Butterfly Training Tips: Half-Long Loop from Forehand Corner

June 22, 2020

This instructional video is by Butterfly Coach Jinxin Wang. The technique that is explained in detail is how best to execute the half-long loop from the forehand corner. For More Power: Move over to the right with both legs and drop the right leg lower. Your body should be slightly leaned forward and make sure […]

ITTF Tour Calendar Still Paused through September 6

June 22, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) While many countries are beginning to allow sanctioned events (the US is open to sanctioned tournaments starting in July), the ITTF Tour remains paused. Last week, the ITTF announced that the Czech Open and the Bulgaria Open are both cancelled from the tour schedule. The significance of the decision is that the […]

NBA’s Bubble – Ping Pong, Golf, Billiards Among Limited Leisure Activities

June 21, 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 s or new rules for […]

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Rhode Island Table Tennis Association

June 20, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) In past years, the Rhode Island Table Tennis Association has stated with pride, that our league has been in continuous operation since World War II. Obviously there were holidays, and snow storms, and a location change that has caused some short-term delays or stoppages, but the three month stoppage due to COVID-19 […]

PongNow: Interview with Christian Lillieroos

June 19, 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 USATT Hall of Fame Coach Christian Lillieroos. He has coached some of the best players in the world, and as an ITTF instructor he has also coached some of […]

OPEN DOORS: Puerto Rican National Team

June 18, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins, photo is from ITTF, Marangely Gonzalez photographer) Stringent lockdown measures that have been in place across all of Puerto Rico since March 15th were lifted last week. The Puerto Rican National Team wasted no time in implementing their training plan and bringing a dozen of their Men’s and Women’s players to a […]

Dusseldorf Masters III: Ovtcharov Wins Again

June 17, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) Competitive table tennis is back in Germany in full force. The Budesliga Championships was held over the weekend and the previous two weeks had warm-up tournaments labeled as the Dusseldorf Masters Series. The first Dusseldorf Masters event was won by Timo Boll. In that tournament, Dang Qiu upset Dimitrij Ovtcharov early, and […]

WAB Club Feature: California Table Tennis in Rosemead

June 14, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) Located in Rosemead, California, in the heart of the San Gabriel Valley outside of Los Angeles, is a unique, full-time table tennis facility. California Table Tennis offers 16 Butterfly tables, professional rubber flooring, and some of the best playing conditions available in the United States. The club has 200 active members […]

Bundesliga Finals: Saarbrucken Wins Season After Restart

June 14, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) Like all sporting events, the German professional league, the Liebherr TTBL, was cut short by the Coronavirus Pandemic. Now that play in Germany has resumed, and after the Dusseldorf Masters warm-up events, the final four teams met this week to complete the 2019/20 season with the Semifinal matches occurring earlier in the […]

BUTTERFLY FAVORITES: Timo Boll Reverse Side-Spin Serve

June 11, 2020

This instructional video originally appeared in 2019. The video is titled “How to Reverse Sidespin Serve Like Timo Boll”. In the video, Boll explains how to do a short reverse side-spin serve in table tennis. He demonstrates the technique with examples showing his actual service during matches. Timo Boll has moved on to Dignics in […]