Sabine Winter switches to antispin

[driversbeat]

Very interested to see how this will play out. Makes sense considering she's forehand oriented. Also brings a new type of funky rubber player to the table since the Indian girls right now are all backhand oriented. Sreeja probably has the best forehand but nowhere near as dynamic and athletic as Winter.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Well, its probably a good move for her, as it will bring some new "fun" and new "challenges" and probably pro long her career in this part.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

suddenly my interest in anti is piqued...

 

[zeio]

Even Winter (finally) realizes she can't brute force her way to LA 2028, when will Hayata realize that?

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/forum/topics/dttb-announces-paris-2024-lineups.33630/post-467168
https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/fo...ll-play-for-another-4-years.35128/post-486620

 

[blahness]

I went the same way lol. It may have some interesting results.

I dont like that she is always chopblocking and doesnt counter the topspins enough. If the opponent knows that she is always gonna chopblock when faced with spinny topspins then they can just stay close table and prepare for a strong loop, but if she can counter with anti or chopblock, this creates a very nasty positioning problem for the opponent as they wouldnt know whether it is going short or long.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Even Winter (finally) realizes she can't brute force her way to LA 2028, when will Hayata realize that?

Are you seriously comparing a 32 year old German to a 24 year old Japanese?
The German being the 3rd highest ranked at WR58 while the younger Japanese is no 1 at WR5

I know you dislike Hayata, but this comparison is really too low.

 

[Metaxa]

suddenly my interest in anti is piqued...

Suddenly my interest in Sabine is gone!😃

 

[Rinforzando]

Very interesting move indeed. As you can see, most of the material player close to the table doesn't have a powerful forehand nor backhand. But Winter, coming from a very aggressive playstyle won't rely as much as them on the anti. I believe it will open up more options and adds more unpredictability in her gameplan which is good. It comes with a cost though. It's harder and you need to spend more time in training (you need to train with the anti on the backhand AND the normal rubber on the backhand)
At pro level (see Mladenovic) one block with the anti and the opponent is cooked. Too much backspin and he is forced to push back can't loop again otherwise he hits the net. Main issue with Mladenovic is he doesn't have a strong enough forehand or backhand to finish the point. I believe it's different with Winter. Let's see how it goes !

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

okay, I spoke to a VIP that was involved in the move to anti and have first hand info.
really wonderful story.

She wanted to change last year already, but due to certain circumstances, it wasn't possible (there was some huge struggle) and I don't think I am at the liberty of sharing

However, the timing was fine now and her club agreed for her to move to Anti, because she has a very strong FH but can't keep up with the pace of Asians. And she is turning 33 this year, and can't go any faster.
So she is thinking of slowing the tempo down with BH and then to overpower opponent with FH.
she tested it for few weeks and then she is out beating national players in the bundesliga.

She could be the first Pro player to make this move and work.
Both the VIP and I agreed that it is possible, due to her very strong (man like) FH ability. And if she can control the ball on the BH side, to open more opportunities for the FH, game on!

Her backhand will never be to the level of the Indians per se, but then again, there isn't much womens out there that can out power her on the FH. so I feel it is a very good move.

Really lovely story. table tennis need more of these stories!!

 

[Draycott old man]

I love watching Mladenovic play ,I agree that he doesn't have a strong enough F.H to challenge further up the rankings!! Still love seeing different rubbers at the pro level!!! Hope Winter can make it work for her !!!

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Very interesting move indeed. As you can see, most of the material player close to the table doesn't have a powerful forehand nor backhand. But Winter, coming from a very aggressive playstyle won't rely as much as them on the anti. I believe it will open up more options and adds more unpredictability in her gameplan which is good. It comes with a cost though. It's harder and you need to spend more time in training (you need to train with the anti on the backhand AND the normal rubber on the backhand)
At pro level (see Mladenovic) one block with the anti and the opponent is cooked. Too much backspin and he is forced to push back can't loop again otherwise he hits the net. Main issue with Mladenovic is he doesn't have a strong enough forehand or backhand to finish the point. I believe it's different with Winter. Let's see how it goes !

your analysis on Winter is spot on, same as what my German VIP said.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

You know; Sabine will be just another two wing looper out of many cookies-cutter type player.

But since she moved; I'll be taking notice and watch this space.

 

[backspacer]

Ali Gözübüyük in the 3. Bundesliga did switch to anti too last year after training with it for a week, but he went back to a normal rubber. He still pulls it out occasionally, though.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Ali Gözübüyük in the 3. Bundesliga did switch to anti too last year after training with it for a week, but he went back to a normal rubber. He still pulls it out occasionally, though.

my sources tell me, Sabine has one of the strongest will power out there and she is really training hard to make it work.
and it isn't for retirement or life after pro. She is giving it another shot.

So, hopefully time will tell and we can see if this is truly a lovely story.

It is so serious that she has already been in communication with Andro to provide a special rubber for her (yes EJ. watch this space). I can't say too much, maybe am already in trouble saying this, haha

 

[zeio]

I went the same way lol. It may have some interesting results.

I dont like that she is always chopblocking and doesnt counter the topspins enough. If the opponent knows that she is always gonna chopblock when faced with spinny topspins then they can just stay close table and prepare for a strong loop, but if she can counter with anti or chopblock, this creates a very nasty positioning problem for the opponent as they wouldnt know whether it is going short or long.

It will be a tall order to finish top 50 at the end of 2025 (58 as of WK2 and WK3), seeing she had stayed within top 50 for only 3 weeks in 2024.

JPN players are the most spread out in that range (5th-43rd as of WK3) and they are arguably the best at playing special styles now.

It will take more than just skills and hard work. Perhaps the thing she will need the most is luck.

https://www.ittf.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025_2_SEN_WS.html
https://www.ittf.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025_3_SEN_WS.html
As of WK2 and WK3, there are:
10 CHN players;
10 JPN players;

6 KOR players;

2 AUS players;
2 EGY players;
2 FRA players;
2 IND players;
2 ROU players;
2 TPE players;
2 USA players;

1 AUT player;
1 BRA player;
1 CAN player;
1 GER player;
1 HKG player;
1 MON player;
1 NED player;
1 POL player;
1 PUR player;
1 THA player.

 

[backspacer]

my sources tell me, Sabine has one of the strongest will power out there and she is really training hard to make it work.
and it isn't for retirement or life after pro. She is giving it another shot.

So, hopefully time will tell and we can see if this is truly a lovely story.

It is so serious that she has already been in communication with Andro to provide a special rubber for her (yes EJ. watch this space). I can't say too much, maybe am already in trouble saying this, haha

For Ali it didn't make much sense at first glance because he actually has a good backhand, but he has a bad habit of going too far back and defending. He played mostly the summer with it and not much league iirc, but he did say he needs more practice to fully utilize the anti. Granted he is not a full time pro like Sabine and has a day job and family. I wish Sabine luck with the switch and will root secretly for her this Saturday in Weinheim.

 

[igorponger]

THE OUTCAST. 🦕

Along a course of time Anti players got in disrepute with most public for lacking spectacularity. Again, they are oftentimes viewed as a socium outcast not to be welcomed. That's more, people all would feel anti rubber a dirty and unworthy trick. Truth is harsh, yet it is Truth.

 

[zeio]

Are you seriously comparing a 32 year old German to a 24 year old Japanese?
The German being the 3rd highest ranked at WR58 while the younger Japanese is no 1 at WR5

I know you dislike Hayata, but this comparison is really too low.

Hayata said last week that she will have to live with her injury and that has made her notice things that she didn't realize in 2024.

Once again, I feel sorry for your students. The philosophy you've shown about how a player should develop is rather rudimentary. BTW, this news about a girl good enough to make the national team but now at risk of becoming disabled due to over-training made headlines in Taiwan a few weeks ago.

控桌球教練"近距離扣殺孩" 國小桌球教練遭控不當管教! 孩傷需開刀 家長: 很心疼│記者 羅珮瑜 蔡宇智│新聞一把抓20241216│三立新聞台

國小桌球教練遭控不當管教　罰學生「吊掛」攀岩場｜#鏡新聞

桌球國手夢碎! 教練遭控害童「生長板滑脫」｜TVBS新聞 ‪@TVBSNEWS01‬

 

[haggisv]

She could be the first Pro player to make this move and work.
Both the VIP and I agreed that it is possible, due to her very strong (man like) FH ability. And if she can control the ball on the BH side, to open more opportunities for the FH, game on!

Her backhand will never be to the level of the Indians per se, but then again, there isn't much womens out there that can out power her on the FH. so I feel it is a very good move.

Really lovely story. table tennis need more of these stories!!

Amelie Solja went down this path, but she was never very popular within the German selectors, so I think she ended up playing for Austria.

I did an interview with her many years ago (probably not appropriate for me to post the link), and she said that she was not welcomed to the German National team because she used anti.

So while I'm pleased to see this move to offer her something different, I feel there is still a lot of people at the top that will frown upon this.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Hayata said last week that she will have to live with her injury and that has made her notice things that she didn't realize in 2024.

Once again, I feel sorry for your students. The philosophy you've shown about how a player should develop is rather rudimentary. BTW, this news about a girl good enough to make the national team but now at risk of becoming disabled due to over-training made headlines in Taiwan a few weeks ago.

控桌球教練"近距離扣殺孩" 國小桌球教練遭控不當管教! 孩傷需開刀 家長: 很心疼│記者 羅珮瑜 蔡宇智│新聞一把抓20241216│三立新聞台

國小桌球教練遭控不當管教　罰學生「吊掛」攀岩場｜#鏡新聞

桌球國手夢碎! 教練遭控害童「生長板滑脫」｜TVBS新聞 ‪@TVBSNEWS01‬

please go and post in a Hayata thread (its not like you don't have enough of them already)
this thread is about Sabine Winter
so take your hatred elsewhere and stop spoiling a good story