How to play against a chopper
Strategy
Karlo Perhat Asked 14 years ago
Do you have to estimate how much spin they put on the ball, so you know how much to lift it, and how much to angle your racket? So is there a lot of guessing involved in returning chop, and table tennis in general? Also is the ball dropping faster, or not arching as much in the air because its difficult for me to actually hit the ball? Any tips would be great.
Alois Rosario Answered 14 years ago
Hi Karlo,
Rather than guessing it is more a learned skill. It will take a while to be able to recognise the amount of spin on the ball. That is one of the reasons Table Tennis takes a while to master.
You will start to see a lot of things including the flight of the ball. The heavier chop will tend to stay in the air and hold its height for a little longer, then it will lose its power and fall. This is a subtle difference that takes a long time to see.
You will also see and hear a different contact on the bat from your opponent. The sound will be a softer sound as it is brushing the rubber more than hitting into the wood of the bat.
You will start to recognise the contact will be a brushing action as well and the bat will hit the ball at a different angle.
The most important thing to do is to hit a lot of balls and watch to see the differences. You will feel the difference after the ball hits your bat and you see what spin was on the ball. Use that information for future balls. But try to be patient with this one.
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Douglas Hill Posted 14 years ago