed at the edges of the table but it wasn't most of the time.

There are way too many long serves that simply got pushed back.

There are times when the ball comes back so slowly that you have time to step around the ball and hit it hard with your FH.

I did like the part where Alan showed some frustration.   Alan wasn't playing as well as in the first video. Alan made a few good shots from way back in the first video.   You got some good breaks with the net too.

Just hit your backhand drives from in front of you, ie if the ball is going to your left just move over and take from in front of you.

 Your timing and success rate will go up

(Im a ITTF level 1 registerd coach)