New ITTF Racket Compliance Rules

January 26, 2025

(by Steve Hopkins) The ITTF has announced an enhanced racket control process for 2025. The main change is the addition of a post-match inspection phase. ITTF has had a pre-match control phase for a number of years. This layer of checks included a review of flatness, thickness of the covering, and VOC levels. Players who […]

Moregardh Wins Jerring Award

January 26, 2025

(by Steve Hopkins) Truls Moregardh has won the 2024 Jerring Award. The prize is a long-standing sports award in Sweden that is awarded to the best athlete as judged by the radio audience of Radiosporten. Table tennis has long been one of the most post popular sports in Sweden, but this is the first time […]

Practice Each Aspect of a New Technique Separately

January 21, 2025

(by Larry Hodges) Some players try to work on the strokes by trying to learn the stroke, contact, timing, footwork, positioning, and reading of spin . . . all at the same time. That’s like trying to teach the alphabet to a kindergartner by asking him to write essays. One thing at a time! You’d […]

Chuqin, Shidong, Harimoto are Top 3 in Current Rankings

January 19, 2025

(by Steve Hopkins, photo ITTF) Wang Chuqin has started 2025 exactly where he ended 2024 – at the top the ITTF Rankings. Chuqin’s 7367 points has him firmly at the top of the rankings, but only 100 points ahead of second place Lin Shidong. Tomokazu Harimoto is in third position, and after two great finishes (first […]

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Table Tennis & More

January 19, 2025

(By Steve Hopkins) Table Tennis & More (TT&M) was founded by Len Winkler in 1996. Over the years, the club has had many shapes and forms. At one point, the club downsized to a garage – but Len kept it going. Years later, Len moved to Hawaii and started a new TT&M. At that point, […]

Chen Yuanyu Makes a Statement in Muscat

January 19, 2025

(by Steve Hopkins, photo by WTT) Tomokazu Harimoto and Dimitrij Ovtcharov arrived in Oman as the heavy favorites to win the WTT Contender Series event in Muscat. A nineteen year old Chinese player named Chen Yuanyu had other plans, taking out both of the top two seeds on his way to the title. Things started […]

Why Lobbing is Good For You, Why Lobbing is Bad For You

January 13, 2025

(by Larry Hodges) Of course lobbing is good for your game. It wins points that would otherwise be lost. It allows you to practice off-table footwork, which can improve your footwork for counterlooping, fishing, or chopping. It helps you develop topspin touch and control, which can help your counterlooping and fishing. It gives you practice […]

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Sunny International Culture & Sports Center

January 12, 2025

(by Steve Hopkins) Sunny International Culture & Sports Center is located at Scarborough Sheppard, and Brimley Street in Scarborough – a city within the greater Toronto Metropolitan area. The club is just off of the Ontario 401 Express, about 25 kilometers to the North of the Toronto city center and easily accessible via public transportation. […]

USA Win 10 of 12 Events at WTT Youth Contender San Francisco

January 12, 2025

(by Steve Hopkins, photo by WTT) San Francisco was host to the WTT Youth Contender event last week – with the competition held at the 888 Table Tennis Center from January 2 -5. Top junior players were not just from the US and Canada, but also Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Poland, the Philippines, Ecuador, and […]

Harimoto Wins First Tour Event of 2025

January 12, 2025

(by Steve Hopkins, photo by WTT) The WTT Star Contender was the first event of 2025 on the WTT Tour calendar. Tomokazu Harimoto, Dang Qiu, and Patrick Franziska (World Nos. 3, 9, and 10, respectively) were the top three seeds, but Danish player Jonathan Groth (World No. 25) was the biggest surprise. For Harimoto’s part, […]