Here is a question I get especially when USA begins to slowly switch to rally scoring. Does rally scoring change your approach to shot selection? Well, yes of course depending upon the player.
A “rally warrior” who keeps the ball in play but does not skip will be able to function well until they meet the shooter. The shooter can run down that black heavy ball the IRF plays with. So now you end with how “on” the shooter is (or off). Once upon a time I played many matches with a shooter style player in my division. I made him shoot from the back court and he destroyed me. He beat me 15-0 and 15-1 and two weeks later 15-3 and 15-2 (see, I was improving!).
About one month after that, and the last time I ever played him I beat him in two games and won the regionals. That sequence of matches has always stayed with me in my mind when I coach players and they get destroyed by an opponent. I remember thinking before my final match against the player I was describing, “He is not even worried about me. He is on his feet talking with people and totally relaxed.”
Of course my second thought was why should he be worried about someone who has not scored double digits total in the last four games we played! Contrast that with the #1 guy I traveled to tournaments for many years. He took everyone seriously and that is not easy to do. Back to shot selection.
Rally scoring means players have to be aggressive and stay aggressive. If they let up, they let the opponent back in the match. When watching and coaching the IRF matches I think that is a good thing. The old days of go for it on the serve and be cautious in your shot selection changes to to “go for it” but be cautious! Go get’em tigers!