Playing Against Pips/Anti by Han Xiao Many players have a lot of trouble playing against “junk rubber,” which usually includes short pips, long pips, and anti. At lower levels of play, using pips or anti is often seen as an advantage that can give a lot of free wins. As players improve, using these types […]
Don’t Make Changes For Sake of Change
Posted onDon’t Make Changes For Sake of Change by Han Xiao A lot of players have a lot of variety in their game. They can hit a lot of different shots, have different speeds and spins, and are consistent players. However, some of these players still lose to players with objectively worse technique and less variety […]
Backhand Banana Flip
Posted onBackhand Banana Flip by Han Xiao In the last few years, the backhand banana flip has become a staple shot thanks to each new generation of players. Players such as Wang Hao and Dmitrij Ovtcharov were among the first players to use this shot as a primary method of returning serve in order to immediately […]
Open Ended Drills
Posted onOpen Ended Drills by Han Xiao Over the last ten years or so, I’ve noticed that the overall level of table tennis coaching in the United States has improved drastically. This is reflected in the playing styles and technique of our players, from intermediate levels all the way up to National Team members. However, one […]
Playing Against Choppers
Posted onPlaying Against Choppers by Han Xiao In most professional table tennis teams around the world, especially in China, you can usually find at least one chopper on the team, even if this player does not usually participate in league matches. As a result, most professional players have the opportunity to practice against choppers and to […]
The Lefty-Righty Matchup
Posted onThe Lefty-Righty Matchup by Han Xiao Many players have specific styles that they are weak against or feel like they are weak against. This may be a result of not practicing against this style, or it may be because they have lost to this type of style in the past. Some of the common styles […]
Step Around Footwork
Posted onStep Around Footwork by Han Xiao One of the most common footwork drills in table tennis among all levels of play is the Falkenberg drill. It’s a very simple drill. The drilling player plays only to the blocking player’s backhand side, playing first one backhand, then a forehand from the backhand corner, then a forehand […]
Staying Balanced
Posted onStaying Balanced by Han Xiao Table tennis rallies often resemble a game of chicken. Balance and positioning are huge factors in determining which player gets the upper hand and takes the initiative. There are other factors as well, such as technique, but often times one player will begin to lose their balance and center of […]
How to Approach the Service Game
Posted onHow to Approach the Service Game by Han Xiao Think back to some matches where you had a lot of problems with an opponent’s serves. There are likely two scenarios you thought of. The first scenario is when you simply misread an opponent’s serve over and over again. This scenario doesn’t make for very good […]
Modern Topspin Strokes
Posted onModern Topspin Strokes by Han Xiao To round out our short mechanics series, we’re going to take a look at modern topspin technique. If you missed the previous two articles, we took a look at weight transfer and proper leg use as well as how to follow through correctly. Having an understanding of those concepts […]
How to Perform a ‘Hack’ or ‘Swipe’
January 14, 2026
Robot plays one topspin ball to long Backhand, Logan Backhand chop block (HACK) close to the table off… Read More
When Champions Fall: Mental Strategies for Preventing and Managing Injuries
January 14, 2026
by Dr. Alan Chu, PhD, CMPC The table tennis world watched in dismay last when both World #1… Read More
Smell the Ball?!?
January 12, 2026
Robot plays one long backspin ball to Backhand, Logan Backhand push to Backhand, robot plays one long backspin… Read More
Every Shot Sets Up the Next Shot By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame,
January 12, 2026
(By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame, www.tabletenniscoaching.com/blog) Unless it’s a put-away shot,… Read More
WAB CLUB FEATURE: North Texas Table Tennis
January 11, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins) North Texas Table Tennis is a premier table tennis club operating three locations in Plano,… Read More
Amy Wang Chooses Butterfly
January 11, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins) Butterfly America would like to announce the signing of elite American table tennis star, Amy… Read More
A Final Day of Surprises in Doha
January 11, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins) The first WTT Champions series event of the year ended in a flurry Sunday in… Read More
Final Four in Doha
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(by Steve Hopkins) The first WTT Champions series event of 2026 is down to its final day in… Read More
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