Advice to improve my game.

[kindof99]

Thank everyone for the comments. Relax and placement are the common feedback I got from high level players too. I will definitely focus on those next. My arm is doing ok now but my right knee starts feeling tired and weak, most likely from practice looping & probably being moved too much.
I played at Westchester tournament for the first time last weekend. My opponent in the u1000 final is a beginner too. His strokes are not as consistent nor powerful as mine but they look very good, like a well-trained players. Does anyone know what it is? Are his strokes more relaxed or his form or something else?

@dingyibvs : I played mostly defence in this video so it is a bit related to your questions. However, my op's loops are not very powerful so I let him attack. I made two successfull counters far from the table in the first set so that put a bit pressure on him too.

It looks like that you tend to touch the ball too often without really backswinging to loop. Especially from backhand to forehand, you tend to touch the ball too much in front of you. I think you should practice to turn your body/leg and backswing your hand for forehand loop instead of touching it back. Similarly on the backhand, wait a little more and relax your hand to loop the ball back when it is close to your body. You seemed to touch the ball back when it was still far away from your body.

 

[PhilT]

I beat two players, usatt 1900 and 2000 rating, for the first time in our leage last week. How? It is an interesting story.
I've been suffering some knee pain for a few months and not able to loop or move as much. I decided to work on my push and block during this time, following along guidance given in this thread by many people (@NextLevel @pingpongpaddy @blahness ... ). Fastforward 3 months later, my push and block are much more consistent than before. I am able to vary spin in my push which cause a lot of problem for my oponents especially who like to loop first. The 1900 player used to easily kill me with his slow spinny opening loop, now starting making more mistakes when I add extra under spin or return with dead floating balls. My block is still passive (much like @kindof99 comment above) but I am able to put more balls back with some placement.

This is an a practice match recently. I couldn't include all points because a free version, but tried to have a good representation of every different points.

 

[NextLevel]

I beat two players, usatt 1900 and 2000 rating, for the first time in our leage last week. How? It is an interesting story.
I've been suffering some knee pain for a few months and not able to loop or move as much. I decided to work on my push and block during this time, following along guidance given in this thread by many people (@NextLevel @pingpongpaddy @blahness ... ). Fastforward 3 months later, my push and block are much more consistent than before. I am able to vary spin in my push which cause a lot of problem for my oponents especially who like to loop first. The 1900 player used to easily kill me with his slow spinny opening loop, now starting making more mistakes when I add extra under spin or return with dead floating balls. My block is still passive (much like @kindof99 comment above) but I am able to put more balls back with some placement.

This is an a practice match recently. I couldn't include all points because a free version, but tried to have a good representation of every different points.

Your forehand has improved tremendously, you are now whipping into the ball much moee sharply. You have gotten better with everything and it shows. Backhand topspin can still get better but no rush and not necessary until you want to bring balance to the force. Well done!

 

[blahness]

I beat two players, usatt 1900 and 2000 rating, for the first time in our leage last week. How? It is an interesting story.
I've been suffering some knee pain for a few months and not able to loop or move as much. I decided to work on my push and block during this time, following along guidance given in this thread by many people (@NextLevel @pingpongpaddy @blahness ... ). Fastforward 3 months later, my push and block are much more consistent than before. I am able to vary spin in my push which cause a lot of problem for my oponents especially who like to loop first. The 1900 player used to easily kill me with his slow spinny opening loop, now starting making more mistakes when I add extra under spin or return with dead floating balls. My block is still passive (much like @kindof99 comment above) but I am able to put more balls back with some placement.

This is an a practice match recently. I couldn't include all points because a free version, but tried to have a good representation of every different points.

Nice... but this proves that the ratings cannot really be trusted well - i've seen some way better players posted who are just 2000 that would completely destroy this player esp some of the juniors. But maybe i'm overestimating the 2000 level...

 

[ben1229]

I beat two players, usatt 1900 and 2000 rating, for the first time in our leage last week. How? It is an interesting story.
I've been suffering some knee pain for a few months and not able to loop or move as much. I decided to work on my push and block during this time, following along guidance given in this thread by many people (@NextLevel @pingpongpaddy @blahness ... ). Fastforward 3 months later, my push and block are much more consistent than before. I am able to vary spin in my push which cause a lot of problem for my oponents especially who like to loop first. The 1900 player used to easily kill me with his slow spinny opening loop, now starting making more mistakes when I add extra under spin or return with dead floating balls. My block is still passive (much like @kindof99 comment above) but I am able to put more balls back with some placement.

This is an a practice match recently. I couldn't include all points because a free version, but tried to have a good representation of every different points.

So good now!

 

[NextLevel]

These are league matches and the league ratings are not tournament ratings. I would focus more on the improvement. See them as practice matches but with slightly more stakes depending on the community.

 

[pingpongpaddy]

I beat two players, usatt 1900 and 2000 rating, for the first time in our leage last week. How? It is an interesting story.
I've been suffering some knee pain for a few months and not able to loop or move as much. I decided to work on my push and block during this time, following along guidance given in this thread by many people (@NextLevel @pingpongpaddy @blahness ... ). Fastforward 3 months later, my push and block are much more consistent than before. I am able to vary spin in my push which cause a lot of problem for my oponents especially who like to loop first. The 1900 player used to easily kill me with his slow spinny opening loop, now starting making more mistakes when I add extra under spin or return with dead floating balls. My block is still passive (much like @kindof99 comment above) but I am able to put more balls back with some placement.

This is an a practice match recently. I couldn't include all points because a free version, but tried to have a good representation of every different points.

FANTASTIC PROGRESS ! WELL DONE

 

[JJ Ng]

Nice... but this proves that the ratings cannot really be trusted well - i've seen some way better players posted who are just 2000 that would completely destroy this player esp some of the juniors. But maybe i'm overestimating the 2000 level...

At the club I am playing at, many players still brag their past highest ratings so it is hard to know the true rating of a person right now.

However, for the most parts, ratings are inconsequential. For one, sometimes lower rated players beat higher rated players because their styles are a match where upset is common. Secondly, people's ratings can fluctuate daily based on, say, how many hours of sleep did you have the night before? Third, it is not like anyone of us can sustain life and eat, based on, say, USATT-rating of 2000.

But for people who want to advance their skills, the rating is helpful to see where they are at in their progress.

I have played like 3 rating events/tournaments in the past 15 years. It is what it is.

 

[blahness]

At the club I am playing at, many players still brag their past highest ratings so it is hard to know the true rating of a person right now.

However, for the most parts, ratings are inconsequential. For one, sometimes lower rated players beat higher rated players because their styles are a match where upset is common. Secondly, people's ratings can fluctuate daily based on, say, how many hours of sleep did you have the night before? Third, it is not like anyone of us can sustain life and eat, based on, say, USATT-rating of 2000.

But for people who want to advance their skills, the rating is helpful to see where they are at in their progress.

I have played like 3 rating events/tournaments in the past 15 years. It is what it is.

Exactly.

To me, amateur ratings are kinda useless sometimes and being obsessed with it is a great way to lose the joy of playing the game.

At least over here down under ppl are less insufferable about ratings thankfully.

 

[kindof99]

I beat two players, usatt 1900 and 2000 rating, for the first time in our leage last week. How? It is an interesting story.
I've been suffering some knee pain for a few months and not able to loop or move as much. I decided to work on my push and block during this time, following along guidance given in this thread by many people (@NextLevel @pingpongpaddy @blahness ... ). Fastforward 3 months later, my push and block are much more consistent than before. I am able to vary spin in my push which cause a lot of problem for my oponents especially who like to loop first. The 1900 player used to easily kill me with his slow spinny opening loop, now starting making more mistakes when I add extra under spin or return with dead floating balls. My block is still passive (much like @kindof99 comment above) but I am able to put more balls back with some placement.

This is an a practice match recently. I couldn't include all points because a free version, but tried to have a good representation of every different points.

Really great progress. Forehand is pretty decent. But the backhand looks a bit awkward. Unless you spend some time on refining your backhand, maybe try using pips on the backhand?

 

[PhilT]

To be fair, I am still not at his level yet. I got this one win mainly because he didn't expect I improved this fast. A few months ago, he gave me 5-0 lead in every game and I still lost. We didn't play for a while so he was surprised and unprepared when I could return his attack pretty well. I quickly got the first 2 games and put him under pressure to win 3-1.
In the following encounters, he beat me 3 matches straight with total score of 9-2.

@kindof99 @NextLevel : Yes, my next step will be to improve my backhand. As @blahness commented before, many of my opponents find my backhand as a safe spot to put the ball. Given my current knee problem, stepping around is not a good option.

 

[NextLevel]

To be fair, I am still not at his level yet. I got this one win mainly because he didn't expect I improved this fast. A few months ago, he gave me 5-0 lead in every game and I still lost. We didn't play for a while so he was surprised and unprepared when I could return his attack pretty well. I quickly got the first 2 games and put him under pressure to win 3-1.
In the following encounters, he beat me 3 matches straight with total score of 9-2.

@kindof99 @NextLevel : Yes, my next step will be to improve my backhand. As @blahness commented before, many of my opponents find my backhand as a safe spot to put the ball. Given my current knee problem, stepping around is not a good option.

I played Marius a lot when I lived in NJ, so I know how he plays and how awkward his style is and very often, as a lower rated player, when you beat a higher rated player for the first time (and in some cases, only time), it happens under similar circumstances, you change something and they keep thinking they can win points the way they always did. By the time they realize things have changed, the question becomes how badly they really want to win and sometimes, it just doesn't go their way. That you now have the touch to consistently block his ball is major progress. And of course, you are clearly nice enough to him he doesn't feel the need to demoralize you which is good .

 

[PhilT]

I have this one recent video when I focus on practicing my backhand. My opponent's return is fairly simple so I have much more time to prepare my stroke. Does the technique look ok?

Thank you!

 

[kindof99]

I have this one recent video when I focus on practicing my backhand. My opponent's return is fairly simple so I have much more time to prepare my stroke. Does the technique look ok?

Thank you!

Looks good to start with. But still hitting ball a little too far away from your body. Before hitting or looping, still no back swing of your hand back to your body. Back swing is the key for better timing, consistence, and power for your backhand and forehand as well. It is a key to higher level.