OOAK Table Tennis Forum

This is essentially aimed at defenders, Lp or Anti Players, but all are welcome to comment please.

So, considering that the initial fears of the new balls coming in would mean that attackers would be better off than defenders, that defenders would find it harder to disrupt and control the ball, how have you coped with the change overall and do you feel you are now better off with plastic than poly?

Have you had to change equipment at all and is it or has it worked for you or not?
Are you stuck in no mans land, not knowing what direction you need to go to?

Are you enjoying the plastic ball or not, do you enjoy the game more or less?
Does practice play transfer to league form or is it altogether a different entity in competition now?

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If you look at the top level, I don't see much difference, although Ma Long was able to block some of Joo's attacks that he wasn't able to do with celluloid. But the defense game itself hasn't suffered IMO.

I feel I'm better off with plastic, although it's quite difficult for me to judge because my level has risen at the same time. I didn't change equipment. I enjoy the sport more, but again this might have to do with me getting better. Practice play transfers to competitive play just like with celluloid.

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There's always stuff to improve!

My blog on being a LP defender beyond 2000 USATT and the pips discrimination that comes along with that

1. If one rejects the "worldwide ban on celluloid" argument as ridiculous, and also gives ITTF the benefit of the doubt and stipulates they didn't push these balls to get kickbacks from manufacturers who jack up prices, then it is likely that they wanted to slow the game down to make it easier for defenders*. Otherwise, why would they mandate the balls be slightly larger? The things we see, decreased speed and spin, a lot of that is simply due to the increased size. The could have just said use plastic, otherwise keep things the same. So reducing speed and spin had to be part of what they wanted**.

2. But, in recent years, ITTF has been wrong on nearly everything.

3. Therefore it will be bad for defenders, or at very least not good.

4*. Or maybe this was someone's cunning plan to defeat the Chinese using rule changes. Using same argument above, Chinese domination will only increased further.

5**. Arguments about making the sport more TV friendly falter badly in light of production standards of ITTF videos of their biggest events.

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2.2 mm Nexy Karis M on FH and BH

I think the new ball will propably favor strong and straightforfard players. It's more difficult to win points by spin.

I have very spinny serve, deceptive pips and spinny loop and I have feeling that I have lost edge in those areas. And I have been decently good in reading spin (partly thanks to my pips), so my advantage in that area has reduced.

With ox pips value of aggressive pushing and tricky plays might have been diminished, so maybe safe returns and chopping has better value now.

Strong FH attack seem easier to do for me, as I have more time to launch.

First league games are coming after a week, so then I know for sure.

I think neither, but maybe worse lol. Since adapting to the poly ball (which didn't take long), I now find I can switch balls between poly and cell and notice very little difference. The only trouble is it has thrown the clubs ball use into a spin (excuse the pun) as we now get all sorts of different balls (of poly and cell varieties) and the nuances of the way they play can make nightly adjustments difficult. If the could get supply just one ball to stick with, it'd be fine.

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I don't think this is necessarily the case. There are those who complain that at least some of the balls (mainly the seamless ones) retain more spin during flight, so when they land they tend to kick or jump (mainly sideways) a lot more than the celluloid balls do. This is definitely my experience with the XSF and Kingnik balls. Put a little more sidespin into your chops, lobs and loops and it might throw the other person off. A lot of the forced errors I see on table tennis videos are caused by balls that kick - doesn't take much to cause a mis-hit into the net or off the table.

Iskandar

In my experience, ( we are using dhs 3 star plastic balls ) it is better for the defender. He can block attack better since the game slowed down.

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Enjoy the game. It is a never ending learning experience once you play and keep the ball on that 45 sq ft of space or should I say half of that space.