Why Restricting China Is Bad For the Sport

ITTF recently unrolled it's new rules regarding the World Championships and appointed Sharara into the position of ITTF Chairman. He has now vowed to begin a mission to thwart Chinese dominance in the sport. While the new rule allowing multi-national doubles pairs is a fantastic idea and is great for international relations and friendship promotion in the sport, the restrictions on World Championships entries for each nation is the first step on a long road to reduce the dominance of China at major events.

Chinese Dominance Continues in Table Tennis

We already saw the reduction of entries into the Olympics to just 2 athletes per gender from each country, now the new rules will see a maximum of 5 athletes per nation into the World Individual Championships, a standard of 3 plus 2 more on World Ranking. No doubt we will see more measures in place in the near future to restrict the World's top table tennis nation.

While all this effort is being made to prevent China from winning everything, one simple thing is forgotten. They are the best because they wanted to be. They created the perfect system for making their players the best in the world, their players train from a very young age and dedicate their youth to the sport. There are so many players in China that it is highly competitive and the players have to give everything to be the best, and even then so, some are not successful.

The ones who do make it are still under a constant state of pressure to perform in order to remain at the top and have to earn every chance to become champions. Now the ITTF have further narrowed the chances for the world's most hard working players to achieve the reward they deserve.

Other nations have extended dominance in the sport. Hungary won the Men's Team title on 12 occasions, the closest to China's 19. Japan and Sweden also had periods of dominance in the sport. No attempt was ever made to reduce those great nations, instead other nations worked harder. China was the nation to emerge from those other nations. Just as China rose to defeat other dominant nations, the rest of the World must rise to defeat China.

The approach of Sharara and ITTF is all wrong. We should be focusing our time and resources on providing opportunity for the growth of table tennis and for development outside of China so that the other nations can develop their players to be more competitive. What is the real benefit of making it easier for other countries to win? What is the cost to China of these restrictions? Is it fair to effectively sanction the hardest working players in our sport?

These are all the things which have clearly been overlooked during the construction of this grand idea. I think the way to beat China is to share the same passion as them, to share the same dedication. There is only one way for that to happen. Table Tennis needs to become a professional sport. It needs to be viable for players to make a living from playing table tennis across the globe, that way their commitment early in life is justified. Now there is no reason for players outside of China to give up school to train as table tennis is not a lucrative or supported career choice.

This is what the real focus needs to be on, table tennis needs to work towards this end. Would love to hear the thoughts of everyone on this topic so please feel free to comment below.

MHTT Ping Pong Runway #6: Serbia's Sweetheart; Andrea Todorovic

Andrea (or Andi) Todorovic can often be seen gracing the pages of a Butterfly Catalogue or in action in a Butterfly video clip. Andi is a 1.8 meter tall table tennis machine from Serbia who competes in the German League and gets a lot of enjoyment out of photoshoots. For these reasons I decided she was the perfect candidate to include in my Ping Pong Runway. Here is what the lovely Miss Todorovic had to say :)

As with all the ladies so far, Andrea joins the ranks of the skirt wearer. She believes that shorts are a little too manly and also prefers skirts over dresses as she believes they are not only more comfortable, but allow for more outfit colour coordination with shirts. Andi can usually be seen wearing skirts in play and loves what she wears because it is girly and classy.

Andrea Todorovic in the latest Butterfly Catalogue

While looking good on the table was the topic on the cards, Andi is a humble and dedicated sportswoman. She firmly believes that looking physically good is not all that important in her eyes. What is most important in her opinion is the character and spirit of a female player, the charm and also the sportsmanship. 

Adding some style to a ping pong photoshoot

Andi talked a little about photoshooting and what she likes about it. She loves the preparation for the photoshoots, the hair and makeup and clothing. She said it can be exhausting and sometimes she thinks photoshooting is harder than practicing 3 times a day, but she loves posing and meeting new people at each shoot and overall it is great fun!

Her favourite photoshoots are with Butterfly, Andi claims that they are the best shoots and she loves the feeling when the catalogues come out and everything looks good and professional and the equipment is endorsed well. Andrea said "I am so proud when they call me to take photoshoot or videoshooting with them (Butterfly)" and said it is a pleasure to work with them.

Andi wearing a Butterfly Tracksuit in the latest Catalogue

When I asked what the most fun she had on a photoshoot was Andi was quick to tell me about her video shoot for the Butterfly App. After having been sick for 2 weeks she was told she would be hitting with Timo Boll for the filming. Her first reaction was "Oh my GOD, I haven't played for 2 weeks and now I have to play with Timo Boll!" After all the built up nerves everything went smoothly and it was all a lot of fun. I could tell how relieved Andi was just from hearing the story :D

The gorgeous Andrea Todorovic on the beach!

If you looked at Andrea Todorovic you would instantly wonder why this girl was a table tennis player and not a model. Well the truth is that despite being a 1.8 meter, long legged attractive and lean looking Serbian woman, Andi Todorovic is incredibly passionate about table tennis and as I finished my short interview with Andi she made this comment. "To them I say, I only want to play table tennis, but if Victoria's Secret calls me, then why not ;)"

Thank you so much Andi for taking the time to walk and talk the MHTT Ping Pong Runway and good luck in Japan! :D

Betting Can Inject a Thrill Into Table Tennis

For those with an interest in watching and potentially betting on competitive professional table tennis, there isn't a great deal of opportunity. For a sport that so many people enjoy playing in basements, with friends, and even competitively, it's quite surprising that there isn't more television focus on the professional level. In fact, outside of China (where the sport has more of a public following), most people's only real chance to watch competitive table tennis is during the Summer Olympics every four years.

Somewhat surprisingly, though (for those who haven't tried), table tennis can actually be a very entertaining sport to watch, and particularly to bet on. Matches are played with incredibly high energy and intensity, and it's nearly impossible to watch a match without gaining a respect for the competitors. And as with any sport or competition, this is one aspect of what makes betting on table tennis enjoyable. A high-energy competition is always even more fun when you have something on the line!

Additionally, there is more to betting on a competitive table tennis match than simply choosing the winner. Although, that is of course a popular option, as well as the easiest option for a spectator who might be new to the sport. However, as explained in a table tennis article published by Gambling.com, there is an additional element to betting in this particular sport that keeps things interesting and unique for spectators: taking the over/under on how many match points will be played in a given match.

For those unfamiliar with sports betting in general, the over/under simply refers to a number set by the oddsmakers for a given result. So, for example, in a baseball game the over/under might refer to how many total runs will be scored in a game, or even what the margin of victory for a given team will be. You then place a bet based on whether you think the actual number will be over or under the oddsmakers' pre-game estimate. And in a set of odds for a competitive table tennis match, the over/under generally refers to how many match points will be played.

Not only does this provide spectators with a fun second option for betting (rather than simply who will win), but it is also an interesting option in that it specifically caters to closely contested matches. In a table tennis match with a clear favorite, the number of match points will generally be easier to predict, because it is expected that the superior player will take care of his or her match points with relative ease. In a close match, however, the number of match points will often be both higher and more difficult to predict, which provides a thrilling element to the strategy and consideration of placing a bet.

All in all, the betting element can offer extra incentive to give table tennis another chance the next time you find an opportunity to watch it. Many dismiss it as a "game" rather than a "sport," and again, its limited television exposure doesn't help. But the talent is real, the matches are thrilling, and by putting a little bit of personal risk into the experience, you may find a whole new sport to enjoy!  

Risk Taking out on the Table

One of the hardest things to balance in table tennis is when to take risks and how to balance and control those risks in a match. Even professional players often state one of the most difficult elements of the game is when to take the big risks and when to play safe, or how to incorporate elements of safety into a risky game. See more from my Coaching Blog.

Kalinkos Kreanga
Image courtesy of ITTFWorld

A player renowned for the risk game is Kalinikos Kreanga from Greece, he is well known for his big swings and all out offensive style, never scared to take the big shots. As his game has progressed and matured we now see more safety coming into his game, more elements of control. So how do you balance risk and safety? Well  it's all about shot selection, choosing the moment and making the most of chances and opportunities.

A common method for approaching the situation is to play controlled angle plays and when the gaps open up, make the risk play. An appropriate example of this is when a player is lobbing and the attacker often pins them into the backhand corner, pushing them further and further out of the table. When the comfortable shot arrives and a large enough defensive gap is created, the player then adjusts to play the shorter angle down the line to the forehand, an attacking stroke which is notoriously harder to control.

Any player who loves to take risks and play the big shots might also be tempted to hit the table tennis slots where risk and reward meet each other. Often with the right element of control and safety, the experienced players can turn the risks into reward!

One thing which proves difficult in risk taking is the timing, it is important to ensure the following when taking risks:

- Be Decisive: Once you have chosen to make a shot, you must follow through with it. Only 100% commitment to a decision will have a good chance of success, hesitation or less than full commitment will often result in a weak play or in failure.

- Choose the Moment: It is important to create the opportunity for risk taking, set the ball up, make the position correct and do your best to increase the odds of success.

- Don't Play a High Risk Percentage Game: A high risk percentage game will more often than not lead to inconsistent results. While some days all your risks may pay off, all the shots may land and the results will be amazing, other days when the feeling and timing is a little off the results can be somewhat catastrophic. The way to beat this is to experience what the right balance of risk and safety is.

Don't forget that in such a high paced game the odds are forever changing and risk taking is necessary to take full advantage of every situation. So find the right balance of risk for your game and may the odds be in your favour! :)

Who Will Win the 2014 New York Table Tennis Open?

Although table tennis is a popular sport in many countries, especially in America (where there is even a governing body for Team USA - the USATT) it is still not a sport that is covered to any great extent by the big online bookmakers. There is a serious interest in the sport, as can be witnessed by the numbers of people who choose to enter the big tournaments each year, but at the moment the betting sites do not reflect that interest. This makes it harder for those who wish to place wagers on who will win the likes of the Rochester, New York Table Tennis Open to do so.

This particular tournament, which takes place between the 7th and 9th of March at the Rochester Sports Garden, is one of the bigger American table tennis tournaments. For those who are able to find bookies offering table tennis gambling markets, the likes of Ray Mack - who claimed two wins at the 2013 US Nationals, held in Las Vegas - are likely to be amongst the hot favourites to win it. However, given how tough it is to find places to put bets on it, or even odds information, some table tennis fans who also like betting, might find it simpler to play a slots game instead.

The five-reel video slot game 'Tennis Stars' at JackpotCity may be based on the grass court version of tennis, rather than the table type, but a 5000-coin jackpot represents roughly 5000 reasons for even the most hardened of table tennis aficionados to give it a spin. The chances are they will also enjoy all the other bonuses provided with this game, such as the additional Championship round and the unlimited free games that can be secured by scoring three of the gold trophy wil symbols - meaning you could end up scoring an ace of a payout. You can also play it at a mobile casino, making it convenient - unlike trying to bet on the New York Table Tennis Open.