slightly higher. The higher the position of the racket is provided by the previous components: width and direction, more open racket tilt.
Variation #4. Counter-loop from the middle zone
Counter-loop from the middle zone is called “over-rotation” or “overspin” among the tennis players.
For example, if you hear an athlete says “won the point in overturn”, it means that there is a rally in a central zone when both opponents exchanged counter loops and he managed to win the point. In the future, we will designate this element as “overspin”.
So, the “overspin” occurs during matches not very often, because not all rallies end up with the setback to the middle zone of both athletes.
How does it happens that both athletes suddenly find themselves in the middle zone?
It all starts with the fact that one of the athletes begins to attacking, while the other seeks to not just play passively, but perform a counter-action. The most common counter-action in table tennis is counter-loop.
When one of the athletes starts to counterattack, he has to make a half step or a step back in order to have enough time for a counterattack. Counterattack – this element seizes ball’s speed and rotation and turns it back (making it a slightly powerful).
Therefore an athlete that has just performed a top-spin and received a counter-attack, has also to make a step back in order to have time to conduct his counterattack. And so with each following counter-loop athletes make a small step back as the ball is gaining a lot of airspeed and power. As a result, after one or two counter-loops athletes are already in the middle zone.
How the “overspin” differs from the top-spin against the block?
It differs with a slightly wider move,
because of the need to send the ball on a greater distance. The difference is in sending the ball to the opponent’s side from a distance of 1 meter or 2.5—4 meters, but the main difference is not the width of the movement, but also the time of handling the ball.
Ball handling should occur with a strong ball contact, meaning we should hold a ball on the racket for a longer time. As it’s expressed by the players – to sense it better. Longer contact with the ball is necessary to control the flight of the ball for a longer period of time and to be able to send the ball from a longer distance with the same accuracy as in the case of top-spin from the block.
“Overspins” in various zones are different by its performance. For example, there is a notable difference between “the overspin” from a distance of 2 meters from a table and the distance of 3.5 meters.
In the first case, the movement of a little shorter, ball handling occurs practically at the highest point of rebound and directed more forward. The power given to the ball by the opponent is clearly felt in the highest point. We fully return that power and speed back to the opponent.
In the second case, the ball begins to fall (that is, by this moment he had already passed the high point) and at this distance, the power of the ball given by the opponent is sensed much less. We have to add the ball more to spin and send the ball upwards to give it sufficient trajectory that will safely allow a ball to steer clear of a net and land on the opponent’s side.
Variation #5. Counter-loop on the right side of the table (in the near zone)
The forehand counter-loop on the table is very different from all components of the forehand counter-loop from the middle zone. That is why we assign it to a separate variation.
This element is also called the “interception of an attack” “or “twisting”. By the way, the most interesting thing is that in some cases, it is more logical to say “tackle/interception” and in other, more appropriate would be the word “twisting”.
For example, when you perform a forehand counter-loop on the table by first attacking move of your opponent, it is better to call the counterattack as “interception”. As you would seize the initiative, which your opponent was trying to take over. And when a mutual counter-loop game began on the table, it is better to call it “twisting” or “twist against twist”.
Now let’s talk about the technical part of the counter-loop to the right on the table. The main difference of this element is that it is performed much earlier than the highest point of ball rebound, it is executed on the bottom-up ball, at the moment when the ball is only gaining height.
Also, this element is performed very close to the table. Closer than all other variations of top-spin, used in the rally.
Why do you need to play bottom-up ball closer to the table during this element?
The meaning of this element that you are also using speed and spin of the ball you receive, in other words, you do not add your power and spin, but use the one that was input by the opponent.
When performing this element, the inclination of the racket is slightly more closed than in the classic top-spin from the block. Especially it is necessary to draw attention to the fact that at the time of the racket passing through the ball, you don’t have to play it hard.
In table tennis, there are concepts – “game ball” and “the ball game”. Let’s study them.
“The ball game” is when maximum rotation is added to the ball due to the rubber grip, i.e. the blade does not mostly participate in such game. We can say that this is a more gentle, “sliding” ball handling.
The best example of the ball game is chop. If a tough clash occurred between racket and a ball, it is called a push, rather than a chop. Qualitative chop is when the lining “slips” along the ball, adding maximum rotation to it, but not adding any speed.
The same principle is used for interception. The rubber “slips” greatly on the ball and it does not receive an excessive rigidity.
“The game ball” is, as you guessed, the opposite of “ball game”. Here, by contrast, comes a tough game ball, rubber is forced under ball’s pressure and we actually feel the blade participating in the element.
The best example of a ball game is a final smash without rotation (which, incidentally, is very rarely used in pure form in today’s table tennis).
We have elaborated on the moment when racket passes through the ball because this point is critical when performing counter-loop on the table. Once you play the “ball” hard – your “interception” immediately flies over the table.
Few words about the movement itself. Correct swing is very important for performing the “interception” and “twisting”.
Since we use the speed and spin of the received ball standing close to the table, when implementing
