Hard bat players
Strategy
Filippo Rotunno Asked 15 years ago
Dear Alois
In our league there is still a (60 plus) hard bat player who is very difficult to beat. I am too a 60 plus, 35% Premier Division player aspiring to become a 50% player. I started playing at 30 and do not have a strong top spin forehand. I play at the table, taking everything early, pushing, blocking and drop-shotting. Smashing any ball that is too high (not often in Premier).
This hard bat player has an exceptional forehand and so I generally play on his backhand and occasionally switch wide to forehand. However my style is to take the ball early and so the control (against a hard bat) is not always 100%, the ball pops up and he attacks it. In any case he appears comfortably in returning the ball with the backhand. Yesterday night I had a very close match but still lost 11-13, 9-11, 11-13 having taken a good lead in the 1st and 3rd. The points I won were by surprise services short to his forehand (with no spin) or the odd desperate attack to his body.
Any suggestions?
Filippo
Alois Rosario Answered 15 years ago
Hi Filippo,
Sounds like this guy is a good player,
You may have an answer with what you said last. It sounds like you should try keeping the rallies short. I would try serving short and keeping him close to the table until you get an opportunity. You should try to take that attack as early as possible in the rally. It also sound like this guy might be good the longer the rally gets.
See which side it is better to push to so that you create the attacking opportunity. Then also thin about which side it is better to make that fast attack to. If he gets that ball back start again and keep him close to the table until you can attack strongly.
Let us know how this works for you.
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