Instructions
Recognize the fact that your opponent is not the opposing player or players, but the pingpong ball itself. You must control it to the best of your ability and work with it to gain points.
Take your time when you serve the ball so that the hit isn't rushed and therefore out of control. Carefully angle your paddle toward where you'd like the ball to go before dropping the ball for the serve.
Be prepared for any shot to return to you, no matter how good or hard your hit was. Do not let your guard down for even a second until the ball is officially out of play.
Assess which play would be the smartest when the ball is being served to you. If it's a long shot, loop your paddle to attack the ball with a powerful hit. If it's a short shot, flip it so that it hits near the edge of the table, making it difficult for the other player to return it.