Game and skills analysis Aikaterini TOLIOU (GRE)

The following observations are of course my personal view and do not claim to be the “truth”!

Here comes Aikaterini TOLIOU (GRE)): Not much to say from just one video!

 

Strengths:

• good footwork
• good fighting spirit (didn’t give up after being down 0:3)
• nice use of long pips to attack on pushes with backhand

Weaknesses:

• defending generally could be more consistent on both sides
• problems when confronted with balls played into her body
• hugh problems when confronted with slow topspins into her forehand (often puts them back off the table or far too high)
• too many backhand security serves
• goes far off the table too early and often without need
• footwork and body placement: She often advances her right leg as if she knows that the ball could only come to her backhand thus blocking her forehand completely

Suggestions:

• practise versatile serves especially also with forehand
• forehand defence should get more constistent, lower and with more chop
• should practise more attacking with forehand in all kind of situations: against pushes, from far behind the table etc.
• should practise defending balls played into her body with backhand and quick lateral footwork.
• maybe she should learn to use defending with long pips on forehand if getting ball low and consistently with pips-in doesn’t work out

Game and skills analysis Elena Dubkova (BLR)

The following observations are of course my personal view and do not claim to be the “truth”!

Here comes Elena Dubkova (BLR):

 

Strengths:

• good footwork
• very consistent defending on backhand
• good defending on forehand
• good backhand serves
• consistent forehand attacking on pushes (though not tremendously rapid or spinny)

Weaknesses:

• generally defending too much and playing too predictable
• forehand defence occasionally goes up too high
• forehand pushes not choppy enough
• serves tend to be “security serves” (make sure that opponent doesn’t attack on serve immediately)

Suggestions:

• learn to twiddle the bat
• practise attacking/pushlifting the ball with pimples from backhand side
• counter attack from far behind the table with forehand topspin
• occasionally use long pips on forehand side to defend on slow but “loaded” topspins
• push less on forehand and try to attack more often with forehand
• should also practise more dangerous serves giving her option to attack right after the serve

Game and skills analysis Li Qian (POL)

The following observations are of course my personal view and do not claim to be the “truth”!

Here comes Li Qian (POL):

Strengths:

• consistent defending on backhand with long pips
• very good physically fitness with some limitations though (see below)
• good attacking quality with long pips on backhand on high pushes or slow blocks
• good backhand serves

Weaknesses:

• forehand attacking quality too poor especially topspin
• defence on both backhand and forehand still often goes up too high
• forehand defence ball taken too high when confronted with very spinny topspin
• forehand push and defence ball is generally not choppy enough (not enough use of wrist)
• a lot of unnecessary “hopping” between ball contacts thus waisting energy and risking not having the legs touching ground when needed
• places the ball still too often down the middle making it too easy for opponent to attack with forehand
• There seems to be a physical limitation where it is not clear to me whether that is hereditary or just a bad habit: Here arms and legs seem to be a little “glued” to the center of the body where as they should be much more flexible.

Suggestions:

• practise more versatile serves also with forehand
• practise more dynamic forehand topspin on pushes
• try counter topspinning from far behind the table with side spin
• test twiddling the bat when pushing to try to force unforced errors
• try to “loosen” arms and legs somehow from behind to close to body when playing
• try to get rid of “hopping” between rallies (probably not possible, I know)

Game and skills analysis Riyo Nemoto (Japan)

The following observations are of course my personal view and do not claim to be the “truth”!

Here comes Riyo Nemoto (Japan):

Strengths:

• good physical fitness and footwork
• consistent defending on backhand with long pips
• consistent defending on forehand

Weaknesses:

• “attitude” problem: Her body language often shows frustration or resignation which you should never show to your opponent
• main weakness is her feeble topspin on pushed balls as you can see in this defender against defender match (Xue Li) even though she beat another defender in the 2014 US open QF
• very much backhand serves only, no versatile serves
• forehand defending consistent but generally to high. In my view because she is not using wrist enought to chop “through” the ball
• not taking advantage of opportunities to attack with forehand topspin. She gets a lot of long pushes into her forehand which she could attack
• often puts the backhand defense ball into the same place on the table making it too easy for the opponent to topspin all the time
• never twiddles the bat
• never blocks back a fast topspin into her forehand

Suggestions:

• practice more versatile serves
• use more often pips in on backhand to push ball back with heavy backspin in order to prevent fast first topspins by opponent
• practice twiddling the bat, make use of pips-in on backhand pushes and block with backhand spontaneously
• attack more with forehand on forehand pushes but also counter topspins from far behind the table
• should practise using long pips for “push-lifting” the ball in order to put pressure on the attacker
• learn to block topspins with forehand also from far behind the table to break the rhythm of the opponent