OOAK Table Tennis Forum

http://www.lep.co.uk/sport/other-sports ... -1-5470568

This guy is a full-time hardbatter. Would love to see video.

_________________



The MNNB Blog has had some pretty amazing stuff lately. Just click this text to check it out. | My OOAK Interview
Table Tennis Video Links: itTV | laola1.tv | ttbl | fftt | Challenger Series | mnnb-tv

My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

Isn't that debater's league? He may have video.

How do you know he is hardbat?

_________________
Timo Boll ALC ST
FH Tibhar Evolution MX-P Max
BH Tibhar Evolution FX-S 1.8
185g

Yes he is hard bat. Yes it is our league. I filmed a video blog of the championships which I'm editing at the moment - it will be what it's like to play in our championships and will tie in with other things our league does and why players play table tennis. As part of that I interviewed Scott on video so I was able to get some background on him, why he used hard bat etc etc as well as some other players to sort of give a feel and background to the players who play in our league and why they play table tennis. I'd not spoken to him before this competition and he came across as a quiet polite nice guy. He is also young ie I think in his 20s which is young for me! He plays for Astra A and it's his first season in our league - Astra A are top of our Premier Division. Scott lost in our divisional singles group stages to the guy who went on to win that competition.

His bat is a custom made Marty Reisman blade - he has 3. His dad knew Marty Reisman and he met him - hence him getting a custom made bat by him. He uses Yasaka Cobalt Alpha forhand and backhand. He will defend and attack with it.

I filmed his final against Andy Michnowiec who is currently top of our premier league averages. Andy is a very patient and consistent counter hitter who has won many titles over the years at our championships. Because of their styles it was a tactical match rather than an out and out shoot out/third ball attack game. There was a lot of emphasis on ball placement and control and trying to pin apponents down. I will be posting the videos of this final and the veterans, doubles, cadet singles and handicap singles finals on our YouTube channel when I've finished editing them all. That's why I've been quiet here - other things to do. Must go.

Ed. Scott also made the doubles final with another player from Astra, Dean Walmsley who's double inverted top spin player - it was the first competition they'd played doubles together in and that too was filmed.

That's awesome thanks! I know about Scott because he's known in hardbat circles as arguably the best full-time hardbat player in the world. He was even in the ITTF ratings at one point. Always wanted to see him play against an inverted player.

_________________



The MNNB Blog has had some pretty amazing stuff lately. Just click this text to check it out. | My OOAK Interview
Table Tennis Video Links: itTV | laola1.tv | ttbl | fftt | Challenger Series | mnnb-tv

My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

Wow, he never mentioned anything about a world ranking or anything about that when I spoke to him and I'm not sure any one in our league knows this either. It's been Scott's first season in our league as previously I think he played in the Lancaster league. He's modest as well as being a nice guy.

An ITTF world rating playing hardbat against sponge is pretty impressive.

_________________



The MNNB Blog has had some pretty amazing stuff lately. Just click this text to check it out. | My OOAK Interview
Table Tennis Video Links: itTV | laola1.tv | ttbl | fftt | Challenger Series | mnnb-tv

My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

Scott Johnson vs Andy Michnowiec

Andy has won lots of competitions at our championships over the years. He's currently top of our divisional averages. He's a counter hitter and tries to limit mistakes - playing someone like Scott is not his favourite style to play against. Scott also likes players to come at him with pace and spin so he has something to work with. This is a very tactical match.

Scott so far this season has played 39 games and won 32 in the premier division, Andy has played 48 and won 44.



In case you think it looks easy to play against someone like Scott where there seems to be just lots of pushing, this is Scott vs David from our Divsion 2 in the handicap event. David started playing table tennis at our centre a couple of years ago when he just came down to our social sessions and this is his first season playing competitively. David had 7 points start in each game to 11.



This is the last final Scott was involved in - the doubles. Both pairings hadn't played together in a competitive match before our championships. All the players play in our premier division. You'll recognise a couple from some of the equipment tests our league has done.

Very nice editing there Debater!

_________________
OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

When Andy played Scott, he covered 90% of the table with his BH, does he usually do that or was it because of Scott's style and equipment?

Both Andy and I play for teams which are not based at the Table Tennis Centre so it's only about 3 or four times a season outside of competitions like this that I get to see him play - ie when both our teams are aways at the centre on the same night. Because of that I can't really say how he always plays.

From what I have seen, Andy is backhand dominant and now you mention it I don't think I've ever seen him push with his forehand. After this final I briefly spoke to Andy and he said although he had chances he felt he was too passive at times. Problem is I think Andy prefers a more open top spin type of game so he can counter attack. When the rallies become more open Andy does use his forehand but I think you are right when you talk about Scott's style being a big factor in the way Andy approached this game regarding tactics and I certainly don't think it's Andy's favourite way to have to play. However, it could also be argued that Andy's style - counter attack - also affected Scott's approach to the game because I know Scott prefers players to give him something to work with hence possibly neither player wanting to play to their opponents strengths.

Having played Andy 4 times before and seen him in action against a variety of styles, i can say that he is very much a backhand-side oriented player. He has got a solid forehand, but his tactic against everyone ive seen him play against is to pin someone down on the backhand (usually a players weakness) and exchange cross table, backhand to backhand. Hes very effective at doing this. It seems rather easy to just say, ok, ill make sure i wont get caught up in a war of backhands, but to Andy's credit he nearly always seems to get players stuck in a war of backhands.

_________________
Standard Setup 1
Blade - Joo Sae-Hyuk ST
FH - DHS Hurricane 3 Neo 2.2mm
BH - TSP Curl P1r 1.5mm

Standard Setup 2
Blade - Joo Sae-Hyuk ST
FH - DHS Hurricane 3 Neo 2.2mm
BH - TSP Curl P4 1.5mm

Hardbat Equipment (Former Full-Time Hardbat Player)
Blade - Marty Reisman custom 5 ply Hock
Rubber - Yasaka Cobalt Alpha OX

Thanks to Snowman89 and Debater for info on Andy's style.

I have interest in his style because of my shoulder injury, I can't loop on FH, so I'm trying to play a BH dominant game.

And I am truly honored that Snowman89's first post was in effort to help me out!!!

lol No problem

_________________
Standard Setup 1
Blade - Joo Sae-Hyuk ST
FH - DHS Hurricane 3 Neo 2.2mm
BH - TSP Curl P1r 1.5mm

Standard Setup 2
Blade - Joo Sae-Hyuk ST
FH - DHS Hurricane 3 Neo 2.2mm
BH - TSP Curl P4 1.5mm

Hardbat Equipment (Former Full-Time Hardbat Player)
Blade - Marty Reisman custom 5 ply Hock
Rubber - Yasaka Cobalt Alpha OX

Snowman89, Welcome to the forum!

Thank you

_________________
Standard Setup 1
Blade - Joo Sae-Hyuk ST
FH - DHS Hurricane 3 Neo 2.2mm
BH - TSP Curl P1r 1.5mm

Standard Setup 2
Blade - Joo Sae-Hyuk ST
FH - DHS Hurricane 3 Neo 2.2mm
BH - TSP Curl P4 1.5mm

Hardbat Equipment (Former Full-Time Hardbat Player)
Blade - Marty Reisman custom 5 ply Hock
Rubber - Yasaka Cobalt Alpha OX