>>58899288there is. you can shake the map with L and R. using that when the ball is on certain places can stop it and make it go into the bumpers for example, or shaking while hitting the ball can give more control on which direction the ball is send. You can also save your ball sometimes when it goes down on the sides by shaking and bumping it back up.
You basically have to memorize where the ball goes after hitting it at certain speeds and certain angles on your flippers.
As a kid I never used it and thought its pure luck. Now I nearly never lose a ball.