The Tactics in Table Tennis

The tactics in table tennis is complicated because it involves different factors like:

(a) the opponent's play,

(b) the opponent's fighting spirit,

(c) the opponent's tactics,

(d) the player's competitive readiness,

(e) the game conditions and

(f) the anticipation of the next ball.

a) The opponent's play

The observation of the opponent's play before the match is probably the most basic element in tactics. Besides the basic characteristics, which are the playing style and the equipment used (racket) by the opponent, there are other factors in which both the coach and the player should pay attention toincluding: (a) serve execution and return, (b) offensive strokes and their return, (c) ready stance and footwork technique, and (d) opponent's weaknesses.
Serve execution and return. During the serve execution, attention must be paid to the kind of spin and the length (short, long) it bounces on the table. During the serve return, attention must be paid to the return angle and the direction of the ball. Special attention must also be paid to the kind of serve used but also to the return during the critical phases of the game.
Offensive strokes and their return.We must pay special attention to the most frequently used strokes. For example, does the opponent favor the forehand or backhand topspin? Does he use fast or slow topspins? Does he execute more than two topspins during the point or does the point end witha smash? Does he block or re-topspin away and over the table to return the topspin?
Ready stance and footwork technique. We have to watch the stance of the player and his footwork technique during the execution of the strokes, his distance from the table and his preference for using a backhand or a forehand stroke during the attack.
Opponent's weaknesses. It is very important to identify the weaknesses of the opponent. The player must concentrate on these so as to have the best results.
Factors of game tactics (2)



b) The fighting spirit of the opponent

The fighting spirit of the opponent is of great interest. For example, is he a player who plays the point up to the last second or he does to let the "lost balls" go? Does he play every point hard through the end of the game or does he give up when he feels that the gap in the score has widen irreparably?

c) The opponent's tactics

Most of the players change their tactics from game to game depending on the results they have. For example a player, who used a forehand topspin attack to counter the opponent's backhand in the first set, can attack at the forehand in the second set. The player must be ready to counter the opponent's tactics from the first twelve points of the game.

d) The player's competitive readiness

The choice of tactics must coincide with the competitive readiness of the player. The coach is the only person who knows exactly the extent of preparation and readiness of his players. Giving the instructions before and during the game he must seriously consider the readiness of his player. On the contrary, instructions for the use of tactics not well embedded during the training may cause problems although sometimes it would seem useful to overpass some difficulties.
Factors of game tactics (3)



e) The game conditions

The thickness of the table's playing surface and the ball hardness as well as the types of floor surfaces are factors, which influence the performance of the players. For example, the defensive players usually have greater difficulties than offensive players when they play on a hard table with a hard ball. Whereas when both the table's playing surface and the ball are soft they have advantages against the offensive players who must add power to their shots to compensate for the unfavorable conditions.

f) The anticipation of the next ball

One of the most difficult aspects of table tennis is making the best decision at the time of the stroke. The reason is that the game is fast and decisions must be made in a fraction of a second.The player must anticipate his opponent's next ball so that he is ready to execute the stroke that will win him the point.

The anticipation of the opponent's stroke consists of two important factors for the evolution of the game. The first one refers to the direct tracing of the condition, the trajectory of the ball and the behavior of the opponent. The player's experience is a major factor in his understanding of the opponent's behavior and how he will play the next ball. Experience is essential to tactics and it is acquired with continuous special training involving the constant play of unexpected strokes and, of course, participation in tournaments. In this way the player develops self-confidence and self-control in his game. He also avoids coming to hasty conclusions about his opponent's next stroke.

Source: Table Tennis: From A to Z" e-book (by D.E. Messinis)