Aerobic Table Tennis Hits the Headlines

Steve Rowe is a man putting in the hard yards to bring more female players into the sport. The attraction is a combination of table tennis, yoga and aerobics and the ever attractive outcome of burning calories! Aerobic table tennis has been known to burn between 400 and 600 calories per session. Steve has been doing a great job, centering around his home table tennis club Wigan TTC. Endorsed by female table tennis ambassadors around the world, the project is sure to take off. The likes of Dora Kurimay, Iulia Necula, Hannah Hicks, Kim Gilbert, Carmencita Alexandrescu and Sarah Her-Lee have all showed their support for this innovation in women's table tennis.

Dora Kurimay quotes: "Playing table tennis is a FUN complex exercise. You can play it at any level. Aerobic table tennis is a great way to burn calories, tone your body, meet new people, socialize and make friendships. Last but not least, studies have proven playing table tennis even sharpens your mind! So ladies get out there! We need more women in this sport. I highly recommend this unique program that blends yoga, table tennis, and fun!"

Steve's endeavours have hit the headlines recently with this below article about his efforts in promoting aerobic table tennis. Having recently expanded to 3 table tennis clubs and a bigger following online, Aerobic Table Tennis is sure to be a hit in no time! Make sure you check out the website at Aerobic Table Tennis.

Keep the great work going Steve! :)

Highlights of the Slovenian Open 2012

Well a bunch of people seemed to enjoy highlights of the ITTF World Tour events after I did my first video of the Hungarian Open 2012 last week. So I decided to give a bit more time and potentially make this regular! Here are the highlights of the Slovenian Open 2012. Video quality is quite poor in the earlier stages of the tournament so I centre around the great matches towards the end ;)

Slovenian Open 2012 World Champions Prevail

The semifinals and finals of the ITTF World Tour Slovenian Open 2012 proved to be some interesting matches. Some entertaining, others not so much! The semifinals saw Ma Lin get off to a flying start against Ma Long, eyebrows raised but the World Number 1 powered back to dominate the next 4 sets and claim a place in the final 4-1. The other semifinal was not so entertaining. Xu Xin seemed to have no real control in the match and Zhang Jike looked almost bored, it was a match of errors on Xu Xin's part and not so many good points to be had. Jike claimed a 4-0 win and set up a repeat of the Austrian Open 2011 final with Ma Long.

In the womens event it was plain sailing for Liu Shiwen against defensive player Fan Ying with an easy 4-0 victory. Likewise current World Champion Ding Ning made short work of Guo Yan with a 4-1 win. So the two finals would be between the real power players of Chinese table tennis. Ma Long vs. Zhang Jike and Ding Ning vs. Liu Shiwen. What better finals could you hope for?!

In the finals it was the World Champions and World Cup winners who asserted their dominance. Ding Ning battled point for point up to 2-2 in sets until she broke away and set the damage on Liu Shiwen and won the next two sets to claim the title 4-2. This is a great result after her previous form in Hungary where she was eliminated in the quarterfinals round.

Zhang Jike the victor in Slovenia 2012

 

 

The Mens event proved to be a spectacular match with fans of both players firmly on the edge of their seats. The match of course in Austrian Open style went to the 7th and final set. Great powerplays by both players but it was Zhang Jike who edged ahead 3-2. Ma Long equalised to go to the 7th but Zhang Jike was too good on the day and Ma Long was eliminated. ITTF quote this is the first loss in international competition for Ma Long in 224 days and puts an end to his hopes of edging ahead of Wang Liqin for the greatest number of successive Pro Tour wins.

Overall it was a fantastic tournament. I will be doing another highlights video as I did for the Hungarian Open soon.

Olympic Host Nation's Rising European Star

A year ago if the name Liam Pitchford was uttered on the international table tennis scene the recognition would nowhere near match what it does today. Moving to Ochsenhausen to compete in the Bundesliga, Liam had gone from strength to strength and has become one of Europe's most talked about young players. With outstanding results at the 2011 European Championships and the opportunity to play at the 2012 Energis Masters event, Liam is looking onwards and upwards as the Olympics grow closer. Thanks for the interview Liam!

Full Name: Liam Pitchford
Date Of Birth: 12/07/1993
Nation represented: England
Highest World Ranking: 171

English Number 1 Liam Pitchford

Equipment Used?
Blade: Innerforce ALC

FH Rubber: Tenergy 05

BH Rubber: Tenergy 64

Your Career

How did you play table tennis for, when and how did you start?

I have been playing for about 8-9 years now, I first started when I was at junior school and it was a rainy afternoon so me and 2 friends decided to go inside and see what table tennis was all about.

What has been the highlight of your table tennis career so far?

Winning 2 medals at the 2010 commonwealth games was a major step for me and also beating former world no.1 Vladimir Samsonov last year.

How has your first season at TTF Leibherr Ochsenhausen been? We're you expecting to achieve the results you did in 2011?

Its been very good so far but also difficult to adjust to life in a different country, the practice is very good but I must admit I wasn’t expecting to get the results I got so early after moving here.

Beating Prokopcov, Samsonov and Smirnov are huge results for you, must have been very pleasing, is there anyone specific you would like to try and beat this year if the opportunity came up?

Yes I was very pleased with my results at the European championships. Theres not really anyone specific I would like to beat, just anyone that is put infront of me! Oh and obviously it would be nice to beat a Chinese! 

What is your big goal for 2012?

My main goal is to qualify for the Olympic games, I will hopefully play the qualification event and try and qualify through there and if not the host nation gets some automatic places so hopefully I have a good chance to play!

You recently played Timo Boll and Werner Schlager at the Energis Masters Games, what was that experience like and how do you feel you played those matches?

It was a great experience to play two legends of the game, I felt I performed quite well they just had more consistency and quality when it was tight.

Image from the Telegraph UK

What is your week like in terms of training, Bundesliga matches and ECL matches?

It depends if and when we have matches really, normally we are practicing 2 times per day Monday to Friday with maybe taking 1 session free then 1 time Saturday and normally a bundesliga match on Sunday!

How has living in Germany been? You seem to have really become part of a great team and of course live with Jonathan Groth and are close with your teammates Tiago Apolonia, Kirill Skachkov and Andrej Gacina.

Its been difficult to adjust to but also a great learning experience and I am really enjoying it now so hopefully more results will start to come!

The big question, FIFA seems to be the ultimate challenge among your team. So of the 4 of you who is actually the best player statistically? And I noticed you pair up also which is the winning pair so far?

Haha I think im the best player to be honest ;) well last time me and Kirill won 5-1 so I would have to say us but its actually quite even which makes it more fun!

Off the Topic Questions

Who’s your favourite sportsperson of all time?

Lance Armstrong

Favourite food?

Pasta

Dream Car

Aston martin V12 Vanquish

Ideal holiday destination?

Somewhere warm 

First thing you would do if you won $1million?

Good question! I would probably buy my dad his dream car and buy mine also.

The fantastic victory of Liam over Vladimir Samsonov

Your Team Mates

Who trained the hardest in the training hall?

Everyone trains hard but I would say Ovidiu Ionescu (Romania)

Who’s was the funniest team player?

Tiago Apolonia

Who had the best nickname?

Jonathan Groth – Johnny Drama

Last time I asked you a question about your teammates but you hadn't really got to know them yet so here goes:

If you could use one word to describe each of your teammates and training partners what would it be?

Andrej Gacina: Fighter

Tiago Apolonia: Funny

Kirill Skachkov: Laid-back

Jonathan Groth: Talkative (never stops asking questions) 

Hunor Szocs: Talkative (never shuts up) haha

And Lastly

Would you like to add one last tip, or an inspirational message for other table tennis players looking to succeed?

Never give up! Even if youre going through a bad patch nooone is stopping you from succeeding and doing the best you can!

Slovenian Open 2012 The Semifinals for China

The Quarterfinals of the Slovenian Open were the end of a fantastic run by Canadian Eugene Wang who ran into World Number 1 Ma Long. He was subsequently dispatched 4-0. The other surprise quarterfinalist Mihai Bobocica was also sent home in straight sets after encountering Zhang Jike.

Ma Lin back on track?

The great news for Ma Lin fans is that he seems to have recovered some form and dominated his teammate Wang Hao 4-1. Ma Lin will face Ma Long in the semifinal of the event, it will be interesting to see whether he can turf up distant memories of the 2011 China Open.

Joo Se Hyuk's fantastic form of the Hungarian Open was brought to an end in the quarters in Slovenia as the innovative left handed pengrip player Xu Xin defeated him and setup a semifinal appearance with Zhang Jike. Could it be possible for Xu Xin to beat Zhang Jike and potentially setup a rematch with Ma Long? We will have to wait and see!

Slovenian Open 2012 Last 8 Confirmed

Well we got some grand repeats of WTTC matchups with World Number 1 Ma Long dampening the spirits of Bojan Tokic fans who eagerly awaited a return of Tokic's WTTC form from last year, it was not to be with the invincible Ma Long sealing a 4-1 win. Another of last year's epic duels repeated was Patrick Baum and the on-form Joo Se Hyuk who proved he had just as much tactical prowess in attack as in defense and re-instated a 4-2 victory for the 2nd year in a row.

Canada's Eugene Wang
Image from the Canadian Chinese Table Tennis Association

The surprise entry for this years tournament is Eugene Wang of Canada. Surpassing Gao Ning and Yang Zi of Singapore in the previous 2 rounds, he continued to cause upset by beating Tan Riuwu of Croatia. Eugene was runner up at last years US Open after a close 7 set loss to Thomas Keinath, so these results are outstanding for him. Joining him in the department of respectable results is young German player Patrick Franziska who defeated Tiago Apolonia already this tournament and was knocked out with a hard fought 4-2 loss to Xu Xin.

Yan An's tournament hopes were cut short by World Champion Zhang Jike. Many hoped to see Yan An give the 2011 World Cup winner a run for his money, especially after Zhang's Hungary Open straight set loss to Joo Se Hyuk. But Yan was unable to keep up with the masterclass and was sent home 4-1. Ma Lin and Wang Hao both cruised through with 4-0 victories also.

Mihai Bobocica is another hanging on tight in the draw. The Italian player led a 4-2 win over Croatia's Roko Tosic in the round of 16. He had previously beaten Robert Svensson 4-0 in the round of 32 and had been the lucky player to advance from Kim Min Seok's first round disqualification.

Slovenian Open 2012 Up to Round of 16

Well the round of 64 was interesting enough in itself with both Bastian Steger and Gao Ning suffering horrific upsets . Thomas Keinath was also able to overcome Torben Wosik in a 4-2 victory. Alexander Shibaev and Lee Jung Woo scraped by in 7 sets while Chen Weixing dealt a 4-0 blow to Fedor Kuzmin and Simon Gauzy did the same to Koreas Jung Young Sik. For the Chinese players it was plain sailing into the round of 16.

Canadian player Eugene Wang who had upset Gao Ning in the round of 64 continued on his run with a 4-3 win over Singapore's Yang Zi. Young Chinese star Yan An made some fluid movements by dispatching Chen Weixing 4-0 without any difficulty at all.

Bojan Tokic vs. Ma Long
Image Courtesy of ITTF

The round of 16 will give us what we all wanted, a repeat matchup of Bojan Tokic and Ma Long and hopefully a repeat of that quality WTTC match. Eugene Wang will face Tan Ruiwu of Croatia to test his nerve. Another WTTC matchup to be watched is Joo Se Hyuk and Patrick Baum no doubt that will be an exciting matchup. AND of course Yan An will meet up against Zhang Jike, definitely one not to be missed!

Highlights of the Hungarian Open 2012

Well with the first event of the ITTF World Tour complete I think table tennis has gotten off to a fantastic start this year. The Lunar New Year of the Dragon is certainly looking prosperous! With better entry level than previously (high number of Chinese entrants) and a far bigger following in terms of spectator involvement, specifically on TableTennisDaily where ITTF Live Stream has been combined with popular chatroom, table tennis popularity is on the rise. With Slovenia coming up very shortly I took a moment to slave away and look back quickly on the best of the Hungarian Open 2012.

Romania's Table Tennis Hero - Adrian Crisan

For some of you Adrian Crisan may not have been a big name until you saw him in the Semifinals in last weeks Hungarian Open. But for those of us who have been on the scene a while, Adrian was in the top 20 in the world for over a year back in 2006 and recorded wins against players like Timo Boll and Michael Maze. Since 1997 Adrian has played the German league and spent 10 years representing Ochsenhausen in the Bundesliga. He recently moved to play for Werder Bremen. On WR he has qualified for the Olympics so best of luck to him. Thanks Adrian!

Full Name: Adrian Crisan

Date of Birth: 7.5.1980

Nation Represented: Romania

Highest World Ranking: 10

Adrian at the 2008 Beijing Olympics

Equipment Used:

Blade: Chuang Chih-Yuan Wood

FH Rubber: Tenergy 05 

BH Rubber: Bryce Speed fx

Your Career:

What is your biggest and proudest moment in table tennis to date?

When we won the German Championships with Ochsenhausen and the 3 cups also, were very very special to me and when I win the Brazil Open.

On World Ranking you have qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games, what do you hope to achieve there?

I want to win one medal in the Olympics, this before Budapest :)

Why do you think the Chinese are so dominant in the sport? Who do you think will be the next country to rise and start beating them?

I think Japan become stronger and stronger, Germany and Korea too. I think Chinese are good because they have a lot of players and top coaches and they have big advantages with the material, this is my personal opinion.

What do you think the sport of table tennis is lacking around the world? What could be done to improve it from an international player’s perspective?

I don't know what we have to do really. We have a small sport, cannot compare ever with football or tennis. I will like that we have better prize money, and maybe have like tennis with 4 grand slams or something with big money. A World Tour with much more money would be nice :)

You recently started playing Bundesliga for Werder Bremen after 10 years at TTF Leibherr Ochsenhausen, has this been a big change for you? How do you feel about the German League system for your game?

It was a big change for me moving to Bremen, moving from small Ochsenhausen 9000 people to Bremen 500000, and from deep south to the far north, it is change, people are diferent, climate is very different, but nice people everywhere, in south and in north I was lucky. Very good time I spend in Ochsenhausen, never will forget, and now I feel happy in Bremen, it's really a nice club and I will like to win one title here too. I feel Bundesliga a very strong league, very dificult to play, happy to play so many years here and hope for some more, for my game was very important, playing top players every week bring much to my game and a lot of experience.

Adrian in 2012's Romstal Romania Calendar

What do you think is most important in creating a successful international player?

The most important thing is to have patience after you train hard. I think I like this.

If you are winning 10-0 do you give a point or try and win 11-0?

I will give one point.

How was your confidence level going into your match with Joo Se Hyuk in the Semifinal of the Hungary Open? Did you think you had a good chance to perform well and how did you feel you performed in the match?

I go into to semifinal with confidence , I was thinking I had a chance. I had a chance during the match also , but unfortunatly I start to bad and make unforced errors too many in beginning.

You managed to defeat Chen Weixing by 4-2, was this a good warmup for playing Joo for you? How different is the gamestyle when you play Chen and Joo?

Against Chen I was playing good and feel good all the day, also earlier against Gionis . Compare Joo and Chen , I think Joo defend more with forehand side and Chen attack more. Both unbelieveble top players.

Adrian's Semifinal match vs. Joo Se Hyuk

Hungarian Open 2012

Hungarian Open 2012 Ma Long Takes the Win

It was a moment of anguish for Joo Se Hyuk fans around the world who were pulled to the very edges of their seats and beyond as Joo exhibited some of the most fantastic form seen in his career in the Hungarian Open Final against World Number 1 Ma Long. The 7 set match was a battle of wills and Joo demonstrated some incredible defensive play and, as in previous rounds, some incredible attacking plays.

Ma Long the victor as we watched on TTDaily live!
Image from TTDaily

With Ma Long struggling almost throughout the entire match to come to terms with Joo's seemingly inpenetrable defensive show, it was very on and off for him during the match as he found momentum and then lost it. Joo held a 3-2 lead and put up a fantastic fight. In the end it came down to a few rushed attacking plays from Joo which cost him crucial points in the match. Personally I can't wait for the video to come out because the match itself was at the pinnacle of table tennis matches, it really was superb. Ma Long takes away his 13th Pro Tour title and wins the first event on the 2012 ITTF World Tour, a great step on his way to the Olympic Games selections.

In the womens singles final it was Liu Shiwen continuing her string of fantastic results who won over compatriot Guo Yan by a 4-2 margin. So again the two names of Ma Long and Liu Shiwen are in the spotlight in the leadup to the Olympic Games. The event was fantastic, the entry level was awesome in comparison to previous years, the fans were pumped, a great sign of growth in the sport. Table Tennis Daily hosted it's fantastic ITTF Live Stream Chatroom which has been absolutely awesome, make sure you are there next time! Stay Tuned for the Slovenia Open coming soon!

Hungarian Open 2012 Bwin Sports Betting

Even a little can go a long way if you think you know your stuff when it comes to table tennis. The Hungarian Open is just one of many events which Bwin host for sport betting. Along with all of the ITTF World Tour Events, Bwin also covers French League and Bundesliga matches, Champions League matches and even the Challenger Series as well as the World Championships and World Cup!

I've been enjoying my Hungarian Open taking picks with a little bit of cash to play with :)

You can get up to $50US or 50EU 100% match deposit bonus by clicking the Bwin advertisement on the left hand side of my blog. I can tell you now it makes the matches more exciting!

Bwin also offer betting on a number of other sports, be sure to check it out even if only for a look!

Hungarian Open 2012 Final Battle for Gold

The Semifinal matches produced some great spectating with two incredible displays of table tennis. In the first semifinal it was Ma Long vs. Xu Xin. The creative Xu Xin who had been found to have fluctuating momentum at the 2011 World Uni Games (i.e goes on long runs of winning or losing) started off poorly losing the first two sets; 11-3 and 11-9. The start of the 3rd signalled Xu Xin's awakening, rallies increased in length and accuracy and Xu Xin was able to claw his way back to equalise at 2-2 winning 12-10 and 11-7. Ma Long fans sat on the edge of their seats and cried in anguish as Xu Xin stole the 5th set 11-7 also. This meant Xu Xin was just a set away from unseating the World Number 1. Ma Long however had other ideas, he stormed forward in the 6th set but Xu Xin clung on to the very end, ending a nervous 11-9 and setting up a 7th set just as in the previous round with Chen Qi. Ma Long fought it out and after droppi
the highlights video.

Ma Long moves to finals
Image on Sulekha.com

The other semifinal proved to be just as fantastic in skill level and intensity. Joo was able to comfortably win the first set 11-7 but Crisan found some rhythm in the second set and was able to draw even, winning 11-8. Joo playing plenty of attacking balls in the next couple of sets and seeming to retrieve every ball it was 11-8 and 11-5 to Joo giving him a 3-1 lead. Adrian fought hard in the 5th set playing patiently and drilling some spectacular wide angle forehand loops he claimed that set 11-8. Joo simply needed one set to close and held 4 match points. Crisan saved one with a great flick and Joo used his timeout with 3 match points to move to the finals against Ma Long. Pressure showed after Joo missed an easy forehand ball, leaving 2 match points. The final point was one of consistent defending and one final winner to win the set 11-8 and the match 4-2.

Hungarian Open 2012 The Semifinals are Set

The players through to the Quarterfinals proved to be no major surprises with the top half of the draw being dominated by the Chinese players: Ma Long, Ma Lin, Chen Qi and Xu Xin. Zhang Jike joined them to make 5/8 players Chinese in the Quarterfinal round.

The other contenders were Romania's Adrian Crisan, Joo Se Hyuk and Chen Weixing. All of those players advanced to the Quarterfinal round in no more than 5 sets, a dominant field of results.

Chen Qi puts an end to the momentum of Simon Gauzy

The quarterfinal matches were great level table tennis and it was almost the end of the road for World Number 1 Ma Long who could only manage a 12-10 7 set victory over compatriot Chen Qi. The left hander who won the English Open last year seemed to have been fairly quiet after then so great to see him back and of course opens up the question going into the semis of whether Xu Xin has the potential to knock Ma Long out of the event. The other semifinal will see Adrian Crisan, who beat Chen Weixing 4-2, play against none other than Joo Se Hyuk.

Joo Se Hyuk moves into the Semis
Image Courtesy of ITTF

The Korean Chopper who never ceased to enthrall his fans led a fantastic 4-0 victory over current World Champion and World Cup winner Zhang Jike. Ma Long fans still hold confidence but you just can't tell who will take the Hungarian Open 2012 crown.

Hungarian Open 2012 Round of 32

A lot of anticipation as we wait for Ma Long, world number 1 to go head to head with 2011 European Top 12 Champion Kalinikos Kreanga from Greece. Heading into the Round of 32 were the usual suspects however, some did not make the cut and there were some fantastic matches indeed.

Li Hu of Singapore was upstaged in the first round in a very tight 4-2 loss to Tomislav Rubcic of Croatia. The proximity has seen a high number of Croatian entrants into the competition and come great results from them so far. Simon Gauzy was off to a flyer with an amazing 4-1 victory over Kim Min Seok, who many have spotted as 'the one to watch' in 2012. Having risen to 23rd in the world rankings, Min Seok was a major contender and hopeful for the event, but alas the fiery french youngster brought his run to an end before it began. Another young frenchman to make an impact was Romain Laurentz who dispatched of highly ranked Singaporean table tennis star Gao Ning 4-1.

Hungary's Daniel Zwickl advances to the Round of 32
Image Courtesy of ITTF

All eyes of course were on Ma Lin to see if a repeat of his self-destructing first round form was on the cards, he made way easily with a 4-0 win so we will have to continue to follow his results in the next round.

Quite possibly the best part of the day for the hosts, Hungary, was seeing 2 of their players advance into the round of 32. They were Daniel Zwickl,who was able to lead off with a first round 4-1 win over Brazil's Cazuo Matsumoto, a fantastic result for him and for the host nation. The other being Adam Lindner who led another big upset over Korea's young star Seo Hyun Deok, 4-2. A great day for Hungary but so far not so ideal for Korea, with also Lee Sang Su falling to Mihai Bobocica of Italy 4-0.

For England it could have been a double strike but unfortunately it was not to be. Andrew Baggaley was successful in defeating Emmanuel Lebesson 4-1, but for Paul Drinkhall matters were a lot tougher. Having attained a 3-0 lead on former Commonwealth Champion and Egypt Open winner Achanta Sharath Kamal he was unable to close off the deal and the Indian favourite found his game and led a huge comeback to steal away the win in the final points of the 7th set.

Fantastic games for the Round of 64 with lots of upsets, just how we like it. Now looking forward to the Round of 32 some great matchups, Baggaley will have a chance to continue in the tournament if he can defeat the homeside's Adam Lindner while Ma Lin will face Kamal, somehow I think Ma Lin should be feeling confident about that one, we will have to wait and see! See the rest of the draw here.

Hungarian Open 2012 Round of 64

The round of 64 sees a fairly standard draw going forward with the main event. The biggest surprise of the groups was Ovidiu Ionescu of Romania who defied odds to qualify for the main draw. Leading the field of course is top seed Ma Long, current World Number 1. Significant challenge in second seed place being Zhang Jike the reigning World Champion and World Cup winner. This really is a battle of wills with the Olympics drawing so close. Xu Xin also enters his name, it will be interesting to see what he can achieve and also of course Chen Qi who showed significant skill and results at the beginning of last year, winning the Pro Tour English Open.

Can Xu Xin cause a disturbance in the seedings?
Image from Zimbio

No doubt eyes will be on Ma Lin in the first round with his previous downfalls in that stage of Pro Tour Events, will 2012 be the year that Ma Lin's superior experience comes back to the foray, or will he continue on his downward trend? The Hungarian Open will be sure to be a fantastic event, as the first leg of the refined ITTF World Tour Event. I'm backing a Zhang Jike, Ma Long final but with Xu Xin in the draw and some great matches so far you can never really tell!

Bwin offers live sports betting on the Hungarian Open, the link on the left hand side of my blog will take you there and offer a nice deposit bonus for those who like their chances of picking winners!

Ping Pong Passion meets Ping Pong Fashion: Spin, Style and Sarah Her-Lee

It was a great pleasure for me to interview a good friend of mine who's making her imprint on the world of table tennis with unlimited passion for the sport and for fashion. I've known Sarah for many years and she's always aimed high and then got out there and done what it takes to do her best which is something I've always admired. She currently plays for Borussia Munster in the German League. Thanks for the interview Sarah! You can see her blog here.

Sarah poses on the table at the Gala Style Club

Full Name: Sarah Her-Lee

Age: 26

Nation represented: New Zealand

Highest World Ranking: 818

Sarah Her-Lee 's latest fashion photos

Equipment Used?

Blade: TIBHAR Stratus Powerwood

FH Rubber: TIBHAR Aurus soft 2.1

BH Rubber: TIBHAR Aurus soft 2.1

Your Career

How long have you been playing table tennis for, when and how did you start?

I have been playing for about 12 years now, I started in New Zealand when I was 14. My dad took me down to our local table tennis stadium to play and I was asked to join the junior weekly squad. I also played a lot since then with dad at home in the garage! (he bought a table soon after).

What has been the highlight of your table tennis career so far?

Winning the North Island Championships (2nd biggest tournament in New Zealand) – Gold in singles, doubles and mixed doubles - two years in a row (2010, 2011)

What are your table tennis goals for 2012?

To make the New Zealand team for:

1. The Oceania Olympic Qualifying Team in Sydney, Australia (March)

2. The World Team Championships in Dortmund, Germany (March/April)

3. The Oceania Championships in Fiji (May/June)

4. The Olympic Games in London, England (August)

To win more matches for my team at club level, to improve the singles/doubles winning statistics. Work together with my team so we can go up to division 3 next season.

To defend my titles - singles, doubles and mixed doubles at the New Zealand North Island Championships (May).

To win the New Zealand Open in Singles - this one, I think most New Zealand playes would agree, is the most prestigious title a NZ player can have - a national title

There are a few more goals but these are the main ones =)

Sarah Her-Lee New Zealand Representative

Who is your favourite international player and why?

I like Soo Yeon Lee, she was the New Zealand Champion in 2004 and she is the first to bring fashion into table tennis and present table tennis in a fashionable way to the public.

What do you think is the place of fashion in women's table tennis?

There isn’t really any women’s fashion in table tennis. Mostly, the women wear what the men wear, just in a smaller size.

I think it would be nice if there were more fashion styles in women’s table tennis. So, in addition to shirts and shorts, there can also be skirts, tank tops, t-shirts and dresses. I don’t think everyone should wear the same things because we are all different and have our own styles. But at the moment most players wear the same thing – shorts, black skirts and shirts.

We can look to tennis women for ideas and inspiration, because they are the most successful and highly paid female athletes in the world.

Forbes released the Top 10 Highest paid female athletes last year, and there were 7 tennis players in the top 10. Their 2011 income ranged from 6 million to 25 million and they all make an effort in their appearance and outfits. However, fashion hasn’t always been as apparent in tennis in the past. Back in 1997 the women still wore shirts and skirts, but now they mostly wear dresses or matching top and skirt.

In comparison, table tennis players still wears what tennis players used to wear more than a decade ago. I think we can try different outfits and look towards tennis players because they must be doing something right!

(The Australian Open is on right now, you can see all the nice outfits the players wear!)

Are you a supporter of skirts and sports dresses for women or shorts?

I think we have room for all of the above. Some people look best in shorts, some in dresses and some in skirts. I am not opposed to shorts, I just think it would be nice to have other styles available.
Also I really like the Romanian Women's team, their calendar shoots are very styley and sexy.

What do you think of the state of women's table tennis around the world?

I think it is good (except for the fashion), and I love watching all the international matches, especially players from China, Singapore, Japan and Romania.

What inspired you to start your blog? How long has it been running now?

I had the account since May 2009. In the beginning I started my blog mainly to keep my sponsors up to date - Tibhar, Prestige Lawyers, Olympic Pools and Fitness, Waikato University Sir Edmund Hillary Programme and Star Cosmetics. I also thought it would be a good idea to show New Zealand players what it is like to play in Europe. I also hoped to inspire New Zealand junior players, to show them what is out there and what is possible.Also when I was young I used to hear about the NZ Senior players playing professionally in Europe and Japan, but it was hard for me to imagine what that was like and I didn't come across magazines or newsletters detailing their experiences. Back then I didn’t think that my blog would be read by so many people around the world.

I also like writing, photography and documenting things, I made table tennis scrap books for years 1999- 2004. That was before I used facebook and online blogging was not so common. So I had a lot of photos that was printed out as well as tournament pamphlets and programmes, I would cut pictures out and write about different experiences.

The two scrap books are back in New Zealand. Maybe when I go back I can try add the 1999-2004 contents to my blog too!

Sarah won the triple crown at the North Island Championships in New Zealand

You made a lot of sacrifices to move to Germany to train to reach your goals, how do you feel you have progressed and do you think it has been an experience worth the sacrifice?

Since I came to Germany I have learned so many new things about table tennis. It is totally different to playing in New Zealand. It is also completely different to training trips to Asia (I have been to Taiwan for training 3 times – each time for about 2 months during my university summer break). It is awesome to play in Europe, it is more competition based, whereas in Asia it is more training based – even players from Taiwan, Korea and China play in the German leagues.

I think I am still progressing, I look forward to playing New Zealand/Australian players in the near future as I think that is one of the ways I can measure my progress.

The experience is always worth the sacrifice if you are following your dreams and goals. But you also have to have good plans – financially and career-wise, otherwise the sacrifices may be more than you can afford.

What has been the highlight of your time overseas so far?

There are so many =) Playing for my club – I am very lucky to be a part of a club which has a coach and 3 women’s teams and who are very nice players and look out for me. To be able to compete at international tournaments such as the Swedish and Finland Open, the Norway Cup, to be able to play against Ding Ning the current world champion and world number 1.

To attend the German magazine “GALA” end of season party that involved the table tennis night club – SpiN New York, that was so much fun.

Had the chance to visit London and Paris during the mid season break.

The World Championships this year is in Dortmund – very close to where I am in Germany, and that is going to be an amazing Championships!

Do you think training in high level countries, the likes of Germany and China, Korea etc is necessary in building the skillbase and knowledge to become a professional player?

Yes definitely.

I know you love posing for photos, which is your favourite one so far? :P

Haha yes I really like photography and it is a way to capture a special moment forever!

I like the one of myself and Michelle Beaumont at the Finland Open teams event, we had an upset win over a Walsh pair in the doubles and we gave each other a high five! It was only weeks later that I found out there was a photo by Stu Bromley which captured that moment!!

I also like the one from the Gala party, where I am photographed in a red dress, with the founders of SPiN - Franck Raharinosy and Jonathan Bricklin playing table tennis next to me – I am a huge fan of SPiN and their work and I was so excited to meet them and to be at the event.

Sarah Her-Lee : Dressed to impress! :)

Off the Topic Questions

Who’s your favourite sportsperson of all time?

In table tennis there are many players that I like – Chen Jing, Wang Nan, Li Ju, Zhang Yi Ning, Guo Yan, Liu Shiwen, Ding Ning, Wang Yue Gu, Feng Tienwei, Ai Fukuhara, Viktoria Pavlovich, Yu meng Yu, Georgina Pota, Daniela Dodean, Natalia Partyka, Zhenqi Barthel.

From other sports: Nastia Liukin (gymnastics), Maria Sharapova (Tennis).

Favourite food?

Taiwanese food – especially the breakfast shops :P Japanese, Thai, European food – Pasta and Pommes mit mayo :P

What do you do when you aren't playing table tennis?

Relaxing, catching up with friends, shopping, cooking, cleaning, studying, reading, blogging, photography, writing, travelling.

Dream Car?

I’m not really into cars… more into bags and shoes and a nice house with good bathrooms 

Ideal holiday destination?

Somewhere I haven’t been. (and preferably go in spring/summer time)

First thing you would do if you won $1million?

Move into a national training centre, hire a full time coach, hire full time training partners, hire a full time gym trainer, enter international tournaments.

And Lastly

Would you like to add one last tip, or an inspirational message for other table tennis players looking to succeed?

"Live with the pain of discipline, not the pain of regret." - Hans Florine

Have the courage to follow your dreams – keeping in mind that it takes good planning, good advice, hard work, determination and sacrifices. But in the end, as long as you have tried and did everything you could, there will be no “what ifs”, “could haves” and “should haves”. There will be no regrets.

Sarah gets the opportunity to play Ding Ning at the Swedish Open

Blast from the Past: NZ Hall of Fame Inductee Peter Jackson

Peter Jackson is a New Zealand Hall of Fame table tennis player, 3 time Olympian and attended 5 World Championships representing NZ and many other international events. He was a 2 time Oceania Champion and 2 time NZ Mens Singles Champion. He was kind enough to do this interview with me. Thanks Peter.

Full Name: Peter Stuart Jackson
Date Of Birth: 22/10/64
Nation represented: New Zealand
Highest World Ranking: 113

Peter (1987)
Photo from TTNZ

Equipment Used?

Blade: Butterfly Power Drive
FH Rubber: Tenergy 64 max now but used Sriver for a long time as well as Sriver FX and Bryce
BH Rubber: Tenergy 05 max, also Sriver Sriver FX and Bryce


Your Career

How long did you play table tennis for, when and how did you start?
I started playing table tenis whenI was about 7 years old. We had a table tennis table in our garage which was always up and my mother and older brothers all played along with my father who was NZ champion several times.

What was the highlight of your table tennis career?
There were several highlights. Winning the 1993 NZ Men’s singles title defeating Barry Griffiths in the final after losing to him in the final 5 times. Winning the NZ Men’s singles title in 1990 after losing in the final 5 times. Winning the Oceania Men’s singles title in 1990 and 1996. Competing in the Oympic Games was also a highlight and winning the Oceania Olympic qualifying tournaments in 1991, 1996 and 1999 were big highlights.

How do you feel the game has changed playing now from when you played yourself?
The game has changed a lot with the new rules for scoring and the larger ball, the banning of speed glue and the implementation of more strict rules regarding service. Rallies are slightly longer now which makes the game more physical.

More specifically what is it do you think that allowed a higher standard of players in New Zealand in your era as a Senior Representative than those in our teams now?
I think there are many other sports and activities that interest the youth of today more than table tennis. Table tennis needs to try new things to make the game more interesting to the youth of today.

Who was your biggest rival out on the table in your career?
Barry Griffiths. We were mostly in the same age group as juniors and were almost always competing against each other in tournament finals in Auckland and in NZ competitions.

Tell us a bit about where you trained and where you played during the peak of your career and how it differed from NZ.
In 1988 I travelled to Europe and after palying professionally in England for 1 ½ seasons I moved to Belgium. This was where I was fortunate enough to be able to train with the Belgian national team. I was also able to compete in many International tournaments in Europe from 1989 to 1995. The top player from Belgium at the time was Jean-Michel Saive who was ranked number one in the world in 1995. The intensity and quality of the training was much better that what I could experience in NZ.

You are a bit of a family man now, do you still get the opportunity to play much?
I still play for a club in the national league in France but not at the same level as before. I still enjoy playing and trying to find ways to beat the younger players.

1988 Asian Champs Report from Butterfly
Peter Bottom-Left
Image from TTNZ

Most young players like myself have never seen you play a match, tell us a little bit about your game style and how you liked to play.
I am left-handed and play a topspin style game from both backhand and forehand. I would often try to execute counter topspin close to the table from the forehand side.

What do you believe table tennis needs to raise its profile in New Zealand?
I think that table tennis needs to try new ways to attract youngkids to the sport. Innovations like 20/20 cricket are what I think is needed. Increasing the base is the only way that NZ table tennis can succeed.


Off the Topic Questions

Who’s your favourite sportsperson of all time?
Waldner is exceptional in table tennis. Otherwise Roger Federer.

Favourite food?
Pasta and pizza and Thai food

Tennis or Table Tennis?
I have never been much interested in tennis.

Dream Car
I am not that into cars but would like a Porsche

Ideal holiday destination?
I loved Mallorca when I went there

First thing you would do if you won $1million?
Pay off the loan on our house

Peter (2nd from left) with Auckland team 1995 NZ Open
Image from TTNZ

Your Team Mates

Played in many NZ teams with Barry Griffiths along with Hagen Bower and Shane Laugesen in later years for NZ and Auckland.

Who was the most reputable player you beat in your career?
I beat several highly ranked players in my career including Lupulesku, Kucharski, Shibutani, Matsushita, Solopov, Fetzner,Philippe Saive, Podpinka, Douglas

Several of these players were ranked around 30 in the world when I defeated them.

Who trained the hardest in the training hall?
Jean-Michel Saive

Who’s was the funniest team player?
Barry Griffiths

Who had the best nickname?
Can’t think of anyone in particular.



And Lastly

Would you like to add one last tip, or an inspirational message for other table tennis players looking to succeed?
You will need to train hard and try to find the style of game that works for you. Be prepared to innovate and also to learn from other players.

I guess all of your old friends and team mates and all those who have been inspired by your results and history for table tennis in New Zealand would like me to ask this one: Can we expect to see you gracing the tables in New Zealand any time again in the near future?
I don’t think it is likely I will be playing again in NZ but you never know. I am now settled in France with my wife and 2 children and don’t see moving to NZ as a likely option in the near future.