Strokes
Dear PingSkills,
I often see some professional players warming up in backhand drive/topspin with the blade angle almost 45 degrees. However, others are playing backhand with a blade angle of about 50 to 60 degrees to horizontal. Is 45 degrees blade angle the angle we should aim to develop for backhand drive/topspin? Is there an ideal angle? Thanks.
Regards,
Kenneth
Hi Kenneth,
There is no ideal angle. If you open the angle more to 50 or 60 degrees then you can brush up the back of the ball more for a topspin stroke. If you close the angle to 45 degrees or less then you can brush the top of the ball with a faster action to get the ball on the table.
I guess that is the beauty of our game that there are so many ways to get the job done.
The one thing I would say is to keep the angle consistent through the stroke to gain more consistency. If you are changing the angle through the stroke you have to manage the contact differently each time.
Most players are told to always return to the ready position after every stroke but that might be hurting your game. In this video, we reveal a smarter way to recover:
✔ Track the ball immediately after your shot
✔ Move your racket into position for the next shot instead of blindly resetting
✔ Improve your timing, balance, and flow during rallies
Whether you’re a beginner or advanced player, understanding this subtle change can have a big impact on your consistency and speed around the table.
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