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MODERN TABLE TENNIS STYLES –
Part 1: The Attacker, Pips-Out Penholder, Traditional Style

By Richard McAfee, USATT International Coach

This series of articles will provide you with the strengths and weaknesses of each style, along with some suggested robot drills to help you develop your game. In reading the descriptions you may find that your personal style will have attributes from more than one. However, you should be able to recognize your dominant style (”A” style) and your secondary style (”B” style). Each article will also give you some suggestions on tactics to use against the other styles of play. Hopefully the style descriptions will serve as a guide in analyzing your own.

Part 1: The Attacker, Pips-Out Penholder, Traditional Style

Pips-Out Penholder Attackers generally stand within three feet of the table. The contact point on all strokes is as early as possible top of the bounce or rising. This is a forehand-dominated style with the player exhibiting a strong, quick pivot move to use the forehand from the backhand side. The Pips-Out Penholder wants to end points quickly and keeps great time pressure on his/her opponents, forcing many errors. This style has benefited from the new 40mm ball and the subsequent loss of about 10 % spin on their opponents loops.

Strengths:
1.    Quick pivot to use forehand from backhand corner.
2.    Strong forehand kills.
3.    Good forehand topspin against long underspin balls.
4.    Driving blocks from backhand side.
5.    Good short game.
6.    Excellent serve and return game.
7.    Very quick gives opponent very little time to react.
8.    Smooth transition from forehand to backhand no switchpoint weakness

Weaknesses:
1. Return of long serves with the backhand.
2. Backhand block against slow heavy loops.
3.When forced wide to the forehand, this style has difficulty recovering and protecting the backhand side.
4. Backhand open against long underspin.

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Switching From Hardbat to Sponge Rubber – Question #1:
By Larry Thoman

This series of blog posts consists of questions about table tennis accessories that have been asked of some of the experts and the corresponding answers those experts gave.

QUESTION #1:

Short question: What kind of blade & rubber would you suggest for a ex-hardbat (orthodox pips-out, no sponge) player who wants to move on to more modern equipment? Long question: I’ve (re) started playing table tennis recently (recreational) after a 10+ year gap since high school, and having trouble choosing equipment.

I used to play with cheap hardbats and my game resembled a “pips-out attacker/hitter” style, i.e., I stood within a couple of feet from the table, played an attacking forehand game from both sides of the table, and used backhand (defense/keep ball in play) only when I had to. The hardbats were, as you’d expect, all control with not much speed or spin—I had to hit real hard to generate pace.

Since I’m starting afresh, I thought I’d move on from hardbats to more modern equipment, so I got myself a pre-assembled high control, medium speed/spin inverted 1.8mm rubber racket. Although I enjoyed practice rallies, during games it turned out to be too fast (had to check my shots to keep them on the table) & spinny (trouble returning opponent’s spin) for my game.

Should I change to even slower inverted rubber with thinner sponge or try tricky combos like anti-spin/inverted or long-pips/inverted or short-pips/long-pips? I’m not aiming at tournaments—just a few hours per week recreational play. What I need is equipment that will enable me to enjoy my time and win a few games at the club.

For more table tennis accessories tips and options, visit www.tabletennis.com.

Popularity: 9%