Playing against "street players"

These are often very talented individuals but without much training.  First you need to get used to their game.  If you have sound basics (there are reasons that pros hit the way they do, instead of the "street" way) and as talented as they are, some day you will prevail. 
I don't know about here in the US, but in my country, there are quite a few of them.  They often play for money and from time to time beat even national level players. 

TIP OF THE WEEK

Looping the Dead Stuff

By Carl Danner

You're playing a fairly weak fellow at the club and find your fancy loops flying everywhere but the table. In your mind, you debate whether to keep going for neat-looking winners, or whether you should give up on that and just win the match through any means possible. Meanwhile your opponent lets out a grunt as he sends you another goofy-looking stroke that you frisbee to the barrier. Are we having fun yet?

In this scenario, what's actually happening is more than a threat to your ego and self-image. You are underestimating the challenge and opportunity posed by the balls your opponent is feeding you. The challenge is that his shots likely have little spin on them, and probably vary in random ways your opponent may not even be able to control. The opportunity is for you to get some valuable looping practice by concentrating on each different ball individually.

Oddly enough, it can be easier to loop against higher-level players. Their balls are more predictable, often containing consistent underspin that will turn into topspin off your racket and thereby aid your shot. Grooving a particular loop stroke is not too difficult against such balls. The lower-level opponent, however, often sends many dead balls your way that are more difficult to loop because they won't bounce up as much, and because they force you to develop your own topspin entirely. Positioning and footwork also become more critical as a dead ball's trajectory offers a smaller window during which you can effectively loop it.

So rather than standing around in these matches, use the opportunity to work your footwork hard to get into position for a good loop each time. Drive the ball a little more forward and take a full swing to add good topspin. The discipline of this practice will not only make these encounters more enjoyable, but will also benefit you in more competitive matches when you find a sudden need to handle an unusual ball at a critical juncture.

Now that I play hardbat, I probably qualify as being one of these goofy players ;).  

These players are everywhere I used to lose 3-0 to them also, but now I can win them 3-2 or 3-1 (there are still some elements where you have no clue how to control).

Firstly try to force them into your game. I find most of these guys pop up 90% or so of your no-spin, and if you serve heavy underspin, they return it with very high underspin and low trajectory.

Once you've got your head around that, then either force crappy returns (even for their standard) with long fast serves that focus on speed and placement. Or serve heavy underspin and be prepared to loop a high quality return. Other than that, I find if you play basics with them (medium quality high consistancy), you'll win 80-90% of the time.

funny thing, ginko, this "old school" style does sound strangely familiar doesn't it? ahahahha jokes mate ;)

Yep I know these players!  My good friend has a totally "home-brew" game, uses pips on one side and some dead 729 rubber on the other.  Short spinny serves are useless, he just nudges them back.  He plays an unorthodox but effective "chop-drive" on the return from a few steps back in the table, sends back a fast floating ball with a little underspin that skips at the end of the table.  And of course can hit well.

Long fast serves to the body and corner with sidespin are hard for these players.  Loops and drives loaded with topspin similarly.  He outclasses me in consistency in the short game but flips and fast pushes take him off guard.  As I said, spin on short serves doesn't seem to matter much for him, but mixing short and long fast serves is effective to throw off his timing.

I've seen him claim victims from players with well developed games, and of course I fall victim all the time!

The only thing that i hate about "street players" - that they very often don't throw the ball when they serve. I am strongly not used to It. From the childhood I am ragular to make myself ready, to concentrate -  from the moment the ball is frown.

gekogark1212 wrote: These players are everywhere I used to lose 3-0 to them also, but now I can win them 3-2 or 3-1 (there are still some elements where you have no clue how to control).Firstly try to force them into your game. I find most of these guys pop up 90% or so of your no-spin, and if you serve heavy underspin, they return it with very high underspin and low trajectory.Once you've got your head around that, then either force crappy returns (even for their standard) with long fast serves that focus on speed and placement. Or serve heavy underspin and be prepared to loop a high quality return. Other than that, I find if you play basics with them (medium quality high consistancy), you'll win 80-90% of the time.

Well put.

iakovka wrote: The only thing that i hate about "street players" - that they very often don't throw the ball when they serve. I am strongly not used to It. From the childhood I am ragular to make myself ready, to concentrate -  from the moment the ball is frown.

ONE MORE THING!!!!!!  I don't mean to be an asshole about this subject.  I want you all to know that alot of my friends play like this and I love 'em to death and everything. 

I can consistently beat most street players, but not the good lobbers...

playing against street players will develop your adaptibility.. it will help you prepare to go against unknown opponents.. they are not to be shunned upon rather learning from our mistakes while playing against them will help our game

I appreciate anybody who is competitive and can keep the ball on the table.  Isn't that what the game is all about?

Blockade wrote: I appreciate anybody who is competitive and can keep the ball on the table.� Isn't that what the game is all about?

Definitively! Respect for this guys!

It's just annoying to play them sometimes, though. It's like playing multiball with a broken machine or something!

The more I play them on my club the more I think you have to use more strategy to beat them. These unorthodox styles seem to always have big weaknesses, but you have to be able find them and exploding them (easy said...)

I once loaned a racket to a guy who fit the description to a "T". He basically had one shot that was a BH that I couldn't return. The funny thing is that when he finished the stroke, he would wave the paddle in the air as though he was doing Kung Fu and would glare at me afterwards.