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Greg vs Gio - Match Analysis

Match Analysis - Greg vs Giovanni Cnapich - 2009 Summer Open

856x480 pixels - 118MB - 32 min

428x240 pixels - Part 1 - 33MB, Part 2 - 33MB

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Summary Notes

Introduction

• Gio uses Bryce Speed on the forehand, with Butterfly Super Anti on a Butterfly Sardius blade.
• He uses a fairly traditional forehand, and a Seemiller type backhand where he punches the ball with his forehand rubber. He also occasionally turns his wrist over when serving to use the antispin side, and sometimes twiddles to use the antispin during the rally. He also sometimes doesn't use the Seemiller grip on the backhand to use the antispin when pushing or chopping. Interestingly, this use of a fairly normal forehand grip combined with the Seemiller backhand is apparently how Dan Seemiller, the inventor of the grip, has now modified his own grip style to improve his forehand technique.
• Gio has very good power and placement on both wings, with a strong forehand loop and a nasty backhand punch.

Match Commentary

• During the match, I'm mainly looking to get back into my defensive zone quickly, and then counterattack to break up Gio's rhythm, while Gio is looking to attack hard while I'm caught close up to the table, or bring me in and out from the table to stop me getting comfortable.
• When Gio tries to bring me in and out, I need to either control the ball well to stop him attacking hard and give me time to get back into position, or I need to move in quickly and launch a strong counterattack to take the initiative myself.
• During the first couple of games in this match, I didn't play tactically well - I had a few lapses that cost me valuable points.
• Gio is using a kicking long sidespin serve to my backhand, which I was having trouble controlling with a push or chop return, so that he could set up strong attacks. Lately I have been occasionally rolling the ball back with my inverted rubber, or brushing the ball back with a looping motion using my long pips, which has proven to be a successful return variation, which Gio has not been able to attack with power.
• At 2-0 down, I'm not happy with my tactical play - my return of serve has not been all that good, I've played a few loose points by attacking at shots that weren't there for me to attack, and I've been a little too passive and safe when Gio has been playing that high, slow roll to my forehand, bringing me into the table. I need to get more pressure on Gio.
• I need to move my return of serve around and get out to Gio's wide forehand to make him unsure about where to recover for the next ball.
• At 3-0 down, I was thinking that I need to get some more spin variation, take a few more chances on spinning my chop, serve a bit tighter, and keep the pressure on when I'm attacking or go back to defense, but don't counterhit.
• At 3-1, I was thinking that when a play the point tactically well, I'm winning a good percentage of the points, but I'm unhappy with the number of times I made a tactical mistake and chose to play the wrong shot, or failed to recover after making an attack, and gave away some cheap points.
  
• I need to either attack the high loops early, or get back into position and take them below waist height. Chopping them at chest height is not a good idea, it makes it hard to control, and the ball tends to bounce higher which makes it easier to attack as well.
• At 3-2 down, I was aware that my shift in tactics had been successful. Unfortunately in the next game I overdo my attempts at chopping the ball heavily, and I clip the top of the net several times because I am trying to get the ball too low and tight - attempting to chop better than I am actually cabable of.
  
• Gio also plays a good high percentage tactical game, while I start to get too aggressive with my spin variation, and I move to a lower percentage game, also trying to chop the ball a little too low and too tight. This is enough to shift the momentum back in Gio's favour, and helps to earn Gio the win.
• This match is a good example of how the choice of tactics and their successful execution can affect the outcome of a match between players of a similar level, and how you need to be aware of what is going on during the match at all times, to make sure that you are still using the correct tactics and haven't tried to do more than you are capable of doing.

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