October 2020

Ask The Experts: Truong Tu, No. 360

October 13, 2020

Butterfly Table Tennis Question and Answer Question: Hi- I am an intermediate player , have good forehand and learning my backhand to be aggressive. I have been using Nittaku / Darker speed/ Darker imperial for sometime with Dignics 09c 1.9mm forehand , but kept changing backhand rubbers. Now, I am using Timoball ALC, with dignics […]

BUTTERFLY FAVORITES: The Control of Tiago Apolonia

October 13, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) This is a 2014 video posted by TT Tributes. The focus of the video is the control of Portugal’s Tiago Apolonia. Tiago is known for great technique and great movement. He is an exciting and mobile player who has developed a game with many safe and careful shots. His style makes for […]

AIBISS review by Sponsored Coaches and Olympian Tawny Banh

October 12, 2020

(By USA Table Tennis Hall of Fame – Tawny Banh) Butterfly released Aibiss in June of 2020. It is a very tacky, high-friction rubber with a specialized top sheet with a pimple shape that enables heavy spin as well as a curved arc over the net. It has the hardest sponge ever of all Butterfly […]

Coaching Tip of the Week: Don’t Telegraph the Direction of Your Attack

October 12, 2020

(By Larry Hodges) Many players telegraph the direction of their attacking shot. Often, the opponent isn’t sure how he knows where you are going, he just senses it. That’s because when he sees the same stroke pattern resulting in the ball going one way, and another stroke pattern going the other way, it becomes habit […]

USATT Announcement: New Membership Options

October 12, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) USA Table Tennis released a new, simplified membership structure for 2021. Players will now be able to choose a “BASIC” or “PRO” plan option. The BASIC Plan option will only cost $25 per year. It allows players to compete in 4 Star events (and below), and USATT Leagues only. The PRO Plan […]

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Fullerton Table Tennis Academy

October 11, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) Fullerton Table Tennis Academy is located off Imperial Highway in Fullerton, California. The facility is near Bonita Pl and S Harbor Blvd/E Imperial Hwy in the neighborhoods of La Habra. This positions the club just North of Anaheim with easy access to all of the greater Los Angeles area. The Academy focuses on the […]

2020 Chinese National Championship: Fan Tops Men’s Singles

October 10, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) The 2020 Chinese National Championships concluded Saturday in Weihai. As the rounds progressed, the deep field began to narrow until the top players in the world were left. The final two players in the Men’s event were Fan Zhendong and Ma Long – and it was Fan that prevailed 4-3. Fan also […]

PongNow: Michael Landers

October 9, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) The PongNow interview series discusses table tennis with some of the best players and personalities in the sport. This edition features Michael Landers -a top U.S. junior who eventually won the US National Championship, and was a part of several successful US National Teams. __________________________ PongNOW Interview are powered by Butterfly. […]

Ask The Experts No. 359: Brian Pace

October 8, 2020

Butterfly Table Tennis Question and Answer Question: Hello, My name is Daniel Boznea and i live in Romania. At the moment, i play with Mizutani ZLC and Dignics 05, 2.1 mm. If i were to go to Dignics 09 c, you can tell me what i would win and what i would lose? I want […]

Adriana Diaz, Puerto Rico’s “Athlete of the Decade”

October 6, 2020

(Courtesy of ITTF / by Kabir Nagpal) Winner of the women’s title at the Pan America Cup earlier this year, thus on route to next month’s Women’s World Cup, 19-year-old Adriana Diaz has been voted Puerto Rico’s “Marcó La Década”, the athlete of the decade. She appears proudly on the front cover of the Caribbean […]