(by Steve Hopkins) China currently holds the top three spots in the ITTF World Rankings, so heading into a 3-person team format at the World Team Championships next month, they would be heavy favorites.  That dominant position may have changed today as China announced that neither Ma Long nor Xu Xin will compete. Fan Zhendong […]

(by Steve Hopkins) Dimitrij Ovtcharov announced on Friday that he has had an ankle surgery and will be unable to attend the World Championships next month in Houston. Ovtcharov was in the midst of a solid year, having medaled twice in Tokyo.  He is the World’s No. 8 ranked player, and he won this event in […]

(by Steve Hopkins) Kay Stumper, Germany’s 18 year old phenom, is the World’s top ranked junior.  He entered the WTT Youth Star Contender in Wladyslawowo, Poland, and he did not disappoint. Stumper opened in the Round of 16 with a 3-1 win over Redzimski, topped Poland’s Kulczycki 3-2, beat France’s Poret 3-1, and then beat […]

(by Steve Hopkins) The Los Angeles Table Tennis Association (LATTA) is located in El Monte, California, just to the east of Los Angeles.  The facility is just off of the 10 with easy access to the greater Los Angeles area. LATTA is a non-profit organization established in 1998. The center is one of the largest table […]

(by Steve Hopkins) Massachusetts Table Tennis and Badminton Club (MATTBC) is located in Waltham, about 12 miles to the West of downtown Boston.  The club is just off of I-95 and with easy access via public transportation is centrally located for the greater Boston area. The club is one of the biggest professional table tennis-badminton club […]

(by Steve Hopkins) The end of October is a great time to visit the Nation’s Capitol.  The leaves are changing (peak foliage in the DC area is from October 11-25), weekends are filled with festivals  and events (Fall Harvest Festival is Oct 23-24 at Mount Vernon, and the Smithsonian Craft Show  starts on the 23rd […]

(by Steve Hopkins) The Silicon Valley Table Tennis Club was founded in 2011.  The club features professional flooring, butterfly tables, good lighting and high ceilings.  It is a great environment for elite training.  There is also a Butterfly Pro shop for equipment needs. SVTTC is located in Milpitas, just North of San Jose on the […]

(by Steve Hopkins) Through much of the young German League (Tischtennis Bundesliga or “TTBL) season, second place Ochsenhausen has hung tight in tough 3-2 wins.  Before this weekend, Ochsenhausen had clinched each of those tight matches with a Doubles win, their secret weapon using the two young Polish players who play so well as a […]

(by Steve Hopkins) With many of the highest ranked players taking a break in this window between the Olympics (this Summer in Tokyo) and the World Team Championships (next month in Houston), the Asian Championships was missing a few big names.  Like the European Championships a week ago, there is some opportunity for younger players […]