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submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[-] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago

I've badly played some competitive table tennis and I'd not take a single point. There is however the chance that the pro fouls a serve. Not a big chance if they are just making safe serves and prepares to murder me on the off chance I get the serve back over the net. I doubt I would, even if I'm better than average.

I played someone at a corporate event who obviously had played quite a lot for fun and with friends, but he hadn't played anyone who could spin the ball. After I noticed, he hardly got anything over the net or on the table anymore, even if he was good for an amateur. The same goes for playing the pros. Even if you know how to handle spin, the amount of spin pros can put on a ball is unbelievable and your ball will hit the net or be way off the table. Every time. No exceptions. None.

Spin is only one aspect of the game. Speed is another and at that level it is unbelievably fast. The speed the balls have that the pros are able to return is fantastic. To even produce those speeds isn't something most can do, and to do it on a ball from a pro and also hit the table? No. Just no.

I've played lowest league players where I went without points and even they certainly wouldn't get any points in the Olympics. Your chances in all this? Figure it out.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

There's also the lucky chance for your own serve to hit the edge of the table just right. That would be my attempt to get a single point in such a match.

[-] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

That never happens if you try for it in my experience. You could also aim for a net hit, but I've seen rescued ones so it's not a sure bet either. The top guys are so fucking quick it is unreal. They'd also catch on pretty quick to what you're doing so I doubt it'll be effective even if you succeed after a while.

But yes, apart from them fucking up, that's likely the only chance.

this post was submitted on 02 Aug 2024
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