Forehand Topspin

Liebherr World Team Championships 2004 Group Winners Match:
Timo Boll (Germany) v Ma Lin (China)

A very low body position

Ma Lin adopts a very low body position, lower than players like Wang Liqin and Kong Linghui; the low body position helps him generate a great deal of power from his legs, this enables him to play aggressive forehand topspins; it is the forehand topspin stroke that is his strength.

Success with a quick attack

Timo Boll has a very fast forehand action and it is his ability to attack quickly with the forehand after the service that has brought him so much success. Furthermore, being left handed, his forehand topspin stroke across the table is directed into the right hander's body, a posi­tion from which both a shakehands grip player and a penhold grip player will usually block the return; any other option necessitates tak­ing a risk and for Boll it is a safe tactic that will keep the opponent under pressure.

Playing across the table

Furthermore, if Boll plays the forehand topspin across the table it is impossible for his opponent to gain a wide angled return to his back­hand; the ball may on occasions be blocked "down the line' but Boll can reasonably anticipate the ball being returned either to the middle of the table or back to the forehand.

Turning the body

Note when playing the forehand topspin the extent to which Boll turns his body, uses his legs and bends his elbow quickly before impact.