China Open 2012: Xu Xin crowned Champion

There was no disputing the unstoppable force of Xu Xin at the 2012 ITTF World Tour China Open. With all of China's top players in the mix, including Wang Liqin who has been quiet of late, the tournament promised, as it always does, to have a high calibre of players and matches.

Xu Xin, champion in China
Image Courtesy of ITTF

The upsets came pouring in from the word go, Japan's Kenta Matsudaira was eliminated very early on in the draw, his asbsence of late at world tour events proving costly. Germany's Patrick Franziska took out Ryu Seung Min in a fantastic battle, Ryu's elimination a breath of fresh air for China fans as he has been known to cause problems for them in the past. Ma Long dealt vengeance to Koki Niwa with a 4-2 victory and also left no questions unanswered with a straight sets win over Wang Liqin.

China were the next ones to fall with some shock results, the 5 set victory of Oh Sang Eun over Ma Lin was one of those. Oh Sang Eun of course a solid player, but results-wise nothing spectacular in the past few years really in terms of titles or big wins. The 4-1 win is another obstacle in Ma Lin's long journey to restore his form after 2011. Wang Hao's elimination was quite possibly the biggest shocker of the tournament. Hong Kong's Tianyi Jiang was able to take out Wang in 7 sets with the thinnest of margins, nevertheless, a fantastic result for Hong Kong and also a warning sign for China's Olympic Hopes.

Xu Xin was the name to be made in this tournament though. Beating Zhang Jike, current World Champion and World Cup winner, in the semifinals, he continued on to the final. Ma Long, World Number 1, was the player he would meet. With a lot of support and effort and momentum which seemed unstoppable, Xu Xin took the match against Ma Long 4-2 and the China Open 2012 title. Any critics of Xu Xin quickly silenced with a display of some of his finest table tennis to date.

Korea Open 2012: Seeds Progress to Semifinals

The Semifinals of the 2012 Korea Open put on display some fantastic upsets. Despite that, three of the top seeds have made it to their expected destination, the semifinals. Lee Sang Su, who had taken on the responsibility of eliminating World Number 1 Ma Long in the previous round, now faced Kazuhiro Chan. Kazuhiro on reasonable form after having been runner up at the 2012 Chile Open and not afraid to show it. He displayed some fantastic table tennis, catching Sang Su off guard and pre-empting his pivot forehands brilliantly. A tight match, but Chan came out on top, ending the young Korean's run on his home turf.

Semifinalist in Korea, Kazuhiro Chan
Image courtesy of ITTF

Wang Hao had a fantastic match with comrade Ma Lin. The two historically high levelled players had the perfect pengrip showdown, with Ma making a considerable effort, but Wang Hao's blazing attacks just too powerful for the experienced touch player. After six sets of hard fought battle it was Wang Hao who came out on top, setting up a semifinal appearance.

Xu Xin came up against the firing Korean young gun of Yoon Jaeyoung. The sets were a great display of table tennis, with the young Korean making some fantastic plays, but Xu Xin's incredible footwork and huge pivot forehand was the winner at the end of the day. Yoon was fortunate to steal away a set and almost claimed the last but couldn't hold on for the crucial points of the match. All in all a great effort and another rising young player for Korea, and for China to keep a watchful eye on.

The final quarterfinal match was between Zhang Jike and 46 year old veteran Jorgen Persson of Sweden. Persson had been fortunate enough to get a free ticket through the first round with his opponent, Joo Se Hyuk, having withdrawn from the competition. He had then claimed a tight 4-3 win over China's mercenary player Fang Bo, a surprise result for many spectators. His match with Zhang Jike in the quarterfinal was indeed a superb match. Persson held a 2-1 lead and had heads turning and people wondering. Unfortunately he didn't have what it took to claim anything further in the match and the current World Champion fired back drawing 2-2 and then winning the final 2 sets both 11-4, to win 4-2.

Semifinals will see Kazuhiro Chan face Xu Xin while Wang Hao and Zhang Jike will play for a repeat of the World Cup final. Keep posted!

Korea Open: World's Top Bows Out Early

With many questioning whether Ma Long has hit a form slump leading up to the Olympic Games, it is now starting to become a little more evident. After having lost to Koki Niwa in Asia's Olympic Qualification Tournament, he has now suffered a round of 16 loss to Korea's Lee Sang Su, a decisive 4-1. Lee who flew into the limelight after winning 2 ITTF Pro Tour titles looked to be the next big thing, but seemed to fade off the radar. It appears he is now back and on great form, fantastic news for him, not so great for Ma Long fans.

Ma Long is defeated 4-1 in Korea's round of 16

Jorgen Persson also dealt a blow for Europe, eliminating Fang Bo in 7 sets. Plenty of people had been interested to see how the Chinese fringe player would perform. Jaeyoung Yoon is also a young korean player making noise. He was the third player in so many weeks to eliminate Jun Mizutani prior to his expected result! He also continued through the next round, beating Singapore's Gao Ning in 5 sets.

The major Chinese names, barring Ma Long are still in the running. Li Hu managed to graze a couple of sets off Wang Hao, while Ma Lin showed his teammate how to beat Koki Niwa with a 4-1 win. Xu Xin and Zhang Jike didn't drop a set going into their quaterfinal matches. Things are starting to heat up!!! Keep an eye on this one!

What's Hot This Week: Vinqui's Coiling Dragon Released

The most awesome table tennis pendant I have ever seen is here! It's so awesome I just ordered one. It's the coiling dragon pendant from Vinqui Sports. Stirling Silver with Onyx, a free stainless steel chain and your choice or either Rubies, Emeralds or Sapphires, the Coiling Dragon is a 3D masterpiece. Check it out below and be sure to follow the link on the left side of my blog to check out the rest of Vinqui's range. Don't forget I am hosting a sponsored competition with Vinqui prizes, there is still one last prize up for grabs, see HERE for details.

The emerald Coiling Dragon Pendant by Vinqui

Also be sure to follow Vinqui on facebook HERE

The Ruby Coiling Dragon Pendant by Vinqui

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Portugal's Olympian Prepares for London 2012

2012 is Olympic year and Portugal's Marcos Freitas came out firing, posting one of the most spectacular matches in the beginning of the year against Roko Tosic in the French League. Since then he has continue to perform in the leadup to the Olympic Games, being one of the first players to qualify from the European Continental Qualification Tournament. Thanks for the interview Marcos and best of luck in London!

Be sure to check out Marcos' Personal Website at www.marcosfreitas.com

Name: Marcos Freitas

Age: 24

Date of Birth: 8/4/1988

Nation Represented: Portugal

Highest World Ranking: 31

Marcos Freitas
Image from Marcos' Personal Website

How and when did you start playing table tennis? Who influenced you during your early years?

I started when I was 8 years old in the club where I was living. My father took me to try it because he liked the sport and played also for some years but in an amateur level. I really liked and I kept playing it.

What is your most memorable moment in your table tennis career so far?

I’m happy to say that I had many great moments, it’s difficult to choose just one, I can say that my qualification for the olympic games in London for singles it was a big moment for me.

Congratulations on qualifying for the 2012 London Olympic Games. You started the year with some fantastic matches in the French League, is 2012 a good year? Do you feel positive looking forward to London?

Thanks, yes it has been a good year, like you said I played really good games in the french league and also in international competitions, I will prepare well for the olympic games and hopefully I will have good results there.

What has been the most challenging moment this year so far?

I have to say the olympic qualification tournament, its really hard to qualify for the olympics in our sport, it was very challenging.

What are your big goals for this year?

My principle goal is to improve my level as a player.

Rough couple of months for your teammate Tiago Apolonia, are you confident he will still be able to qualify for the Olympic Games?

Yes it was hard for him, but I think he will qualify now during the world olympic qualification tournament in Qatar.

Marcos Freitas qualified for London 2012
Image from Marcos' Personal Website

How did you feel about Portugal's performance at the recent World Team Championships?

I think we did a good job, we finished 11 wich is our best classification ever, we won a lot of games. Tiago was not playing so we didnt had our best team but in the end Énio and André did a good job replacing him.

Who is your favourite opponent to come up against in competition and why?

I dont have a favourite opponent.

What do you think table tennis needs to be a more popular spectator sport?

That's a really hard question, i think we need to have more promotion on the tournaments and also more attractions on the halls, like singers, performers etc.

Have you tried the new table tennis ball? If yes tell us what you think of it.

I did not try the new ball.

Who do you think is the most promising young player in Europe?

It’s hard to say, there are many good players and only the time will say who will be good in the seniors.

What do you think makes China above the rest of the world standard?

China is the best because they have the knowledge of our sport, great material and they also work more.

What do you enjoy doing while you aren't playing table tennis?

I like to go out with friends, internet, movies.

If you won a million dollars what would you spend it on first?

I really dont know, maybe take a nice holidays first and then think what i could do with the money.

What advice can you give to table tennis players who wish to succeed?

My advice is that if you really want to be a good table tennis player you have to practise a lot.

Marcos Freitas v Roko Tosic: French League 2012

Video by GecaPhoenix

Romania's New Rising Champion

The last member of my team of amazing endorsees at MHTT Blog has completed an interview. The 2007 European Cadet Champion and this year's Romanian National Mens Champion, Hunor Szocs, is moving onwards and upwards as he continues to improve and move up the World Rankings. Thanks for the interview Hunor!

Name: Hunor Szocs
Age: 20
Date of Birth: March 24th 1992
Nation Represented: Romania
Highest World Ranking: 267

Hunor representing Romania

How and when did you start playing table tennis? Who influenced you during your early years?

I started table tennis when I was 6 years old. My father was singing in a restaurant and a waitress (the wife of a table tennis coach) told him to bring me to the hall, maybe I will like it .. in the end i really liked and I continued.

Obviously you also have your sister Bernadette. The two of you both won the Romanian National Championships mens and womens singles titles this year, how much does that mean for you?

Yes , it was a big surprise for both of us that we won together at the same time Romanian national championships. In the beginning neither of us was the `big` favourite for winning the title. But in the end we did it and it was one of the best feelings ever to be able to win at the same time with your little sister :)

You must be very proud of your sister too, I know when my sister used to play we were very competitive. Who claims to be the better player?

Is not really a competition between us...we are just happy for each other for every success.

What is your most memorable moment in your table tennis career so far?

The most memorable moment until now in my career was in 2007 when i became Euopean Cadet Champion in singles. In the final I was playing against Patrick Franziska. I played with him many times that year and I lost maybe 3 times, I was not really positive about this match. My coach was supporting and helping me with the preparation all over the tournament and he was always telling me to believe and he`s sure that this time is my turn :D When i won last point I could not believe...I just sit down on the floor and I didn`t know what I should do :D so I also owe a big thanks to my coach :D

What are your big goals for this year?

My biggest goal this year was to play Olympic Qualification in Qatar..in the end I did not play..so I guess my next biggest goal will be European Championships :)

How has playing the Swiss League been? Has it been a big factor in developing your game so far?

The Swiss League was not so difficult, the level was not that high. Anyway I had not so many matches so this year I had a lot of time to practise. Next year I will go back in German League...I already signed the contract :)

Hunor and sister Bernadette playing doubles together

How did you feel about your performance at the recent WTTC?

I was not in the best shape of my life at WTTC, but I played ok...and I got 50 places higher after this tournament. The team qualified for 1st Division for next time so in the end it was a good tournament :)

Is it stressful to travel so much? I mean you live in Romania, train in Ochsenhausen and play league in Switzerland. Must get tiring!

It's not easy but it is also not that tiring. My Swiss club is only 1 hr 30 minutes away bu train from Ochsenhausen and in Romania I am not going that often. Only for holidays and every 2 months maybe a week for University.

Are you excited to be moving to a new club? Tell us a bit about the club and your new teammates.

It's not so easy to leave from Ochsenhausen. I've been here for more than 3 years so it was a really hard decision. But now I am really excited to move to Bremen. I will also have 2 teammates from national team there, the coach is also Romanian. So I feel that it is the right place for me there. The club where I will play is only 30 minutes away from Breme. Will be a really good training group: Chuang Chih-Yuan, Adrian Crisan, Paul Drinkhall, Constantin Cioti, Achanta Sharath Kamal, Me, Adrian Dodean, Gavin Evans and maybe Jan Zibrat. So I feel it will be the perfect place for me!

What do you think table tennis needs to be a more popular spectator sport?

Table tennis must be a more popular sport for sure. We work really hard!

What do you enjoy doing while you aren't playing table tennis?

I like to go out with friends, play Playstation and sometimes I really enjoy going fishing with my father when I am home in the summer.

If you could describe your teammates in one word what would it be?
Adrian Crisan: Serious
Ovidiu Ionescu: Worker
Constantin Cioti: Unexpectable

If you won a million dollars what would you spend it on first?

I really don't know what I would spend it on. I have some ideas now but when you really have this money you are probably thinking in a different way.

What advice can you give to table tennis players who wish to succeed?

To be serious, to work a lot and to be patient until the results are coming.

Thanks for the time Hunor :)

Matt Hetherington's Table Tennis Competition #2 Proudly Sponsored by Vinqui Sports

The much anticipated 2nd blog competition is here with fantastic prizes from the world leaders in table tennis jewellery, Vinqui Sports. Vinqui are renowned for their highly fashionable table tennis pendants and other accessories including bracelets and earrings. You can visit Vinqui's site via the link on the left hand side of my blog to check out their great range which also covers other sports like Badminton, Volleyball etc.

This competition offers 3 prizes from the Vinqui range and many opportunities to win. The competition comprises an image with 3 different table tennis players all graphically combined into one unique table tennis specimen! The picture will be revealed piece by piece, one at a time over 6 days. You can join the FB group for updates HERE.

The conditions of the competition:


To be eligible to win the prizes you must-

• Be a fan of Vinqui on Facebook. See the page HERE
• Be a fan of Matt Hetherington's Table Tennis Blog on Facebook HERE

To Enter:

There are 3 opportunities to win a prize. You may guess once per day, once a person guesses correctly they are awarded the prize and the next opportunity to win is unlocked.

• Entries must be officially entered by emailing your answer to mhpingpongwizard@gmail.com with the subject line: Vinqui Competition.
• There will be 3 winners, so if you guess correctly and win a prize you are not eligible to enter another section of the competition. See the 3 sections below.

Sections:

Section 1: Name 1 of the 3 players in the photo. The winner will be eligible for a Vinqui piece to the value of £24 and under.

Section 2: Name 2 of the 3 players in the photo. The winner will be eligible for a Vinqui piece to the value of £37 and under.

Section 3: Name the 3 players in the photo and what links them together (i.e what they have in common). The winner will be eligible for a Vinqui piece to the value of £49 and under.

There will be further clues available for the third section of the competition as 'bonus clues' if you meet the conditions I set during the competition.

SECTION 2 is open for entries. Once a winner succeeds, I will announce that SECTION 3 is open for entry. Congratulations to Fabio Saparelli for winning section 1.

Capturing Great Table Tennis Players and Moments

As you know most of my interviews are with international players, but now and then I like to explore more of the people who invest their time to try and promote and help our sport. This time I was fortunate enough to snatch up an interview with ITTF photographer Rémy Gros. The interview combined a few written questions and then some special questions to be answered with photos. Thanks for a great interview Rémy.

Name: Rémy Gros

Profession: Photographer

Nationality: French

What was it that sparked your involvement in table tennis photography?

In 2003, I had the opportunity to cover the World Championships in Paris Bercy for the realization of a set of photos to show the presence of sponsors and convince others to come join the tennis development of TT. Then every year, we renewed the operation and developed other services with the international federation.

What has been your favourite event so far to take photos at since you began as the ITTF photographer?

I mention two competitions: the World Championships in Yokohama, Japan in 2009, both for the atmosphere of the event, for the discovery of the country and the incredible kindness of people, but I can not forget the Cartagena World Junior Championships, the city, the atmosphere and the perfect job, day and night of my friend Raoul Calin.

Do you play any table tennis yourself?

To say that I play table tennis myself would be an insult to all those wonderful players I have the chance to photograph. Let's say I dream that I am able to do ...

What other photography are you involved in?

I do photography in other sports: Athletics (Diamond League), Nordic Combined, Jumping.
I also do fashion photography for the brand "Lighthouse of the Whale", which I realize all the photos and visual design for the web, catalogs, advertising. Finally I realize some work for French magazines.

Ok for these ones I'd like you to pick one of the photos you have taken (all time) which best fits the question.

Which of your photos best captures the atmosphere of table tennis?

Yokohama World Table Tennis Champs 2009

Which of your photos is the best promotion for women's table tennis?

Ai Fukuhara

Ai Fukuhara is I think one of the nicest players to play the women's table tennis, flag carrier of Japan at the Olympics, always with a small fashion detail on her bag, a huge respect for opponents and intensity, then here I chose a picture of her when she was young ....

Which of your photos is your personal favourite?

My favorite picture is this photo of a French player Salifou, because I realized the noise ... I was talking with French Michel Gadal about their opportunity to get a medal, when my ear was caught by a different sneakers squeaking of Abdel Kader, I turned around and I made the image with my 300mm. A real “reflex” Picture.

Which of your photos best captures the speed of table tennis?

Which is the funniest table tennis photo you have taken?

Which table tennis player is the most photogenic?

There are several players ( men and women ) that I love to photograph. Chen Qi, Ma Lin, .... but I would say that currently two players are particularly sympathetic to photograph for the emotion they generate in two different styles: Yana Noskova, which we feel the inner tension. Bernadette Szocs for mimicry and her will to win.

Which table tennis player is the least photogenic?

Challenging players to take pictures of, I would cite two legends Persson and Samsonov, not expressive and graceful they are great legends and people expect spectacular pictures but it is not so ... terrific.

Youngest Ever US Champ Guns for Last London Chance

I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing an icon of table tennis in the United States of America. The youngest male ever to win the US National Championships mens singles title at just 15 years of age and now aspiring for a place at the Olympics. Having succeeded at the US National Olympic Trials but narrowly missing out in the North American Olympic Qualification Tournament, he pins his hopes on the World Final Olympic Qualification in Doha. Best of luck Michael and thanks for a great interview.

Full Name: Michael Jonathan Landers

Age: 17
Date Of Birth: 8/16/94
Nation represented: USA
Highest World Ranking: 587


Equipment Used?

Blade: Timo Boll ALC

FH Rubber: Tenergy 05

BH Rubber: Tenergy 64

Michael Landers, USA's youngest ever National Mens Champion
Image courtesy of USATT

Your Career

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

I’ve been playing for almost eight years. I started out when I just turned ten. My start story is pretty funny actually. I was playing a game of hide-and-go-seek with a few of my friends and thought it would be a great idea to hop inside of a trash can outside! So, I jumped in, but I didn’t see the there were wheels on the bottom of it. The can slipped out from under me and coincidentally I put my left arm out to support myself from falling (I’m right handed). I ended up breaking and dislocating my elbow, which pretty much limited me from any physical activity for the rest of the summer. My father and I heard about a table tennis club that was only 20 minutes away from our house, so we decided to go check it out! (We played every night together since I was two, but knew nothing about the real sport) I went there, took a lesson, and immediately loved playing. However, it wasn’t until I was 12 when I solely started concentrated on training.

What has been your most memorable achievement to date?

My most memorable achievement to date was either winning the Men’s Singles event at our national championships at the age of 15, or recently placing first in the Men’s National Team Trials.

Who has been the biggest influence on your career so far?

My parents have by far been the biggest influence on my career so far. They support me with everything that I do, both on and off the table, and are always there when I need them most.

 What's does your training schedule for a week period involve?

My training schedule usually consists of practicing on the table for 5-6 days a week for 3-4 hours and training off the table in the gym for 5-6 days a week for 1-2 hours. I feel that training physically for table tennis is just as important as the actual practice on the table.

Michael Landers in action with a huge backhand shot
Image courtesy of Joola USA

You recently had a big campaign to try and qualify for the Olympic Games, how do you felt you performed overall?

I felt that I definitely could have preformed better, but for the amount of pressure and the inexperience that I have compared to everyone else in the trials, I feel that I actually did alright. I keep forgetting that I’m only 17 years old and have a long career ahead of me! :)

Many American players have been inspired by your ambition, after failing to make London you almost immediately thanked your fans and set your sights on 2016 Rio. Where does that drive come from?

I truly believe that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and that failure is all part of a learning process, so whenever I don’t succeed in something on or even off the table, I am always eager to get back on my feet and keep trying to achieve my goals.

Do you have aspirations to play professionally outside of the United States in the future?

I do want to play professionally outside the United States in the near future, but I first have to talk it over with my parents. If not in the near future, I definitely will someday!

What does it mean to you to be the youngest ever player to have won the US National Championships Mens Singles title?

It meant a lot to me to become the youngest ever player to win the US National Championships Men’s Singles title. It showed me that all of my hard work eventually would pay off and gave me a large confidence boost. However, I didn’t let it ever get to my head. Being a good person on and off the court is more important to me than winning the National Championships.

Michael Landers...breakfast guru :P

You appear to be a bit of a breakfast guru, how much of your success to you attribute to breakfast and starting the day fresh?

I’m not sure if I could be called a “breakfast guru,” but I do take breakfast quite seriously, as should everyone. Starting each day out on the right foot creates a path for success. Breakfast definitely prepares your body for the long day ahead and keeps you going until lunch. Think about it like this; most people tend to get hungry after a meal around four to five hours after eating. After dinner, there is usually more than ten hours until breakfast time. If you skip breakfast, you deprive your body of food for another couple of hours until lunchtime. That’s almost 18 hours straight without eating a single bite of food!

What do you think the future holds for table tennis in the United States?

I think the future is bright for table tennis in the United States. We have many talented young players that are rapidly improving and will someday turn out to be high-caliber players. However, there are few opportunities in the United States for professional players, so that problem will definitely have to solved within the next couple of years.

Michael Landers in the USA TT Trials

Off the Topic Questions

Who’s your favourite sportsperson of all time?

To be honest I don’t have a single favorite sportsperson or role model. However, I have always idolized Michael Jordan’s passion for his sport and to win.

Favourite food?

My favorite food would probably have to be…CORNFLAKES! :) haha, just kidding. I love any type of meat, especially steak or lamb.

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

When I’m not playing table tennis I’m just your average 17 year-old, New York kid. I love to hang out with my friends, listen to music, and am usually down to play just about any sport imagineable! (I know, such cliché activities, but they are what they are. :)

Dream Car?

I’m not sure! I have to get my license first! I only have a permit right now because I was never in the country long enough to take driver’s education, which means I have to wait until my 18^th birthday to get my license! :)

Ideal holiday destination?

I’d like to definitely visit Australia sometime and see the Great Barrier Reef. Though I’ve been all over the world for tournaments, I’ve never actually been to any country in Oceania.

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

I would probably donate the entire thing to help grow table tennis in the United States. It’s a pity that such a great sport is looked at as just a recreational game over here in the states.

Your Team Mates

Who’s the funniest player in the training hall?

Definitely Barney.

Who trains the hardest in the training hall?

Timothy Wang

Who’s the funniest team player?

And again no other than..Barney Reed.

Who has the best nickname?

Grant Li probably has the best nickname. We all just call him the “Boss” because of his swag! ;)

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 and follow your dreams! If you work hard enough, success will eventually come your way!

What's Hot This Week - 2/05/12

Rumours have been confirmed by the Oceania Table Tennis Federation on facebook today. 50 year old veteran Li Chunli from New Zealand, denied her initial right to compete in the Olympic Games after having qualified for Oceania, will be one of the entries for the World Final Olympic Qualification in Doha. The veteran champion qualified 2nd in Oceania but the NZOC criteria was not met and the places earnt by NZ players were hence given to the next qualifiers,Vanuatu, who took them gladly.

Chunli displays the Olympic fighting spirit
Image from stuff.co.nz

Doha will be a tough qualifying group with apparently just 2 Olympic places available. Whether Chunli can make it remains to be seen, just over a week until we will see for ourselves!

Chunli against former Oceania Champion Miao Miao

Video of the Week - 2/05/12

Can't get away from this video for this week as the video of the week, an amazing shot. Thrown in the fray as a candidate for the 'Shot of the Year 2012' on Table Tennis Daily. Truly shows that table tennis is, in fact, a reflex sport!