Why Does Your Backhand Break Down at the Crucial Moment?
This column is dedicated to technical Q and A. The answers come from two former national team players — both now experienced coaches — who prefer to stay anonymous. They just want a quiet life and a good night’s sleep, with no desire for fame.
Sharing these technical insights felt worthwhile as a supplement to the regular commentary here. That’s how this “Summit” column was born.
Does the backhand really get shakier at the most critical moments?
Actually, the backhand is normally more stable than the forehand. If yours feels unstable, it’s almost certainly because you’ve practiced the forehand far more, so the forehand feels more solid by comparison. Purely in terms of mechanics and structure, the backhand is the more consistent stroke — just with less power and lower ceiling quality than the forehand.
Defensively, this is crystal clear. When an opponent attacks you, what’s your first instinct — block with the forehand or the backhand? For 99 percent of players, the answer is the backhand. Watch any match, whether in training or competition, especially among professionals: the backhand is always the preferred defensive choice.
How do you handle short-pimple opponents?
Short pimples are fast and powerful — the antidote is spin. Because amateur short-pimple players often want to hit flat, they tend to serve long balls with little spin so they can attack easily. When you receive those, you can load up with spin and angle. The more spin you put on the ball, the lower the arc of your loop — and the more effective it becomes. Your opponent will struggle to strike through it and will be forced to block, giving you the opportunity you need.
How do you defend against a player with strong continuous loop ability?
Work the angles and vary the rhythm.
Against a consistent looper, you have to open up the table — force them to move so their quality breaks down. If you just passively block close to the table, you’ll get pushed around constantly and everything you send back will be weak. They’ll just loop everything harder.
You need a sense of moving forward to meet the ball — keep your “work distance” — so your arm stays relaxed and your weight shifts forward. Stay active, not reactive.
When your defense breaks down, it usually comes from one of these: wrong angle, misjudging ball depth, misjudging ball height, or poor racket preparation. Most importantly, keep your head clear and don’t panic while defending.
For a quick-block or counter-loop, the moment your opponent swings, you should already be reading the angle — then move your feet or shift your weight to get into position. If your feet don’t get there, you’ll miss entirely. For a counter-loop, stand slightly farther back to give yourself the distance and position to execute the stroke cleanly.