Steve Silverman is an award-winning writer, covering sports since 1980. Silverman authored The Minnesota Vikings: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Who's Better, Who's Best in Football -- The Top 60 Players of All-Time, among others, and placed in the Pro Football Writers of America awards three times. Silverman holds a Master of Science in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism.
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Tennis TipsOverview
Returning the ball in table tennis is a lost art for many of the top players in the game. Most players are looking to attack on every shot, and the thought of playing defense is foreign to them. This is acceptable for top players who are accomplished at every facet of the game and can attack ferociously. On the other hand, most players are not at the top level and should look at the defensive aspects of the game.
Step 1
Return a hard save by gripping your racket (known as a "bat" by aficionados) in a backhand style and hitting it in the middle of the racket. When playing defense, the key is to live to hit the next ball. As you get a rhythm in your return, you can add sidespin and topsin, but your first thought should be returning the ball to your opponent as if you were a wall.
Step 2
Match the spin your opponent has put on the ball. Pay attention to your opponent's stroke. If he has chopped down on the ball, he has put underspin on it. If he comes over the top, it is overspin. Whatever he has done on his stroke, you must do it as well to have a good chance to return the ball.
Step 3
Move 8 to 10 feet in back of the table when your opponent has executed a slam. This shot can be executed at tremendous velocity, so give yourself a real chance to return the ball by standing well behind the table. The velocity of the shot will give you the ability to get it back over the net if you can get your racket on the ball.
Step 4
Add overspin as you rally with your opponent. You can turn defense into offense by coming over the top of the ball as you return the ball for the third or fourth time in a point. Once you understand your opponent's rhythm, don't be satisfied with just getting the ball back. Give your opponent something to think about.
Step 5
Alternate your offensive and defensive strokes. You can figure out your opponent if he attacks all-out on every shot. He can figure you out if you play defense only. Alternate your shots. Go for offense if you have defended on the previous shot. It will keep your opponent guessing.
