Playing against an advanced long pimple player

Travis C Asked 1 month ago

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the great content.

I normally play pimples ok. 
Recently I’ve been playing a player that has both long and medium pimples. Especially when they change bat sides during the serve and play. 

A video playing against mixed pimple players would be interesting.

I have found as i have gone up the grades the backspin then topspin method is less effective. Pushing into long pimples normally results in a flat fast long ball into my body, almost impossible to return 

Thanks 

Travis

Alois Rosario Answered 1 month ago

Hi Travis,

Thanks for sharing this it’s a very real challenge. Players who can switch between long and medium pimples mid-rally or on serve force you to constantly adjust. That’s mentally tiring as well as technically tricky.

A few thoughts you might find useful:

• Recognise which side is which. Before the rally, get into the habit of noticing which side of the bat is long and which is medium. Medium pips usually react a bit more like normal rubbers, while long pips give you the bigger spin reversal.

• Against long pimples:

  • Don’t feed them easy pushes. Like you said, a push into long pips often comes back flat and awkward. Instead, mix in short pushes, drop shots, or sudden attacks.

  • Safer option: lift the ball with topspin rather than giving them heavy backspin to work with.

• Against medium pimples:

  • Think of them as somewhere between inverted and long pips. They will take some of the spin off, but they don’t reverse it as much.

  • Play with good placement, and don’t use too much spin. They’re easier to attack than long pips if you stay balanced.

• When they twiddle (change sides):

  • Stay calm and don’t rush the read.  The more you play against it the calmer you will be and the more time you will seem to have.

  • Choose safer placements until you’re certain which side you’re hitting into.

• General tactics:

  • Target the crossover point (their playing elbow), since switching grip between pimples and inverted often leaves them a little stuck.

  • Vary pace and placement. Mixed pimple players thrive when you give them predictable spin.

  • Mentally, don’t let frustration build. Expect some awkward balls back and plan your next shot instead of trying to win outright.

I agree with you that this would make a great video — especially showing examples of how the same stroke looks when it goes into long pips versus medium pips, and how your response should adjust.