Often players ask me how to play different surfaces. There are obvious and easy answers for that, and beginners do need to know how the various surfaces play different. For example, long pips tends to return whatever spin you give it, and they need to understand that to be able to play it. Short pips tends to return flatter (i.e. less spinny) then you'd expect from the more common inverted. And so on.

But the more important thing is to simply learn to play the ball. You don't really need to know that long pips will return your spin, except perhaps as a help at the start of a match. Very early in any match you'll see how your opponent's surfaces and strokes return your shots, and that's what you need to play. For example, knowing that long pips will return your spin is fine, but some types return more than others, and some strokes with long pips return more than others. Players need to match what actually is happening in a match to how they react, not just memorize something they can read in a book.

The same is true of adjusting to an opponent's strokes. If he does something strange, ignore the strangeness and just adjust to playing the balls he's giving you. (And remember that if a player has strange shots, then there's a reason they are strange shots - they are not orthodox, and so likely have major technical weaknesses in them, if you can find them.)

Once a player understands how the ball comes off an opponent's racket and strokes in a match, he can play the balls he's getting, knowing what they'll be based on how they have been coming off the racket so far. Then he can figure out how to adjust, and what type of shots he should do to get the type of balls he wants. For example, you might have trouble against the fast dead shots of a pips-out player. But then you'll realize that you have to contact the ball differently, perhaps lifting slightly more with more topspin (assuming you are a topspin player), and even noting that if you keep the ball deep, you have more time to react and adjust to these deader balls. You could read that in a book or article, but it'll sink in a lot better when you actually face such a situation and adjust, learn to play the ball your opponent is giving you, and actually make the adjustment and win!

When I throw chop blocks or sidespin pushes at my students, they complain, saying "Nobody does that!" And that's the problem - few players do these type of things anymore, and so when faced with shots that mess them up, instead of learning to do these shots themselves they point out that nobody does it - and so nobody does it!

Why don't players do these type of shots very often? Because the very best players in the world only do these shots occasionally. But that's because they players they are competing against are also the very best players in the world, and if you are one of the best players in the world, you have fewer problems with these types of shots. And yet many top players still do these type of shots. At the finals of Men's Singles at the recent USA Nationals, down 5-1 in the seventh, Jim Butler did three sidespin blocks the rest of the way, and won all three points. And if you watch the top players when they push serves back long, you'll be surprised at how often they do so with sidespin.

Sure, you could robotically attack every ball with the same straightforward shots that everyone uses. Or you could get a little creative, and mess up your opponents, and become a better player. It's great fun - both the messing up opponents and becoming a better player!

Here are some ways to mess up an opponent.

1. Chop or sidespin block. Here's how.
2. Push long with sidespin, usually so the ball curves out to the corners. Here's how.
3. Last-second changes of directions with pushes. Here's how.
4. Dummy loop, i.e. a loop that looks spinny but isn't. Here's how.
5. Changing directions at the last second when looping. Here's how.
6. Attack the middle. Here's how.
7. Mess them up with deep, tricky serves. Here's how. Here's more.
8. Vary your receive against short backspin serves. Here's how. 

To play at any level you have to have something you can use to win points at that level. Typically this means a big forehand or backhand, tricky serves, a strong counter-hitting or blocking game, or perhaps defensive skills such as chopping. These are a player's point-winning skills, which might be called his primary skills.

But there are also secondary skills which set up the point-winning skills. Having a big forehand loop, for example, doesn't always help if you don't have ways to set it up via these secondary skills, such as a good serve, a good receive, a spinny opening loop, a good backhand, or just fast footwork to get the player into position in a rally for the big loop.

Serves can be both a primary point-winning skill or a secondary set-up one. Players with big breaking spin serves (often long) often use them as a point-winning skill, either winning the point outright or setting up such a weak return that it essentially wins the point outright. Others have simpler-looking serves that are usually short and low, with varied spin (often backspin or no-spin that looks like backspin), that force defensive returns that might not win the point directly, but consistently set up a primary attack, usually a strong opening loop. (Receivers will generally make fewer outright mistakes against such short serves that don't have the big spinny break of a deeper serve, but because the serves are short and because they aren't always sure of the spin at first they tend to receive passively.)

Often a player seems to have a primary point-winning skill when in fact his strength is a secondary skill that sets up a point-winning one - and the point-winning one simply seems strong because he gets so many weak returns to use it against. But against stronger players, whose returns aren't as weak, the primary skill might not be so strong. These players can improve dramatically by improving the point-winning skill. Similarly, players with big point-winning skills might fall apart against stronger players who don't give them the big point-winning shot so easily. These players can improve dramatically by improving their secondary set-up skills.

Developing secondary set-up skills have a huge secondary advantage. They set the player up to attack over and over, resulting in lots and lots of attacking practice, i.e. point-winning skills, and so those primary point-winning skills improve dramatically. That's why developing good set-up serves, for example, will lead to lots of attack practice and thereby a much improved attack, leading to a higher level of play.

Examine your game and decide what your strengths are. If they are primary point-winning skills, then perhaps focus on developing secondary skills to set up these point-winning skills. If they are secondary set-up skills, then perhaps focus on developing primary skills to win the point. Often players get stuck at a level because they are missing one of these types of skills. 

In the past this was always a difficult question - should you be a hitter or a looper? It's a difficult question for many at the non-elite levels, but at higher levels there's not much question anymore - pretty much everyone is a looper. (When I refer to hitting, that includes blocking, so perhaps it would be better called a "hitter/blocker." Of course loopers also block, but not as much as a hitter/blocker style.)

Unless your goal is to be a world-class player (say, top 100 in the world), you can go either way. Players who start out young, once they've developed the basics, should probably focus on looping as their potential is high. Players who start older can also loop, but let's face it - if you start, say, in your thirties or forties, you are unlikely to be world-class. In this case it's a question of where are you more talented, and what do you prefer?

If you want to play the way the world-class players play - style-wise, not necessarily level-wise - then become a looper. If you have loose, relaxed muscles, looping will also be easier. Bigger, stronger players also tend to find looping easier. On the other hand, if you are very quick, then perhaps hitting is your forte. In some ways it's a dying style as few coaches teach it anymore except to older players - but that's also an advantage as players aren't used to playing this type of style as much as in the past. You might even consider using short pips, and really mess up some players who only know how to play inverted.

Whichever you go for, turn your looping or hitting into a weapon. Develop your serve, receive, and rallying shots to set up this shot. You want it to be a terror for opponents, who lose points both to that shot and in their attempts to not set the shot up for you - a double whammy. Perhaps work with a coach or top player on the shot, use it every chance you can in drills and games, and whether you are looping or hitting soon you'll have a true weapon. 

Ever play one of those players who can seemingly block everything back? How do they do that? It's almost as if they are playing the video game Pong - they just don't miss. You can do the same thing. Here are three keys.

First, get your racket behind the ball. This may sound simple, but it's key. If you get the racket behind the ball, then all you have to do is have the right racket angle, and the ball goes back! But how do you get the racket behind the ball? That involves proper ready stance, a clear mind, and moving your feet.

A proper ready stance means you are equally ready to move either direction. This usually means the racket tip is pointing directly at the opponent's contact point. (Some players who contact the ball quicker on the backhand hold the racket slightly turned to the backhand, since they have less time to react on that side. If they do, they often compensate by having their feet in a slight forehand stance.)

A clear mind means you are ready to react to the ball rather than trying to anticipate. Just watch the opponent as he hits the ball and react. Don't think or guess; just react. The only time you anticipate is when you have popped the ball up so weakly that guessing where the ball is going the only way you can react to the next shot. However, if you can read where your opponent is going early in his stroke, that's not anticipation - that's reacting, and you should react. Never react so early as to let the opponent see this early enough that he can change directions.

Moving your feet means exactly that - step to the ball rather than just reach. Some do get away with mostly reaching, but that limits your range and hurts your control.

Second, good contact. This means blocking firmly against heavy topspin. If you just hold the racket out, the spin will take on your racket and shoot up. So put a bit of firmness into the shot. Learn to use the same contact every time so you can develop your timing and precision - and then learn to change speeds.

Third, practice. Lots and lots of practice. There are plenty of players looking to work on their attack, so oblige them. The more you practice your blocking the more you'll become one of those players who seemingly block everything back.