Gregs Table Tennis Pages

Here are a few example scenarios and an explanation of what will happen:

(A) Your Backspin to His Topspin Style Stroke

1. You hit a heavy backspin ball. Your opponent is using a medium speed anti-spin rubber that has virtually no grip. He hits the ball with a topspin style stroke and with flat, non-brushing contact. The anti-spin will have little effect on the spin already on the ball, so most of the spin will remain, and the ball will come back to you fairly quickly and with medium topspin. It won't be a heavy topspin, since the spin has been steadily getting less due to air resistance ever since you hit the ball. Why you will hit a bad stroke next - with a conventional rubber his return will have little or no topspin. Your bat angle will be incorrect, and the ball will go 'pop up' into the air.
2. Same as for (1), but now your opponent brushes the ball rather than flat-hitting it. Because the topsheet has no grip, the only factor able to change the spin of the ball is the sponge giving way, allowing the rubber to wrap slightly around the ball. The thicker the sponge and the softer the topsheet, the more your spin will be increased, although not by very much, so the ball should come back to you with a little more spin than in (1) above, but still a medium amount of topspin. Why you will hit a bad stroke next - with a conventional rubber his return will have heavy topspin. Your bat angle will be incorrect, and the ball will go into the net.
3. You hit a heavy backspin ball. Your opponent is using a medium speed anti-spin rubber that has a little grip. He hits the ball with a topspin style stroke and brushes the ball rather than flat hitting it. Now both the topsheet and the sponge can help to increase the spin on the ball, so the ball should come back to you as a medium topspin with a little more topspin than in (2) above. Why you will hit a bad stroke next - with a conventional rubber his return will have heavy topspin. Your bat angle will be incorrect, and the ball will go into the net.
4. Same as for (3), but now your opponent hits the ball with a flat, non-brushing contact. Since his rubber has a little grip, this will act to kill the spin a little. The sponge and topsheet will give way, but since your opponent is not brushing the ball they should have little effect on the spin. The ball should be coming back to you with a light topspin. Why you will hit a bad stroke next - with a conventional rubber his return will have little or no topspin. Your bat angle will be incorrect, and the ball will 'pop up' into the air.

(B) Your Backspin to His Chop Style Stroke

1. You hit a heavy backspin stroke. Your opponent is using a medium speed anti-spin rubber that has virtually no grip. He hits the ball with a backspin style stroke and with flat, non-brushing contact. The anti-spin will have little effect on the spin already on the ball, so most of the spin will remain, and the ball will come back to you fairly quickly and with medium topspin. Why you will hit a bad stroke next - with a conventional rubber his return will have little or no backspin. Your bat angle will be incorrect, and the ball will 'pop up' into the air.
2. Same as for (1), but now your opponent brushes the ball rather than flat-hitting it. The only factor able to change the spin of the ball will be the sponge giving way to wrap slightly around the ball. The thicker the sponge and the softer the topsheet, the more your spin will be reduced. Since it is an anti-spin rubber though, it will not be a huge reduction in spin, so the ball should come back to you with medium topspin, but with less spin than in (1) above. Why you will hit a bad stroke next - with a conventional rubber his return will have medium to heavy backspin. Your bat angle will be incorrect, and the ball will 'pop up' into the air.
3. You hit a heavy backspin ball. Your opponent is using a medium speed anti-spin rubber that has a little grip. He hits the ball with a backspin style stroke and brushes the ball rather than flat hitting it. Now both the topsheet and the sponge can help to reduce the spin on the ball, but they will not be able to kill the spin entirely, so the ball should come back with a light topspin. Why you will hit a bad stroke next - with a conventional rubber his return will have medium to heavy backspin. Your bat angle will be incorrect, and the ball will 'pop up' into the air.
4. Same as for (3), but now your opponent hits the ball with a flat, non-brushing contact. Since his rubber has a little grip, this will act to kill the spin just a little. The sponge and topsheet will give way, but since your opponent is not brushing the ball they should have little effect on the spin. The ball should be coming back to you with a medium-light topspin. Why you will hit a bad stroke next - with a conventional rubber his return will have little or no backspin. Your bat angle will be incorrect, and the ball will 'pop up' into the air.

Return to How To Play Against Antispin - Main Page for the Conclusion.