Liam Pitchford top 10 in the world???

cool story bro.

I have been watching Liam for some time now. He is an amazing story for British Table Tennis players, showing that it is possible for such countries to become the best in table tennis. I am not to sure if he will make top 10 in the world but I believe he has a great shot at becoming European Champion. The problem with becoming top 10 in the world is the amount of Asian players now dominating the top end of the ITTF ranking.

Yes, go Liam go!
Love watching all his matches in the German League.
He has a great range of skills - a spinny reverse serve - amazing loose wristed backhand - great topspin - and good defensive fetch and lob - and is quick and agile.
Although he narrowly lost out to Filus this week there were many great points, and he was very impressive in overcoming the defensive chopping of Wang Xi fighting back from 2 games down to win. Really impressed by his ability to topspin against chop in that match.
Against the best players he is sometimes the first to break down in long rallies, but this should improve with training, and his match tactics should also improve.
It also seems to me that players in the German League must be fearful of him, because it sometimes seems that some older pros attempt to intimidate the young Liam with some hard stares, body language and minor game disruptions/delays.
A top English star would be great for the sport in the UK - perhaps we might even get 5 minutes on TV alongside all the rowing, show jumping, triathlons, cycling, BMXing and other minority sports that do get coverage.
Would have loved to have seen him involved in the World Cup this year.
I also hope he can get the highest possible coaching including perhaps working with the Chinese at some point.
Go, Liam Go!

No way, if he gets top 25 he'll be lucky... It's just to hard for him to get there

I think he definitely has the ability to achieve top 25, and enough talent to make top 10 with all the hard work and best coaching in the world that requires.
If it wasn't hard, it wouldn't be worth doing!

Nothing is impossible .England has got a big potential!!!!!Fingers cross for him ...........!!!

For him to get into Top 10, or rather Top 20 for that matter, he would need to play a few seasons in the CSL
Btw, the "top" players he beat are all either old or busy falling off the world ranking.
He needs to show wins agains up and coming younger players - both Europe and Asia.
He also needs to be able to beat top CNT players now and then to be considered Top 10 level

TTHopeful said:

I have been watching Liam for some time now. He is an amazing story for British Table Tennis players, showing that it is possible for such countries to become the best in table tennis. I am not to sure if he will make top 10 in the world but I believe he has a great shot at becoming European Champion. The problem with becoming top 10 in the world is the amount of Asian players now dominating the top end of the ITTF ranking.

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Who said it is a problem with the amount of asians? If you try,you can achieve-best examples are Dima,timo and vladimir samsonov.and Samsonov is still amazing for his age!

mahomedy13 said:

Who said it is a problem with the amount of asians? If you try,you can achieve-best examples are Dima,timo and vladimir samsonov.and Samsonov is still amazing for his age!

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There is easily 10 to 20 Chinese players that is better than Liam, yet alone Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese that can easily combine another 10 more.

If China fields all world tours and rotate these 20 players, then these guys will surely be ranked pretty high.
Then - because the amount of Asian players (of the 30 stated above), it will be near impossible for Liam to be in the Top 10 - unless he is good enough to beat these 10-20 Chinese and 10 from the other countries, just like how Dima, Timo, Vladi came into the Top 10.Liam is not at that level yet.

Putting 30 Asians ahead of Liam is really a worse case. If China is divided into 30 countries (from current 30 provinces), I'm certain that number can easily become 60 players in the Top 100, and 30 in the top 50

He also needs to get a little bit in more shape. He is too skinny, yea of course super skilled, but take a look at the top chinese players, they are all muscle in every part of their body. He needs to hit the gym for a few years too to develop more power.

luqketti said:

He also needs to get a little bit in more shape. He is too skinny, yea of course super skilled, but take a look at the top chinese players, they are all muscle in every part of their body. He needs to hit the gym for a few years too to develop more power.

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Thats so true

Just thinking this, just look at Dima - from few years ago and compared to now.
He has become physically stronger

Marcos Freitas deserves much more to be in the top 10 and he has never been but i'm sure he will!!!!
About Pitchford he still has a lot to learn and i don't see the potential to be in top 25...i guess he will always be in the 30's

mahomedy13 said:

Who said it is a problem with the amount of asians? If you try,you can achieve-best examples are Dima,timo and vladimir samsonov.and Samsonov is still amazing for his age!

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Yeah good point. I think Europeans need to look at what Dima and Boll are doing and try to mimic them. They seems a lot stronger than Pitchford at the moment.

A nice video of Liam doing his stuff...

what is liam using?

TableTennisNerd said:

what is liam using?

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I heard he's using Stiga Allround Evolution with Joola Energy and Gambler Reflectoid on FH and BH

Jokes aside, a friend at the club just told me he uses Butterfly ZJK ZLC and Tenergy 05 on forehand. Backhand may be 05 as well, but he didn't know for sure. So...basically second hand info. Think of it what you will

Personally I don't think Pitchfork is good enough to be a consistent top20 player, but my guess is that he will hover between 20-30, occasionally dipping into the top20. That doesn't mean I don't like him or that he's bad, because I do and he is. He's a very entertaining player to watch.

SpinQuark said:

A nice video of Liam doing his stuff...

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I also think Pitchford is not powerfull enough to become top 10 or even top 20 player. Look at the top players , they are allmost all very athletic and powerfull.
By the way i was a referee once at a match of Cedric Nuytinck , so i know for a fact Cedric is playing the Waldner Senso Carbon blade , and i suppose maybe Tenergy's now (3 years ago he played Joola Express one max both sides, just to give you an idea).

Cedric is only ranked 121 now on the ITTF ranking (he is rising lately).

I'M not gunna beat down a former team mate of RSM. LP is obviously on a very favorable trend line that all of us can only look upon favorably with desire to become only a fraction of that.

Obviously he isn't top ten material right now and there is no way to know at the moment, but no one can argue against his improvement and potential. Maybe you can argue against potential, because it isn't realized yet, it is something we can only make guesses about and that can be open to argument.

Give LP a few more years of those meat and potatoes in Germany and let's see where he is at physically.

The scrawny one vs the brawny one.

[video]http://sportdeutschland.tv/ttbl/grenzau-vs-ochsenhausen-gacina-vs-pitchford[/video]