Robo-Pong the Table Tennis
Robot @ Newgy.com

Photo and Tip of the Week


PHOTO OF THE WEEK


Ping Pong Billboard on Rt. 73 in Pennsauken, New Jersey.
Photo by Larry Bavly, ©2003.

TIP OF THE WEEK

Play the Forehand of a Forehand Player

If he’s going to step around anyway, go to his forehand!

By Dr. Ping Pong

How often have you played a forehand-happy player, who keeps putting the ball away with his forehand from his backhand corner? The worst part of it is that even if you get the ball back, he follows with another forehand. How do you get out of this situation?

It’s counter-intuitive, but at the higher levels, you’ll find that players play right into the forehand of players with strong forehands. Why? So they can move the forehand player to his wide forehand, and come back to his backhand! The added benefit is that the forehand player now has to move to his (weaker) backhand, and so is not as set for the shot. You basically give up one forehand shot in return for turning your forehand-hitting opponent into a backhand player the rest of the rally.