patience
Slicepong asked 4 years ago
Hi Dan and Tom, hope you’re well. Dan, I just saw the Timo vid. Really excellent job. Getting two points vs that guy is impressive, and you were in many others also. Must have been a thrill. Those at the top just do not miss. Give them an inch, and it’s over. I was impressed with your patience in that game and I also saw your and Tom’s You Tube tutorial on strategies and one of them is not rushing. My question is how do you know when you’re being properly aggressive and when you are rushing? It’s a thin line at times. Do you think it’s when you’re balanced and at least semi-relaxed or when you get an obvious cripple from your opponent like a juicy slow and high one? Sometimes I really rush these and screw the pooch, which isn’t great for the confidence, especially on smashes. Any tips? Thanks.
Tom Academy Coach answered 4 years ago
Hey Slicepong, patience andbnit rushing in games is something a lot of players find hard to get the balance with and like you say ot is a thin line between being aggressive and rushing. Definitely being relaxed in s a big part of it and keeping the shots a smooth action.
On the high ones that’s very common to rush them, you always haveva bit more time than you think on them, so try to focus on hitting through the ball solid at the top of the bounce rather than attacking too hard.
If you go for a decent speed shot into a good area often you can win the point without going to fast and adding to the risk. Even if your opponent does get it back,you should then be in a good position to play again. So I’d say try to take the pace down and think about taking another shot to win the point, even if you feel you could kill it straight away.
I also really like the feeling on smashes of thinking about it in 2 parts which can slow you down, so the first part is the backswing and preparation and the second is rotating through, weight transfer and arm swing. With a little pause between the 2 parts, just a split second really. Some players I’ve coached found this idea really helpful.
SlicepongExcellent tip, Tom. I like the two parts. Part one, turn, get bat to shoulder level, part two through the ball with a closed bat. Consistency also helps you stay patient. Thanks.
No problem at all, I’ve found the two parts tip to be really helpful for myself if I have rushed as well! Long term you should find it more consistent and still get plenty of power too.
