Cleeve Park Table Tennis Club

One of the biggest reasons players stay stuck at the same level is because they train generally instead of solving the specific weaknesses holding them back.

For example:
🏓 Struggling against spin
🏓 Losing confidence in matches
🏓 Making too many unforced errors
🏓 Not knowing what to practice
🏓 Playing well in training but not in competition
🏓 Losing to “awkward” players

As a coach, I’ve found that improvement becomes MUCH faster when players clearly identify their biggest issue and work on solving it properly.

💡 Quick Coaching Tip:
If you want to improve consistency immediately…

Stop trying to win every point with one big shot.
Instead, focus on:
✔ Better placement
✔ Better balance
✔ More spin
✔ Smarter shot selection

Reliable pressure wins far more matches than rushed power.
That’s exactly why I created the Planet Table Tennis 20 Coaching Guides Bundle.

It contains 20 detailed coaching guides covering many of the biggest problems club players face — with practical solutions, tactics, training advice, and match play guidance designed to help you improve faster.

🔥 SPECIAL OFFER — 30% OFF 🔥

Use discount code:

👉 20B30P

⏰ Offer ends Monday 18.05.26 at 11:30pm GMT

If you want structured guidance to help take your game to the next level, this is one of the best value offers I’ve created.

Link to get this offer:

https://www.planettabletennis.com/ptt-20-guide-bundle-order-form

To your continuous improvement

All the best

Phil

A player said something to me recently that stuck…
“I don’t get it… I play really well in practice, but in matches I just fall apart.”
And honestly, I hear this all the time.
So I watched him train.
In practice:
✔ Good timing
✔ Clean contact
✔ Confident shot selection
Then we played a few match points…
Suddenly:
❌ Balls into the net
❌ Shots going long
❌ Hesitation on simple decisions
Nothing had changed technically.
But everything had changed mentally and tactically.
So we stripped it right back.
We focused on just 3 things:
1️⃣ Understanding WHY the mistakes were happening
Not just “I missed” — but what caused it.
2️⃣ Simplifying his decision-making
Fewer choices, clearer thinking.
3️⃣ Giving his training a clear purpose
Every drill linked directly to match situations.
Two weeks later…
Same player.
Same strokes.
Completely different results.
More control.
More confidence.
Better decisions under pressure.
👉 That’s the difference between just “playing” and actually improving.
Most players don’t need more effort.
They need:
clarity
structure
and the right focus
If you feel like you’re putting the time in but not getting the results…
Start by asking yourself:
“What am I actually trying to fix right now?”
Hope this was helpful
To your continuous improvement
All the best
Phil
P.S. I’ve put together something simple called the Quick Win Improvement Pack that walks through fixing 3 of the most common issues I see (consistency, being stuck, and knowing what to practice).
If that sounds like something that would help, you can check it out here:

https://www.planettabletennis.com/quick-win-improvement-pack

🏓Planet Table Tennis Coaching Day – 29th March 2026 🏓

I’m excited to be bringing back the Planet Table Tennis coaching day together with coach Matt Leete — designed to help players like you sharpen technique, improve match play, and train in a focused, positive environment.

🗓 Date: Sunday 29th March 2026
⏰ Time: 9.30am – 3.00pm
👥 Group session with plenty of individual feedback from Matt and myself.

This coaching day will take place at Cleeve Park Table Tennis Club , Sidcup , Kent. UK

Expect structured drills, tactical coaching, and lots of practical advice you can take straight into your matches.

👉 Spaces are limited — to reserve your place use the link below:

https://www.planettabletennis.com/coaching-day-booking-form-29-mar-2026

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: 07985 343608

Let’s make this a fantastic day of training and improvement for you 💪
To your continuous improvement

All the best

Phil

Question for you:
Ever walked away from a match thinking… “How did I lose that?”
You were the stronger player.
You trained more.
You hit better shots in warm-up.
Yet somehow you lost to someone you know you should beat.
This is one of the most frustrating experiences in table tennis — and it has very little to do with your technique.
From coaching hundreds of club players, these are the most common reasons this keeps happening:
1️⃣ You play the opponent, not the situation
Trying to “outplay” instead of making smart, percentage decisions at key moments.
2️⃣ You abandon your game plan too early
One or two mistakes and suddenly you’re changing tactics every point.
3️⃣ You don’t manage momentum
You win points… but they win the important ones.
4️⃣ You underestimate “awkward” players
Pushing, blocking, slower pace, unusual timing — and suddenly you feel rushed or uncomfortable.
5️⃣ You train well… but compete differently
Great drills, poor transfer into real match pressure.
The good news?
These problems are very fixable once you can clearly see what’s really costing you matches.
That’s exactly why I put together a free guide called:
“Why Am I Losing to Players I Should Beat?”
It breaks down the hidden match-play mistakes players make and shows you how to start turning close losses into wins.
If this sounds familiar, you can grab the free guide here 👇
https://www.planettabletennis.com/ptt-free-bundle-guide
Hope this helps someone pick up a few more wins this season 💪🏓
To your continuous improvement
All the best
Phil

Most players don’t lose matches because of bad technique.

They lose because of bad decisions at key moments.

Here are 3 match-play mistakes I see players making every week:

➡️ Changing tactics too quickly
One lost point and the plan disappears. Good match players stay patient long enough for tactics to work.

➡️ Playing low-percentage shots under pressure
At 9–9, the goal isn’t to hit the winner — it’s to stay in the point and apply pressure.

➡️ No clear plan against the opponent
If you don’t know why you’re serving a certain serve or playing a certain shot, you’re guessing — and guessing costs matches.

If you’ve ever thought:

“I train well… but my results don’t show it”

Then this isn’t a technique issue.

It’s a match play issue.

That’s exactly why I created Match Play Mastery — a practical guide that shows you how to think, plan, and play smarter in real matches so your results finally reflect your ability.

👉 Get Match Play Mastery here and start winning more matches:

https://www.planettabletennis.com/matchplay-mastery

To your continuous improvement

All the best

Phil

Planet Table Tennis Get this free guide on how to improve your table tennis

🏓 How to Win More Matches Without Changing Your Technique

Most club players think they need a better forehand or a faster serve to win more matches…this will help of course but it is not always the case...

Here’s the truth: you can improve your match results dramatically without changing your technique at all.

The difference often comes down to your match play awareness — how well you read the game, make adjustments, and manage your mindset under pressure.

Here are a few practical tips that can make a huge difference:

1️⃣ Use the first few points as a tactical test.

Instead of trying to dominate right away, gather information.
Serve short, long, to both wings — notice how your opponent reacts.
Does their backhand block break down under pace? Do they struggle with heavy spin?
In the first game, your job is to learn, not to win quickly. Once you’ve seen what works, you can attack the weaknesses in games two and three.

2️⃣ Recognize when momentum shifts — and stop it fast.

Every match has key moments when momentum swings. Maybe you’ve gone from 8–5 up to 8–8.
That’s when most players panic and rush.
Take a short breath, slow things down, and use a routine — a deep breath, a bounce, a reset.
One calm point can reset the whole match in your favour.

3️⃣ Don’t get predictable.

Many players fall into patterns their opponents quickly exploit — the same serve, same third-ball attack, same rally pattern.
Throw in variety:

A surprise long serve when they expect short.
A slower, spinny loop instead of power.
A push deep to their crossover point (between forehand and backhand).

Small changes break rhythm and win you cheap points.

4️⃣ Focus on what you can control.

You can’t control the net, the edges, or your opponent’s lucky shots — but you can control your focus and shot selection.
Good match play is about consistency in decision-making. Each point is a chance to make one good, clear choice.

5️⃣ Reflect after each match — not just on what went wrong, but why.

Did you lose because of technical errors, or tactical decisions?
Did nerves change your shot selection?
A short reflection after matches can reveal patterns you can fix next time you play.

You don’t need to overhaul your whole game to start winning more.
You just need to understand how to play smarter — not harder.

Hope this is helpful for you in turning some of those frustrating losses into wins!

To your continuous improvement

All the best

Phil

PS: If you want to dive deeper into practical tactics, mental preparation, and strategies for winning more matches, check out my comprehensive 50 page Match Play Mastery Guide.
👉 https://www.planettabletennis.com/matchplay-mastery

Have you ever walked off the table thinking: “I should have won that match…”?

It’s one of the most frustrating feelings in table tennis. You know you’re capable of more, but somehow the match just slipped away.

Most of the time, it’s not because your technique isn’t good enough. It’s because of avoidable match play mistakes.

I remember coaching a player last season who kept losing to the same opponent. In training, he could beat this guy easily. But in matches? Tight errors, rushed attacks, no clear plan.

Once we broke it down, we realised he was:

Playing too safe on serve receive instead of being positive.

Over-attacking balls that weren’t there to attack.

Forgetting to adjust tactics when things weren’t working.

By simply fixing those habits, he turned it around and beat the same opponent the next time they played.

The lesson is: it’s often small match play adjustments that make the biggest difference to your results.

So here’s something practical for you:

Next time you play, set yourself a “mini-match goal” like:

Stay calm and reset after every point.

Stick to one clear serve + third ball pattern.

Focus on keeping pushes deep instead of half-long.

Just one focus like this can completely change the outcome.

I’ve also put together a free guide called:

“The Top 10 Match Play Mistakes Club Players Make – And How to Fix Them.”

It’s full of practical, easy-to-use tips to help you stop throwing away winnable matches and start playing your best when it counts.

You can grab your free copy here:

https://www.planettabletennis.com/ptt-top-10-matchplay-mistakes-free-guide

What’s the one mistake that costs you the most matches? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

To your continuous improvement

All the best

Phil