JOOLA USA

Tip Of The Week

By Carl Danner 

A good attacking stroke (like a loop or smash) is a continuous, aggressive motion with a definite weight shift forward.  You can't be tentative, or stop halfway and expect good results.  Even where the shot is hit with only moderate pace, the stroke has to flow without interruption.

Coaching Corner

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The hooking sidespin loop had its heyday in the early 1970s, with the rise of Hungary's Istvan Jonyer, the 1975 World Men's Singles Champion. Jonyer looped with a straight arm, and would often contact the ball on outside, hooking the ball with incredible sidespin. Often his racket tip would point straight down at contact, giving him essentially 100% sidespin. When players went to his forehand side, often he would loop around the net, with the ball barely rising above table level, and essentially rolling when it hit the far side - nearly unreturnable. Primarily because of Jonyer, the rules were changed, requiring the net to project six inches outwards. This makes around-the-net loops rare, though top players still do this shot sometimes from the very wide forehand.

Tip Of The Week

By Carl Danner

Many beginning players (and some who are more advanced) focus so intently on meeting the ball with the racket that they make only stiff, short strokes or blocks.  Given how quickly balls can move, this concern can be understandable to avoid missing entirely.

Coaching Corner

By Larry Hodges, USATT Certified National Coach and Member of USA Table Tennis Hall of Fame

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Some of us remember the incredible topspins of U.S. Team Member Rick Seemiller (brother of Dan) back in the 1980s. He didn't have great power on his loops. What he did have was more topspin than anyone in the U.S., and probably in the world. Even world-class players commented on this. When faced with this very slow, arcing ball that exploded off your racket, invariably going off, many an opponent called it "unreturnable." 

Marielle Chua

Age/DOB: 10/14/1992
Home Club: San Gabriel TTC

Equipment
Racket: Stefan Feth Cross
Forehand sponge: Mambo C
Backhand sponge: Energy Extra