Chen Meng's or Sun Yingsha's Loop Stroke — Whose Quality Is Higher?
This is a technique-focused column in a question-and-answer format. The mystery figure answering is a former national team member, a veteran coach. So the “Reaching the Summit” column was born.
Against an old-school short-pips style — can loop, can drive, decent serve — how do I play, and what serves create chances?
Generally this style, push-left attack-right, scores mainly via the forehand, so his forehand time practised is far longer than yours. That is, your push speed variations, short touch, long chop, side-slice, push-jam and so on must be stronger than his, with absolute advantage, to possibly win, because his forehand is generally stronger than yours. If your backhand cannot out-jam his, this ball is hard. He is fast. But you must try to “hold,” making him defend, blocking continuously — then he will be much more nervous than you. You can only do this. Meanwhile, you need a shot to restrain his forehand, not letting him pivot easily. Serve some forehand short, let him push, then loop to his backhand, hold it, do not err, so he cannot pivot in time.
When looping, my upper arm cannot relax — how do I fix it?
Put your focus on the body’s core. Use the body’s center and rhythm to meet the incoming ball’s rhythm, not always reaching with the hand. The release’s spin and power rely on that one moment of wrist and fingers. When first learning to loop, the forearm need not deliberately accelerate. Because once you accelerate, the wrist linked to the forearm tightens. Then when receiving, you cannot use the wrist. If you are an expert who can separate forearm and wrist firing, then deliberately use the forearm. But if your feel for these two parts’ firing is vague, then at first, best not accelerate with the forearm.
Can you explain the difference between Chen Meng’s and Sun Yingsha’s forehand loop strokes? It feels Chen Meng uses body and lower-limb power more.
Chen Meng brushes more upward, Shasha more forward — no real difference, just slightly different muscle groups. Both play in their most relaxed state. Chen Meng pushes off the feet harder; Shasha thrusts the hips forward more. Do not deliberately imitate someone’s stroke — that itself enters a misunderstanding. Because each person’s muscle structure differs; as long as it is within a reasonable framework, freely express. If you pursue higher striking quality, feel the fingers’ firing. The fingers’ firing strength must keep varying, intensity 1 to 10. For amateurs, 1 to 6 is fine; start from 1, and test each level at least a week — you will finally choose the strength suiting you. When you find the finger-firing strength truly suiting you, you will feel that person-and-ball-as-one state, playing very violent and stable.
For looping a half-long ball, do you support with the legs, lean the body slightly forward, then actively push the forearm forward to create the arc?
Note, the half-long ball relies mainly on the body. Watch Boll loop half-long — very obvious. If you put the focus on using the arm, you do not catch the contact point accurately and dare not accelerate, fearing hitting the table. Rely on the body to find the ball. Of course, national players looping this half-long underspin now often do not blindly rip one, because that has no quality — loop it over and the opponent defends, and you cannot keep up. More often a light low-arc small loop, then linking up.