vanjr wrote: mynamenotbob wrote: Regarding the no-spin tactic, the anti or LP players has some control over this when they're serving as they can put a spinny ball into play from the get-go. Also inverted players can have a lot of problems with no-spin as well, so the sword cuts both ways.
The other thing is not all antis have the same weaknesses. For example, Yasaka Super Anti can easily attack no-spin. So this article is far from the definitive guide to defeating anti players. I agree with your thoughts. If I play an anti-player my first technique is to serve no spin to their anti side or play a no or low spin shot to their anti side as early in the point as possible. Then I want to attack the next ball and win the point. What I do NOT want my anti opponent to do is attack with their anti and give me a fast, no spin shot back. So IMO attacking with your anti is the best technique against the no spin strategy. I just have no idea HOW one executes that strategy.
I am with you in this. If you give a skilled anti player a long dead ball, some of these are very skilled at sending back a medium fast no spin ball to you uncomfortable zone. Often, you are surprised at this ball and fail to successfully counter it. You give one of these skilled anti operators a long ball, they make a good shot just like a good inverted player does with placement and just enough pace to make it fast and slow enough to land it consistently. If that ball is at your crossover and you are in surprise mode, you can say goodbye to the point. If it comes to your FH, you learn to make a quality topspin easy enough.
how do you stop this fastish knuckle to your uncomfortable zone? A few ways.
1) keep the ball short and low. That will make the anti player slow down his shot and give you more time. Problem is, the anti player has found a ball that you will not give him short. It could be a fast deep serve to your crossover, it could be a short no-spin you fail to flick and push deep. Whatever, opponent found a way to make you keep giving it to him long.
2) Give the ball with a little pace to his crossover. That will make opponent forget about giving you that troublesome ball and worry solely about just returning the ball on the table. You will then need to finish or be relentless. roblem is, the better anti player will not give you an easy ball for this. No one at a high level gives you easy chances unless they want you to do something specific.
3) Spin the daylights outta the ball. Spin heavy and watch your opponent crumble. he blocks it with inverted (without getting right up to it) and he plocks high or long/out. he tries to cover it with anti and you know what you are getting back, so you are ready go for the next shot.
4) Go for angles first. When you are able to get your opponent to move all over the place, they are not in a good position to get set and give you those troubling balls. Often, it is the anti player running you around first, but if you turn the tables on opponent, you are pulling the strings.
5) Speed it up, take the ball earlier or hit it with power a little further back. You take away time from the opponent, and they will suddenly give you less of those troublesome balls. Thing is, you are a lot more prone to miss doing this.
I have played vs Richard Dewitt twice in recent tourneys. His MarkV rubber is reputed to be very anti like. I do not know, it looks like oldish MarkV. Richard does, however, play a lot of shots with his MarkV with the same objectives as anti. He tries to give you a ball you feel uncomfortable attacking and choose a long push, whether poor quality or deep/fast. He stays close to the table, reads spin, pace, depth well and takes it early to send back a knuckle ball fast enough to trouble you, but slow enough to land high percentage. he targets your weak zones and can tell where you will fail on the next shot, whether it is an ill-advised attack, or you are simply not reacting well enough. He will get a lot of points from you while not physically working hard.
After losing a game or two, each match, I had to change the way I played. I was able to win a game each time by either moving him around, using very heavy spin, or going for the power loops where he wasn't expecting them.
Richard is a 2100+ level player who will not give it up easy, but you can score vs him if you choose the right ball or placement. He blocks great and usually one shot is not enough, unless you really fooled him on your placement. I got most of my points powerlooping his long serve to either corner faking him with body and going the other way. whenever I did that with a slow heavy ball, he got it back, but I could finish to a corner. He got a lot of balls back where he read my placement and made me pay for overcommitting to shots. He won a lot of points where I decided to play too safe.
How to apply this to a good anti player? Play your aggressive offensive game and look for somethings anti player does not do 100%.
|
