ITTF Announces Updated Olympic Qualification Dates

July 22, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) ITTF has announced key amendments to the qualification system for the Tokyo Olympics. The changes mostly involve updating the calendar to push back deadlines and to use 2021 events and rankings to determine some categories of qualifiers for the Olympics which are now scheduled for 2021. The Continental Qualification Event deadlines for […]

BUTTERFLY FAVORITES: Omar Assar’s Jump Smash

July 21, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) This is a Butterfly Favorite. Egypt’s Omar Assar, World No. 38, explains his favorite shot. Assar has given his jump smash a name: the “Assar Boom”. A message from Omar Assar. Assar uses a customized Butterfly inner fiber carbon (very similar to the ALC Innerforce Blade) and Tenergy 05. Check […]

Dusseldorf Masters VII: Q!

July 19, 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 Dang Qiu. The Dusseldorf Masters series have been held in June and July. This is the seventh event (6 were men’s events and 1 was a female event). The biggest story […]

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Alameda Ping Pong Gym

July 19, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) The Alameda Ping Pong Gym is a new club in the Bay Area. It offers 10 tables and lots of space with newly-renovated lighting and flooring.. With its location on Lincoln Avenue, the Alameda Ping Pong Gym is conveniently located for players on the East side of San Francisco Bay. Alameda is […]

NBA (table tennis) Update

July 19, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) When the NBA restarts the professional basketball season on July 30, it will be under strict lockdown rules that are designed to keep the players, staff, and families separated and safe. The protected area is being called the NBA’s “bubble”. The NBA released over a 100 page set of health protocols for […]

PongNow: Jenson Van Emburgh

July 17, 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, TeamUSA Paralympian, Jenson Van Emburgh. Jenson was named to represent the USA at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. The Games have been pushed back to 2021, so […]

Dusseldorf Masters VI: Video Highlights

July 15, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins, photo courtesy of ITTFWorld) The sixth installment of the Dusseldorf Masters concluded over the weekend. The Semifinals matched Benedikt Duda and Anton Kallberg and also Dang Qiu against Omar Assar. Ultimately, Assar and Duda prevailed in the Semis with Duda winning the Final. The two matches shown below include the Final with […]

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. […]