(by Steve Hopkins) This video was originally posted by ITTF in 2019.  The video is titled “Timo Boll | Top 10 Shots | Table Tennis Legend”.  The video shows clips of recent great shots by Timo Boll, most to close out long rallies.  Interestingly, of this Top 10 list, 6 shots are backhands, 3 shots […]

(by Steve Hopkins) This is a post for fans of USA’s Kanak Jha.  He is a part of the German Budesliga’s TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen.  Ochsenhausen has recently moved up from fifth to second in point totals and is poised to be in the title hunt. For those who have not been able to visit one of […]

(by Steve Hopkins) With the German Budesliga (TTBL) season underway, many Americans have been following USA’s top player, Kanak Jha, who has joined one of that league’s top teams, TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen.  Ochsenhausen has finished near the top in Germany for several years – a strong team where Kanak by ranking is third behind Hugo Calderano […]

(by Steve Hopkins) USATT announced today that they are suspending all sanctioned events and approved activities until January 15, 2021. This is another reaction to health concerns related to Covid-19.  In addition to sanctioned tournaments, the events to be cancelled or suspended includes USATT Leagues, USATT Training Camps, and other Events like USATT’s T2. USATT’s […]

(by Steve Hopkins) I recently had opportunity to try sheets of Impartial XB and Impartial XS.  These are two of Butterfly’s most popular short pips out rubber sheets designed to provide control with spin possible as well. As a 2000-level player, my analysis and comparison of equipment has limits.  I don’t have the arm speed […]

(by Steve Hopkins) From their locations in Fremont and San Ramon on the Southeastern side of San Francisco Bay, the Fremont Table Tennis Academy (FTTA) is easily accessible to San Jose as well as the other major cities that surround the Bay.  The main Fremont location is located on Warm Springs Blvd., sandwiched between the […]

(by Steve Hopkins) With the German Budesliga (TTBL) season underway, many Americans have been following USA’s top player, Kanak Jha, who is joined one of that league’s top teams, TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen.  Ochsenhausen has finished near the top in Germany for several years – a strong team where Kanak by ranking is third behind Hugo Calderano […]

(by Steve Hopkins) We’ve struggled through closures and lock downs – but now we have sports back on TV (including some ITTF events and USATT’s Thursday Night Live Challenge events) and it looks like most US clubs will be back in action in 2021.  Very soon we are all going to have opportunities to return […]

World Rankings for March:  Largely Stable at the Top (by Steve Hopkins/Photo by ITTF) After an eight month hiatus, the ITTF World Rankings are back.  Fan Zhendong tops the final rankings of a very strange year.  He overtakes Xu Xin on the strength of his World Cup title.  Ma Long finishes third, and Harimoto is fourth. […]