China Smash 2024, Beijing, 9/26-10/6

[dingyibvs]

I watched the highlight of the match between XP and LSD. I have to say, it's very entertaining and exciting with so many high quality rallies. The match was dynamic, full of vitality and energy between two very promising young stars. I can not wait to see more rematches between the two.

In defeat, XP played a very impressive and great game. He gave LSD all he could handle. I would say XP defeating Moregard was not by luck. XP's most improvement came from a much improved backhand and his willingness to use it. Though his backhand still is not as powerful as LSD's but very steady. How many time during the match, XP withstood several backhand assaults from LSD and forced him to commit an error?

XP's game reminded me the playing style of a younger version of one legendary player: solid backhand that's hard to penetrate, great and consistent forehand for points? If your guess is Ma Long, we are on the same page. Of course, XP is not nearly as polished as ML, but the style is similar.

Yes, he plays very similar to ML in that regard, but his placement is pretty awful. Between that and shot variety he's got a long way to go to catch up to ML's skillset. Judging by how poorly LSD did vs. XP's BH variations, and how successful XP's attacks were on occasions when he did have good placement and variation, I think the ML vs. LSD match may be easier for ML than some may think.

 

[backspacer]

I have a league match tomorrow morning. I hope we get trashed and I will be back in time for finals.

 

[latej]

Noooooo....

 

[backspacer]

Noooooo....

Will obviously try to win, but they are the strongest team from the looks of it and we are playing with reserve players because they didn't want to postpone.

 

[latej]

Sure, of course... Enjoy the match... And then the finals => ML wins.

Btw. it seems we won't meet this year, but I'm sure I'll visit next year...

 

[dingyibvs]

Chinese robot? LOL. He is the most agile player in history, far, far away from being robotic. I guess people call him robot is because he has the perfect strikes most of the time, making very few mistake or being put in a awkward position which has a lot to do his out-this-world agility and anticipation.

Like @blahness said, they did have a point at the time. If you watch his games from the early 2010's his play was pure technical perfection but nothing more. What people don't realize, or realize but don't care for, is that building a solid foundation then grow individually from that point onward is a valid pathway as opposed to fostering individuality at a young age.

 

[NextLevel]

Official news report/document, Ma Long's official statement/talk that he was forced to withdraw? Other than that, it's all rumors.
As a very old player(Chinese standard), after a grounding Olympic, ML wanted to take a long break, it's quite understandable.
Plus, after winning so many titles, adding one more WTTC title didn't provide as much incentive as FZD would.
Skipping one WTTC title for the potential benefit of prolonging his legendary career is well worth it.

That's a good alternative explanation for sure. The official word was that the younger generation needed a chance to prove themselves. Whether that means ML and XX were okay with it or not, that is for you to decide.

 

[Dr Evil]

The LSD vs XP match was incredible. Some of the best two wing counterlooping rallies I've seen. Despite being 2 years younger LSD played with more variation, and I think that made the difference. But XP looks like he's already playing at a top 20 level or better.

 

[NetProphet]

Question for the wise here if I may: watching Truls use his chop block to great effect quite often and watching Ma Long also use this shot on occasion, are there any other CNT members who use this shot as regularly as Ma Long, or use it at all?
Also, is this a relatively new development for Ma Long or has he always had this in his locker over the years and I haven't seen enough matches or just haven't noticed?
Either way it's something I'm gotta practice, it's so beautifully disruptive

 

[rpb23]

Yes, he plays very similar to ML in that regard, but his placement is pretty awful. Between that and shot variety he's got a long way to go to catch up to ML's skillset. Judging by how poorly LSD did vs. XP's BH variations, and how successful XP's attacks were on occasions when he did have good placement and variation, I think the ML vs. LSD match may be easier for ML than some may think.

Give him more time and see if he can add varieties to his forehand. Currently, he has the consistency and power and he will need to add placement, spin/pace variations, etc.

At XP's current age, ML's forehand was not much better, at least not as powerful as XP's.

Currently, LSD has the best long distance loop from both wings among CNT members. For a young player, he is amazing to watch.

 

[rpb23]

Question for the wise here if I may: watching Truls use his chop block to great effect quite often and watching Ma Long also use this shot on occasion, are there any other CNT members who use this shot as regularly as Ma Long, or use it at all?
Also, is this a relatively new development for Ma Long or has he always had this in his locker over the years and I haven't seen enough matches or just haven't noticed?
Either way it's something I'm gotta practice, it's so beautifully disruptive

I believe Zhou Qihao also used it, maybe not as often as Ma Long does.
Only in last couple of years, ML added chop block to his toolbox. His usage of the shots is not as frequent as Truls does.
Adding this new tool demonstrates ML's amazing ability and willingness to adapt and evolve as he faces more and more younger players with powerful and fast shots. He needs some tools to disrupt and slow down these young horses.

Just an observation, even a much younger LSD also occasionally uses this shot though not as pretty as ML's.

 

[NetProphet]

Adding this new tool demonstrates ML's amazing ability and willingness to adapt and evolve as he faces more and more younger players with powerful and fast shots. He needs some tools to disrupt and slow down these young horses.

This is what I was thinking also.
I saw him play Felix last yr in Frankfurt and I don't think he used it even once, it seems more recent. As a development it's also only possible to start using a shot like this at this level of you have incredible touch/feel and also an understanding of the game and willingness to adapt.
You have to be truly great (which he undoubtedly is) because I'm almost sure this isn't coached but is his own idea for how to improve his game and keep going.
I find it very interesting and I expect we'll see a lot more players bring it to their game more often.

 

[Silver Server]

Im kind of a new spectator to the sport, but I had no idea there was so much drama involved 😂.

 

[Robin0910]

Question for the wise here if I may: watching Truls use his chop block to great effect quite often and watching Ma Long also use this shot on occasion, are there any other CNT members who use this shot as regularly as Ma Long, or use it at all?
Also, is this a relatively new development for Ma Long or has he always had this in his locker over the years and I haven't seen enough matches or just haven't noticed?
Either way it's something I'm gotta practice, it's so beautifully disruptive

He has always used chop blocks ever since he switched to H3 on the bh and even before occasionally, but he definitely got better at it in the last couple of years so he’s done it even more

 

[NextLevel]

I believe Zhou Qihao also used it, maybe not as often as Ma Long does.
Only in last couple of years, ML added chop block to his toolbox. His usage of the shots is not as frequent as Truls does.
Adding this new tool demonstrates ML's amazing ability and willingness to adapt and evolve as he faces more and more younger players with powerful and fast shots. He needs some tools to disrupt and slow down these young horses.

Just an observation, even a much younger LSD also occasionally uses this shot though not as pretty as ML's.

Nah, Ma Long has been playing chop blocks for probably longer than Koki Niwa.

 

[NextLevel]

The thing about Ma Long is that his game was clearly heavily influenced by penhold coaches - even aspects of his backhand and chop block show this:

 

[dingyibvs]

Give him more time and see if he can add varieties to his forehand. Currently, he has the consistency and power and he will need to add placement, spin/pace variations, etc.

At XP's current age, ML's forehand was not much better, at least not as powerful as XP's.

Currently, LSD has the best long distance loop from both wings among CNT members. For a young player, he is amazing to watch.

LSD's FH loop is OK, it's very safe, has great arc, pretty good placement as well, but not much speed. He loops kind of like LJK and ZJK, but currently lacks a forward drive that ZJK has and doesn't have as much power as those 2.

 

[dingyibvs]

The thing about Ma Long is that his game was clearly heavily influenced by penhold coaches - even aspects of his backhand and chop block show this:

I need to learn that shot. When my anticipation is wrong and I'm late switching to the BH, the W968/H3 combo doesn't have much of a 1-inch-punch shot in it. I need something else in the arsenal to deal with that kind of attack.

 

[zeio]

Question for the wise here if I may: watching Truls use his chop block to great effect quite often and watching Ma Long also use this shot on occasion, are there any other CNT members who use this shot as regularly as Ma Long, or use it at all?
Also, is this a relatively new development for Ma Long or has he always had this in his locker over the years and I haven't seen enough matches or just haven't noticed?
Either way it's something I'm gotta practice, it's so beautifully disruptive

As rpb23 said, ZQH. MLin, similar to the older generations of penholders, used it extensively. As for the older generations of shakehanders, KLH used it quite a bit. He also used the stroke called 抹/wipe (windshield wiper block), the one that Matsu-Ken used a lot.

KLH
切/chopblock
https://youtu.be/NEqppOSAsZ8?t=287
https://youtu.be/r7mhV7McoPA?t=54
抹/wipe
https://youtu.be/hYmA7Iyc6yc?t=56

As for ML, the chopblock became his "standard equipment" after relying on it (along with the wipe and BH serve) to turn the tables on LSS at ATTC 2013. IIRC, he had used it only sparingly before that.

ML vs LSS, MT SF, ATTC 2013
https://youtu.be/jnrTq11HbNI?t=563

 

[zeio]

Yes, he plays very similar to ML in that regard, but his placement is pretty awful. Between that and shot variety he's got a long way to go to catch up to ML's skillset. Judging by how poorly LSD did vs. XP's BH variations, and how successful XP's attacks were on occasions when he did have good placement and variation, I think the ML vs. LSD match may be easier for ML than some may think.

He started varying his placement in later games, but it was too late when he should've done so with those game points in G3.

If they were still playing with celluloid balls, many of those FH would've been killers, regardless of placement. In terms of strength, I'd argue XP's FH is stronger than ML's at that age, whose FH got countered a lot back in the celluloid days.