Improving Your Table Tennis Skills by Practicing with Lower-Level Players
Improving Your Table Tennis Skills by Practicing with Lower-Level Players
This is a new, technique-focused column presented in a Q&A format. The mysterious experts providing the answers are two former national team players (both experienced coaches) who wish to remain anonymous. They prefer a quiet life and have no desire for fame. The team at Heima Pingpang believes that sharing these technical insights is highly valuable and serves as a great supplement to the ‘Heima Talks Table Tennis’ series. Thus, the ‘Reaching the Peak’ column was born.
Doubles Tactics: How to Strategize?
A high-level player asks: What are the general tactics for doubles play?
In doubles, the strategy is typically based on anticipating how the opponent will return your serve, and then setting up your tactics accordingly. The principle is to make it difficult for the opponent to return the ball with quality, thereby allowing your teammate to take an aggressive position.
If the opposing team consists of a left-handed and a right-handed player, the return will likely go to the two far corners of the table. If both players are right-handed or left-handed, you should aim for repetitive placement to crowd them together.
Serving with hand signals is a way to communicate with your teammate about the type of serve you are planning and how the opponent might return it, so your teammate can prepare for the next shot.
For example, in professional matches, if one player serves a ball that is half long and half short, the opponent must attack but will find it hard to generate quality spin. In this case, the teammate should be ready to counter-attack or counter-loop. If the teammate lacks counter-attacking ability, the server might opt for a short, sidespin serve to restrict the opponent.
The specific tactics will depend on the opponents. However, when facing an unfamiliar team for the first time, the focus should be on allowing your teammate to play to their strengths. This means setting up serves that enable your teammate to attack comfortably. You should understand what works best for your teammate.
Practicing with Lower-Level Players: How to Improve?
When practicing with players who are significantly less skilled than you, focus on fixed-point exercises. Let them attack while you practice defense. Practicing defense with a lower-level opponent allows you to fully relax, especially in your arm, and better understand the application of body weight.
Once you can effectively use your body weight for defense, you will also be able to defend against higher-level players. The key is to stabilize your body weight and react slightly faster with your arm.
With much weaker opponents, you can practice finger control by gently deflecting the ball. This helps you clearly feel the force and spin being transferred. Gradually, you will gain a deeper understanding of finger control, force, and spin.
Grip for Hook Serve: Should You Loosen Your Fingers?
When executing a hook serve, should you grip the racket like Jan-Ove Waldner, with three fingers loosened and only the index finger and thumb holding the racket, or should you grip it normally with all five fingers on the handle?
A normal grip is recommended. Waldner’s serve generates more spin because his wrist can move more freely, but it lacks deception. The essence of the hook serve lies in deceiving the opponent, and you don’t need to rely on wrist movement for this.
The key is not to focus on spin but to minimize hand movements and emphasize body movements. At the moment of contact, your body movement should be quick. If you rely on fast hand movements, the opponent can more easily read the spin.
