Aiming with a consistent motion

Some players can do a forehand motion and have it go diagonally across the table, down the line, or hit an inside out forehand back the other way (to the right, for a right handed player). Is there a variation in the motion, is it timing, or some other thing that I'm not seeing?

Hi Frank,

A lot of it is timing and then the use of the wrist.

If you hit the ball a little later it will tend to go down the line and a little earlier will take it cross court.

You can also change the direction with the wrist.  By turning your wrist a little back you will get the ball down the line and a little further again the ball will curve from left to right like you were talking about.