OPEN DOORS: Rhode Island Table Tennis to Reopen League

July 15, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) Rhode Island Table Tennis (RITTA) announced this week that they will reopen League play beginning August 3rd. The club has been opened since June when the State allowed gyms and sports venues to reopen. Since then, RITTA has been open on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays with tables available by appointment only. This […]

TEXAS TWELVE – Table Tennis Challenge

July 15, 2020

What is Texas Twelve? Texas Twelve is a project designed to promote Table Tennis in the Lone-Star State by gathering some of the best 12 players in Texas which will be competing in a unique venue, where the spectators can get a premium table tennis experience while being able to enjoy a meal or a […]

BUTTERFLY FAVORITES: The Creativity of Kenta Matsudaira

July 14, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) This is a March 2020 video with clips of Japanese player Kenta Matsudaira. The title is “8 Ridiculous Skills No One Expected” and it focuses on some of the shots that Matsudaira plays that are out of the norm. The first shot is the Tomohawk serve – and the Reverse Tomohawk serve. […]

Coaching Tip Of The Week: Fast, Quick Motions Disguise a No-Spin Serve

July 13, 2020

(By Larry Hodges) Many players learn to put decent spin on their serves. However, they often find it difficult to disguise that spin. Why not develop a no-spin serve, with a fast, violent serve motion? Change directions as the racket contacts the ball (contacting the ball as the racket is changing directions at the split […]

Dusseldorf Masters VI: Duda Does Dusseldorf

July 12, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins, photo by ITTFWorld) The latest installment of the Dusseldorf Masters event was held this week in Germany. This week’s winner, Germany’s Benedikt Duda. The Dusseldorf Masters events have been held through June and July – with the men sitting out in last week’s women’s event where Han Ying defeated Sophia Klee in […]

WAB Club Feature: Vancouver Table Tennis Club

July 11, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) With 5500 square feet and ten tables, the Vancouver Table Tennis Club (VTTC) is one of the largest clubs in one of the largest metropolitan areas in North America. The facility is located near Chinatown just off of Highway 1A. VTTC is open Monday to Friday from 11am -11pm and Saturdays from […]

PongNow: Adam Bobrow

July 10, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) The PongNow interview series discusses table tennis with some of the best players and personalities in the sport. In this edition we have, the Voice of Table Tennis, Adam Bobrow. Adam was a fun player and promoter in the Southern California table tennis scene, working to expand the sport in Universities and […]

BUTTERFLY FAVORITES: Cheng I-Ching Long Serves

July 10, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) This is a recent video posted by Chinese Taipei player Cheng I-Ching. It shows her explaining a skill that players of all levels can use – the long serve. *I am sure there is a lot of great commentary that I am missing (with my language barrier), but the instruction is pretty […]

Open Doors: Jonathan Qin Table Tennis Academy

July 9, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) Jonathan Qin Table Tennis Academy has reopened at their location in Agoura Hills, California. Agoura Hills is in the Northwest of Los Angeles county, North of Malibu. The club did not let rest during their Covid-19 break. They pulled together with fund raising drives. Their first effort raised $1,790 to purchase PPE […]

China Working Hard Under Lockdown

July 8, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins/Photo Courtesy of ITTF) As much of the table tennis world is beginning to emerge from their various lockdown circumstances, many are discussing how they have had to stay fit with robots, limited training partners, and other hardships. This is not the case with the Chinese Team. China’s National Team was abroad as […]