Coach Masaaki Tajima answers the following question:
I would like to know how to play a player with pips
on both sides of his racket; short pips for his forehand and long pips on his
backhand with no sponge? I'm a all around player with a powerful forehand.
Coach Tajima replies:
"I am guessing the pip's player stays close to the
table most of the time since he uses short pip's on his forehand and attacks
with it and blocks or chop with the long pip's."
"I suggest attacking his forehand (Short pip's)
whenever possible because short pip's players are good at attacking backspins
like chops and pushes. And if you attack his long pip's, most likely the ball
will come back with severe backspin so be prepared to push it back right back
to his long pip's, unless you are very skilled at looping severe backspins.
When you push back to his long pip's, he most likely will push it back because
it is hard to attack with long pip's. When he does push, the ball will have
little to no spin so it is very easy to attack it. This is the pattern you
want."
"Long pip's players typically rely on opponents errors
than earning the point so being consistent by reading the pattern is critical.
Remember; the harder you spin (Loop) to long pip's, the more severe the
backspin when it comes back at you. Since you are an all-round power player,
also consider varying your loops with little spin and select which ones to
power."