by Han Xiao Whenever I’m coaching intermediate or junior players, they’ll often ask me before the match, “what do I do against [insert opponent’s name]?” My response is usually to turn the question back on them, which is to ask them what their initial game plan is. No matter if it’s someone they’ve played twenty […]
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Serve Return Tips
Posted onServe Return Tips by Han Xiao Serve return is one of the most challenging aspects of table tennis. Many players have a very difficult time returning high quality serves, and as a result lack confidence in their decision making and execution. Today, we’re going to go over some tips that will hopefully help you improve […]
Serving Tips
Posted onServing Tips by Han Xiao Most players understand that a good serve is one of the best ways to give themselves an advantage in points. However, many players don’t have a clear idea of how to improve their serves, and mostly go by trial and error. If a serve doesn’t work in a match, they […]
Blocking
Posted onBlocking by Han Xiao Blocking is a very underrated and undervalued skill in table tennis. One of my biggest regrets is not having more practice partners as a young player and not practicing blocking more. As a result, I had a poor understanding of blocking technique that took a long time to correct. It’s important […]
Watching the Ball
Posted onWatching the Ball by Han Xiao Today we’re going to discuss something extremely basic: watching the ball. It’s so basic, in fact, that it sounds like it should be obvious that everyone who plays table tennis already knows how to do it. Yet, almost every player I’ve coached from beginners all the way up to […]
Playing Against Penholders
Posted onPlaying Against Penholders by Han Xiao Last week, we examined some basic strengths and weaknesses of players who play with unorthodox rubber and went over some of the common tactics used against these players. This week, we’re going to take a look at penhold players. Most people have some idea of the strengths and weaknesses […]
Playing Against Pips/Anti
Posted onPlaying 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 […]
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