Answer:
I beat Akira 7-5. I had to mix up a lot of speeds on my shots.
The most important thing is to go for the sharpest angles you can. The best way to do that is to work with the spins he gives you. For example, if you're trying to go to the right, wait for him to give you a slow shot that is spinning into you in that same direction.
Save
On the defensive side, if you see you are out of position, always go for the slow backspin shot to get back.
Also, I won as many points on slow shots as I did getting him out of position and going for a slam in the opposite side. He makes mistakes on slow shots.
**Sometimes, you can get a cheap point on your serve by tossing the ball high in the air and hitting it as high as you can. Once in a while, he'll hit the ball into the back of the table.
Good luck!