Loop

An offensive shot hit with heavy topspin, which causes the ball to dip rapidly towards the playing surface. One of the most commonly used shots in the game, the loop, is used to set up a kill, since the opponent's return is likely to be high. Being such an important shot, most players either specialise in looping or in handling the loop.

The amount of forward speed can be varied, for example:

• a ball with extreme forward speed and heavy topspin (known as a powerloop, loop kill or rip)
• a ball with fast forward speed and very heavy topspin (known as a loop drive)
• a ball with medium forward speed and extreme topspin (the typical loop)