ITTF Rankings: Fan Holds Top Spot, Calderano Rises to 5

January 28, 2023

(by Steve Hopkins) China continues to holds the top three spots with Fan Zhendong safely ahead (7725 points), Ma Long in second (4400), and Wang Chuqin narrowly trailing in third (4345). The next three spots are Tomokazu Harimoto (3860), Hugo Calderano (3525), and Truls Moregard (3345). The rest of the top 10 are Liang Jingkun, […]

WTT Feeder Doha: A Chinese Sweep

January 26, 2023

(by Steve Hopkins, photo ITTFWorld) It was a Chinese sweep in Doha, as young Chinese players logged wins in every event at the WTT Feeder Doha 2023 event. The Feeder events are for players not at the top of the World Rankings (often outside of the World Top 20) – so its a mix of […]

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Size in Table Tennis

January 23, 2023

(by Larry Hodges) Table tennis is often advertised as a sport that all can play, where size makes no difference. However, it’s not necessarily true. While you don’t have to be tall to win (1971 World Champion Stellan Bengtsson at 5’5″ and three-time World and 2-time Olympic Women’s Singles Champion Deng Yaping was 4’11”), or […]

World Veterans Championships: Americans Make Waves In Oman

January 23, 2023

(by Steve Hopkins) Americans made real waves at the World Veterans Championships in Muscan Oman last week. In particular, two of America’s most recognizable veteran couples managed to bring home medals – Donna and David Sakai, and Connie and Del Sweeris. In Mixed Doubles O75, it was these couples battling in the All-American Final and […]

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Canadian Elite Table Tennis Training Centre

January 23, 2023

(by Steve Hopkins) The Canadian Elite Table Tennis Training Centre (“the Centre” or “Elite”) is a table tennis club and training center in Mississauga, Ontario. Mississauga is just to the West of Toronto, about 30 kilometers from the city center. The facility is just off the Ontario 401 Express, easily accessible to the greater Toronto area. The […]

USATT Announces “Top 15 Clubs”

January 22, 2023

(by Steve Hopkins) Last week, USATT released a list of 2022 Top 15 Clubs. USATT described the criteria for their 2022 Club Awards as being based upon hard work and dedication to the sport of table tennis – and noted their desire to recognize the organization’s leading contributors who promote the sport of table tennis […]

Calderano: Two-in-a-Row

January 21, 2023

(by Steve Hopkins) Hugo Calderano has had a perfect start to 2023 – two WTT events and two wins. In defense of his competition, Calderano has been the top seed in both events – but in Durban last week and Doha this week, the draw was packed with dangerous players in the Top 50 and […]

Anticipation

January 20, 2023

(by Larry Hodges) Many players confuse anticipation with reaction. Reaction is when you see what the opponent is going to do and then respond to it. (You can usually do so before he actually hits the ball, often early in their forward swing. Reaction is almost always more important than anticipation, but both have their […]

Puerto Rico Open: You’re Invited. See You There?

January 20, 2023

(by Steve Hopkins) These Puerto Rico Open invitations/info cards went out this week to WE ARE BUTTERFLY clubs. If you haven’t yet looked at this event, now is the time. $17,000 in prizes. A 4-Star event. International teams. And for those of you in the Northern half of the US (or anywhere in Canada) – […]

Developing Fast Reflexes

January 17, 2023

(by Larry Hodges) “I have slow reflexes!” I’ve heard that so many times in my coaching career and in every case, the player was wrong. Why? Because they don’t understand what gives a person fast reflexes, and how to develop them. Nerve impulses from the brain to the muscles travel at about the same speed […]