October 16, 2017 - Top Twelve Tactical Rallying Mistakes

  1. Playing too much into the backhand.
  2. Not attacking the middle (roughly the playing elbow, midway between forehand and backhand), and using this to set up a follow-up attack to the corners or middle again.
  3. Not attacking all three spots – wide corners and middle.
  4. Attacking to a corner when you have an angle to attack outside the corner.
  5. Looking for a chance to counter-attack to an opponent’s forehand rather than just making the first attack there.
  6. Not changing the pace.
  7. Not sometimes aiming one way, and at the last second going another.
  8. Not keeping the ball deep (unless going for a change-of-pace or drop shot).
  9. Trying to end the point too quickly.
  10. Not ending the point when the shot is there.
  11. Not finishing a shot by following through into position for the next shot.
  12. Attacking an opponent’s weak side first rather than first attacking their stronger side so that you can follow by attacking their weaker side while also having to move. 

Comments

mjamja Fri, 10/20/2017 - 02:16

 

1. Playing too much to backhand -  The only time I am guilty of this is when it is obvious my opponent has no forehand.  In that case I play exclusively to the backhand.

2. Not attacking the middle - I have been focused on attacking the middle for a long time.  Problem is I just realized I have been attacking the middle of my opponent's power zone.

3. Not attacking the three spots - I am confused.  Are you really expected to have control of where your attacks go?

4. Attacking to the corner when you could attack wide of corner - I am very good at attacking wide of the corner.  Just not good at landing the wide attack on the table.

5. Looking for a chance to counter-attack to Fh instead of attacking there first - I never wait for a chance to counter-attack.  But then again I never counter-attack.  I prefer to handle attacks by blocking weakly or just walking back to the barrier to pick up the ball.

6. Not changing the pace - I am guilty of this.  I wiil work very hard at changing between quick serving my opponent and stopping to tie my shoes between points.

7. Aiming one way and hitting another - I repeat, are you really supposed to be able to control where you hit the ball?

8. Not hitting deep enough - Guilty as charged

9. Trying to end the point too quickly - My opponents must be in big trouble since they all tend to end the points with either their serves or their serve returns.  I hope they read Larry's comments and change their ways.

10. Not ending the point when the shot is there - I always end the point when given a setup by my opponent.  Unfortunately 75% of the time I end the point by missing my shot.

11. Not getting ready for next shot -  I will work on this once I start getting more than 50% of my first shots to land on the table.

12. Attacking weak side first -  I never seem to attack a weak side.  I know this because everytime I attack I have to walk back to the barrier to pick up the ball from their counter-attack.

Mark