Varying your actions on the ball in order to break up the opponent's game and start to organise your own
Vary the different actions you use on the ball, depending on the desired effect:
Pushing (carrying) to continue the game,
Striking to score directly through a break (risk), by denying your opponent time,
Adding spin to provoke a fault, score directly or get yourself a favourable return (building the point).
In order to perform these various actions and control them in return, you need to:
Know the different actions and spins being used and learn to perform them, as they diversify the game,
Understand what happens when the ball spins (ballracket, ball-table and ball-opponent racket contact),
Return the ball, taking into consideration the different spins being used (a lot in not much time).
Know and recognise
Carry and spin
On the backhand side too
Hit a ball in 3D
Understanding the problem is essential; doing it while playing is a good solution
Understand the problem facing your opponent by visualising it and focusing, learning to associate the intent with the action on the ball
For topspin,
For backspin,
Side-spin service returns
You need to understand what is happening when the server uses sidespin. First the direction, then the quantity of spin
Perform topspin for a left-handed beginner
Perform topspin for a right-handed player stabilising his topspin forehand.
We have now seen that to learn these, you need to understand the different actions (carrying, striking and spinning)
As the game is about returning the ball, you also need to control the effect produced. Recognising your opponent's strokes is essential, both for the (potentially multiple) spins used (top, back, side, presented, combined and deviated, not presented here).
We will now show you how to faultlessly return these spins, especially when returning serve. These spin serves offer an advantage to those who can use them. Learning to control them enables you to turn the tables back in your favour.
Return a backspin ball by pushing it or chopping underneath the ball.
Diversify your chopped returns by stepping back and adding topspin with a more vertical movement.
Return a left-spin serve (racket up – windscreen wiper)
Return a left-spin serve (racket down – Chinese)
Return a right-spin serve (racket up – hammer)
A special case: a defensive chopped mid-distance return.
Exercise 1
To mix up your actions on the ball, doing exercises with the basket, like in your very first returns, will enable you to stabilise these delicate actions where you need to brush the ball (with a light touch) and move it over the side maintaining speed with your racket.
Next, vary the opponent's returns with more or less uncertainty (placement, spin, speed) to recreate the playing conditions you would encounter in a match.
Exercise 2
While learning to add spin, the student will be able to control the “effects” of this spin, before choosing which type of return they would like to do.
For example, it is possible to return a topspin shot close to the table as a block, or far from the table as defence (see the last video).
By alternating roles, students will evaluate their partner's rotation (vertical, neutral racket) in order to recognise the actions and spins produced.
By learning to identify the signs on the racket, the ball and the trajectory, and by associating the strokes and their results, the student will have a clearer understanding of the link between the actions performed and the returns available to them.
If you reason mathematically, such as “if my opponent spins it this way, then I need to turn my racket that way...” it will be easier to understand.
A table regrouping the different spins, alongside their characteristics, production and possible returns will also help students understand these delicate mechanisms which are often barely visible to the naked eye.
A good server will then start to seem like an expert technician, rather than a magician.
The mastery and integration of these lessons concerning the various shots and returns, especially with spin, will give the student the opportunity to diversify his or her game and use spin without fearing it from the opponent.
This understanding will require several attempts, and alternating roles will help students learn more quickly. They will start to want to build their game, either in attack or in defence.
