By Coach Carl Hardin
 
In match competition, trust your training and let yourself play to win.
When receiving a serve or a stroked table tennis ball.
•        Your contact point on the ball is determined by your opponent’s direction of swing, blade angle and the point their blade departs from the ball.
•        Decide and visualize the point of the TT ball that you need to contact in order to stop, continue or change the spin to gain control of the point..
•        Starting at the top of the ball to the bottom of the ball there is 6 positions on the ball that will stop all top or back spins.
•        Starting at the top of the side of the ball there is 6 positions on the ball that will stop all side spins and/or combination spins.
•        If you observe your opponent’s blade covering before the match and correctly observe their direction of swing and departure point from the ball, touch that point, your blade angle will be correct to follow through towards the top of the net and take control of the point.
The player that controls the table wins!!
When you serve or returning a ball
•        Apply side-spin rotating away from your opponent to make it difficult for them to stop the spin without getting out of position.
•        Place the ball near the end line or side line to a location that limits the length of the table for their return, or at their playing elbow so they must decide to use the forehand or backhand, also a second ball to their playing elbow’s decision will open the table for a winning shot.
Go to the think circle for your pre-shot routine for every shot to clear your mind from the last point (good or bad) make your decision according to what you saw, trust your subconscious to execute your decision, then your mind and body are synchronized to play the next point.