Table Tennis - How to play against Anti-Spin

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COMMENTS AND CRITICISM

Carl Danner wrote:

Good effort. Here are a couple of quick thoughts:

1. Basically, anti-spin continues the spin already on the ball, so you get (effectively) back the opposite of what you have hit -- only slightly less intense, as you noted. This is the common element that could help you condense some of your examples, if you want.

2. Topspin is essential for most attacking shots because it brings the ball down on the other side of the table. (That's why players can hit hard more consistently, against more kinds of returns, with sponge than with hardbat.) With antispin, a player can't achieve such topspin except in response to a heavy underspin from you. Therefore, most antispin players can't attack very well using that side unless you set them up. This is an important point worth emphasis.

3. Trying to use continuous heavy spin against antispin is usually a poor choice of tactic. Your opponent will adjust fairly easily, and you will be left to cope with repeated spinny returns. It's better to keep the spin light, the ball low and controlled, and work the point until you get a ball you can really crank. Another fine tactic is slow, high deep loops (really, rolls) with only light topspin. With antispin, it's almost impossible to do anything but chop those back deep with predictable, light spin. On serves, you need to be careful not to use sidespin, because the resulting mirror-image return is usually confusing and often a problem. Finally, occasional severe spin is fine as a change of pace, either on the odd serve or on the loop kill that will win the point.

Hope those thoughts help.

heavyspin wrote:

Spin reversal (actually non-reversal) is not the only component to deal with. One needs to adjust for speed and bounce. This is for the anti spin block off one's topspin.

Compared to inverted the ball comes back slower and doesn't bounce out as much. Many miss because they swing too early or don't move in to adjust for the bounce. Also, if the ball is short and your opponent doesn't have a dangerous attack, don't take the risk - just push it back. If it's short and your facing Danny Seemiller or Eric Boggan, well, you've got a problem.