topspin-strategy-against-heavy-backspin
Nomad asked 4 years ago
Hi Tom
I am addressing this to you as I watched a video of your game against a top ranked defending player who had a powerful attacking drive against any loose, above the net balls. Until the lockdown I regularly played against a similar style of league player who is able to mix topspin drives with heavy backspin. As long as I am attacking with fast topspin I can keep him on the defensive but on occasion he will make use of my faster topspin to chop more heavily to the back end of the table. So heavy is the chop that I usually have to use an aggressive push just to keep the rally going and sometimes this allows him to regain the initiative with a powerful backhand drive or smash. I have now changed to Tenergy on the forehand and Dignics rubber on the backhand which I hope will give me more spin and help make things more awkward for this type of opponent.
However, what would be your advice regarding timing for a heavy spin ball on both backhand and forehand? Would you, for example, take a ball loaded with backspin which lands near the back of the table early, just after the bounce, with faster rotation of the body and follow through, or leave the ball to loose some of the spin and go for a high topspin starting from under the ball? With the use of leg dynamics, the ball should kick heavily as it lands on the the opponent’s side of the table making it more difficult to return and, hopefully initiate a weak return.
Also what would you advise if the backspin ball landed in the middle rather than at the end of the table with similar heavy spin but slightly higher above the net? Would you change type of stroke and/or direction?
Thanks
Alex
Tom Academy Coach answered 4 years ago
Hey Alex, playing choppers can be an art in itself that’s for sure! Ok so I would definitely recommend on a heavy backspin ball that lands deep in the table to not take the ball too early, if you do that it becomes very hard to get the acceleration at the right time and lift the backspin too. You ideally need to allow the ball to bounce up to the peak and time it just as it begins to drop, this allows you the time as you mentioned above to use the legs and get the bat below the ball to counteract the heavy spin. It does also mean that there will be very slightly less backspin on the shot from the opponent, this is quite minimal however and the most key part is using the legs, getting a fine touch on the ball are really accelerating through the contact point.
If the ball lands more in the middle of the table you need to move towards it and use the momentum of your legs and body slightly more. It also usually means you have a chance to play a bit harder or faster on these mid-table balls, of course still making sure to brush through well to counter the backspin. When you o have a chance to play stronger on these higher shots the best position to aim at against a defender like this is straight into the body to avoid a quick counter attack or a more comfortable chop for them from the wings, if you can tie them up in the body it is much more difficult for them. In fact this applies on most shots against defenders.
Lastly against defenders variation of you shots is soo important to not allow them to find an easy rhythm, try to vary your placement, speed and spin. Sometimes using slow heavy spins to bring them in then faster attacks into the body, mixed in with good quality pushes when you feel you need to is fine as well. All this makes it harder for the defender!
Hope that all makes sense. Cheers, Tom
NomadThanks Tom, much obliged. Hopefully with my new rubbers and increase in spin they produce along with your advice (which I hope to put into action soon), I will make it more difficult for the defender to tie me down.
Just one last question. Which robot currently on the market and easy to set up (e.g Practice Partner, Robot Pro etc). would you recommend for in-house practice for topspin, and backspin (and possibly some sidespin?) Do you think a robot which you put on top of the table would better in a n 18 x 9ft space than a stand alone robot?
Cheers
Alex
No worries, the rubbers will certainly help they are both good quality and great for spin. Probably a robot to go onto the table would be best yeah. I must admit I know a lot about equipment but in terms of different robot’s I’m not that well researched. I’d say don’t spend too much for sure though, just something fairly basic, plenty of the brands are very similar I would say. Cheers, Tom
