Truls Möregardh's Slap-Shot
Stellan Bengtsson's (Möregardh''s coach at the 2021 World Championships) commentary:
"I mean he does it a lot with his backhand too, where he plays the ball clean. And now everyone is doing the roll, and everyone is doing the counter-loop. When he has the smash, hitting the ball flat, it makes a variation that makes it harder for the opponent, and it becomes unpredictable.
We've been talking with other coaches and players that the smash has actually disappeared from the game. When I played in the 70s up to the 80s, the forehand smash was a big shot. And of course, the Chinese pen-hold players, they use it a lot. Even after '89 when they lost to Sweden, when they took away most of the pips players.
But I think it's a good shot. There's maybe one that I'm not so fond of when he's far away from the table and he feels like he has no other option but to smash it, but I think it's a good variation. And the ball comes faster than it does with the loop."
"I think it's up to everyone to try to incorporate that into the game. I mean it's not an easy shot to do. And Truls has an amazing touch. I don't know if you realize how nice and soft his arm is when he's picking up the balls, and when he's holding the racquet with his right hand there. He's very very loose.
Also you [your elbow and paddle] have to be in front of you when you hit that ball and hit the top of the bounce and sometimes maybe a little bit earlier. Also you hit through the spin. And he does it a lot with his backhand. Maybe some periods I'd say he's a little too open on the angle of the backhand. Because then you get a total dead ball if you make it, but it's also risking a little that the ball is arcing the other way. So you need to be straight and a little bit closed when you do it.
If a player does it, you have to calculate that you're going to miss a few, but when you make them, it's spectacular."
Read the full interview with Stellan here: https://edgesandnets.com/2022/01/27/i...