Adjust in One Game

October 21, 2024

(by Larry Hodges) Let’s keep this simple. If you lose the first game of a match because it takes you a game to adjust to something the opponent does, that’s okay. Ideally, you’d adjust sooner and perhaps win that first game, but credit your opponent if he’s developed something that wins him that first game. […]

Jha Out in Quarters of Pan Am Championships

October 17, 2024

(by Steve Hopkins, photo ITTFWorld) Seedings matter. This lesson was all-to-clear for Kanak Jha who continues to rise in the rankings, but has not yet reached the levels he had two years ago. Jha entered the event as World No. 72, and after logging two solid wins (over Ramon Vila and Rogelio Castro), he fell […]

Repetitive vs. Variable Tactics

October 14, 2024

(by Larry Hodges) Suppose your opponent has a weak, erratic backhand but a strong forehand. Suppose you get into a fast backhand to backhand rally. Should you keep going to his weak backhand or should you vary things by going to the forehand? The same question can be asked of any tactic – if something […]

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Princeton Pong

October 13, 2024

(by Steve Hopkins) Princeton Pong’s 10,000 square foot table tennis facility is in Princeton Junction, New Jersey. They are located between Philadelphia and New York City – centered in one of the largest population centers in the United States. The elite facility features 14 professional tables, custom sport flooring, high ceilings, great lighting, a player’s […]

Harimoto Wins Men’s Singles at Asian Championships

October 13, 2024

(by Steve Hopkins) Tomokazu Harimoto beat Xu Yingbin, Lin Yun-Ju, Oh Junsung, and Lin Shidong as he won Men’s Singles at the 2024 ITTF-Asian Table Tennis Championships. Lin Shidong was the last of the Chinese players after a series of upsets – but it was Harimoto who headlined on the final day. Harimoto started strong, […]

And Then There Was One: Upset After Upset As Top Chinese Fall

October 12, 2024

(by Steve Hopkins) When’s the last time at a major event that the table tennis community looked at the results and said, What’s Up With China? It could be the venue or the fans or the altitude or the humidity, but at the ITTF-Asian Table Tennis Championships, China is not performing at the elite level […]

Asian Championships: Japan Women Stun China in Final

October 9, 2024

(by Steve Hopkins) China swept Korea in their semifinal match early on Wednesday, the dominating result that we have all come to expect from the squad featuring the top three ranked players in the tournament. For its part, Japan defeated India 3-1, in a match that was just a few points away from a 2-2 […]

China Holds Top 5 in Latest Rankings

October 9, 2024

(by Steve Hopkins) With two recent tour wins, Lin Shidong jumped all the way to No. 3. Wang Chuqin has a huge lead, so despite three early exits from big tournaments, he is in no danger of losing the top spot. In second is Olympic Champion Fan Zhendong, who has been content to rest (and […]

Asian Championships: Faraji is For Real !

October 8, 2024

(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT) Iran’s 14 year phenom, Benyamin Faraji, defeated World No. 1 Wang Chuqin in early Team action at the ITTF-Asian Table Tennis Championships in Kazakhstan. China logged a 3-1 win overall in their Tuesday match, but that one loss is newsworthy. Iran has logged some big upset wins in recent years […]

How to Beat the Crafty Veteran

October 7, 2024

(by Larry Hodges) If you are roughly the same level as the crafty veteran, then the key thing to understand about them is that they are in a state of desperation. Why? Because they can’t beat you, shot for shot, and they know it. That’s why they are forced to be crafty veterans in order […]