WTT Singapore Smash 2025 (30 Jan ~ 9 Feb 2025)

[NextLevel]

Kanak 3-0 Ishiy - made it more interesting than necessary at the end, but finish it off regardless.

 

[NextLevel]

Way, way over the hill MLTT Star (redundant to call an MLTT Star over the hill according to many) Mo Zhang (36) currently up 2-0 (now 2-1) on in her prime Orawan Paranang. I guess MLTT plays only 3 games to accommodate all the players past their primes.

EDIT: MO wins 11-9 in the 5th. Oh well...

 

[NextLevel]

Even Australia is bringing its civil wars to WTT...

 

[ThePongCommenter]

you still haven't answered me, what is the average age of MLTT?

FWIW, other than the Princeton Revolution, each team of 8 players has 3 players less than 30 (mostly way less as a number of them are teenagers). The website doesn't have individual profiles and I don't think I want to research everyone's age, but I think the average age might be quite a bit lower than you might think. But is Liam at 31 yrs. old really that old? Ma Long won the Tokyo Olympics at 32 yrs old. Many of these above 30 players bring name recognition to the league (Pitchford, Lebesson, Olah, etc) in addition to their talents. Ma Long, Xu Xin, Chen Meng ... if you're out there listening, don't listen to all the negative talk about age. We'll take you in! I know you all want to take on the challenge and fun of the Golden Game!

The average age of MLTT players excluding free agents from both Season 1 and Season 2 is right at 30 if you exclude two teenagers who are no longer getting actively rostered. Youngest is Adi Sareen at 16 and oldest is Jens at 45.

While there are visible top players in the league who trend older by athlete standards such as Jens (45), Gorak (41), Duran (40), Provost (40), Pistej (40)...

... there is also Adi (16), Nandan Naresh (18), Kheith Cruz (18), Silva (19), Omoda (20), Sid Naresh (20), Rachel Sung (20), Taehyun Kim (21), Amy Wang (22), Nikhil Kumar (22), Haocheng Wang (22), Jinbao (24).

Florida is the oldest team in the league by average (almost 33) along with the Wind, youngest is the Smash (average age 25).

 

[NextLevel]

Over the hill Quadri Aruna (36) vs Spring chicken Junsung Oh (18) - this will be interesting for sure... or maybe not...

 

[ThePongCommenter]

The average age of MLTT players excluding free agents from both Season 1 and Season 2 is right around 30 if you exclude two teenagers who are no longer getting actively rostered. Youngest is Adi Sareen at 16 and oldest is Jens at 45.

While there are visible top players in the league who trend older by athlete standards such as Jens (45), Gorak (41), Duran (40), Provost (40), Pistej (40)...

... there is also Adi (16), Nandan Naresh (18), Kheith Cruz (18), Silva (19), Omoda (20), Sid Naresh (20), Rachel Sung (20), Taehyun Kim (21), Amy Wang (22), Nikhil Kumar (22), Haocheng Wang (22), Jinbao (24).

Florida is the oldest team in the league by average (almost 33) along with the Wind, youngest is the Smash (average age 25).

Ran some quick numbers on the current top 25 performers in the TTBL, who have at least a zero or positive +/- in games won/lost. Average age is right around 30 if rounding up, same as MLTT.

Leading the way with +15 (16-1) is Dima at 36.

Youngest are Ionescu and Kao at 20, oldest are Steger and Boll at 43. Honorable mention to rank 12 Apolonia (38).

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

The average age of MLTT players excluding free agents from both Season 1 and Season 2 is right at 30 if you exclude two teenagers who are no longer getting actively rostered. Youngest is Adi Sareen at 16 and oldest is Jens at 45.

While there are visible top players in the league who trend older by athlete standards such as Jens (45), Gorak (41), Duran (40), Provost (40), Pistej (40)...

... there is also Adi (16), Nandan Naresh (18), Kheith Cruz (18), Silva (19), Omoda (20), Sid Naresh (20), Rachel Sung (20), Taehyun Kim (21), Amy Wang (22), Nikhil Kumar (22), Haocheng Wang (22), Jinbao (24).

Florida is the oldest team in the league by average (almost 33) along with the Wind, youngest is the Smash (average age 25).

Thank you with the facts.

I have 2 more "early 20s" going in next season, both at USATT2800+ level.
beating Liam and Kou Lei shouldn't be a problem for them.

 

[KiwiPong]

Thank you with the facts.

I have 2 more "early 20s" going in next season, both at USATT2800+ level.
beating Liam and Kou Lei shouldn't be a problem for them.

From Taiwan?

 

[ThePongCommenter]

Thank you with the facts.

I have 2 more "early 20s" going in next season, both at USATT2800+ level.
beating Liam and Kou Lei shouldn't be a problem for them.

Well they will probably need to beat more than just Liam and Kou Lei next season Though I am very curious who is joining that will beat Pitchford without a problem - sounds like WR Top 25 level.

 

[zeio]

Aruna: Tropical climate is my thing.

MS R64
Oh Junsung 1-3 Aruna (8, -8, -9, -7)

 

[ThePongCommenter]

Oh Junsung regretting that Tibhar switch more and more

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Ran some quick numbers on the current top 25 performers in the TTBL, who have at least a zero or positive +/- in games won/lost. Average age is right around 30 if rounding up, same as MLTT.

Leading the way with +15 (16-1) is Dima at 36.

Youngest are Ionescu and Kao at 20, oldest are Steger and Boll at 43. Honorable mention to rank 12 Apolonia (38).

TTBL older players are still top players - or rather players maintaining there positions in the international stage.
It will be interesting to see if the MLTT older players are also the same, as clearly Liam is on a downwards slide from his peak in 2022.

Here is Pitchford vs Dima's comparison in terms on where age and performance meets.

and since we are on facts, and someone bought up Aruna.
lets compare him with the much younger, but falling Pitchford.

I have nothing against Pitchford, but he is on the decline and these MLTT fanboys think he is still a top player despite his younger age compared to the 2 older players.

Even Pistej's chart (at 40 years old) is more healthy than Pitchford. Hope Pitchford recovers in 2025... He has such an outstanding league season, I am sure all those wins will push in to world top 20 again.

Is there no one in the current MLTT that can over take Pitchford?
wait, his stats aren't good... I just had a look (not sure what it means but) - Singles, 17 wins vs 10 losses?? only 63%.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

From Taiwan?

I'm under NDA, so can't give any more info - sorry

 

[NextLevel]

Well they will probably need to beat more than just Liam and Kou Lei next season Though I am very curious who is joining that will beat Pitchford without a problem - sounds like WR Top 25 level.

Beating even Kou Lei takes work. Ma Jinbao is top 100 WTT and even he doesn't beat Kou Lei without a problem.

 

[NextLevel]

Over the hill Quadri Aruna (36) vs Spring chicken Junsung Oh (18) - this will be interesting for sure... or maybe not...

36 year old Quadri beats 18 year old Junsung Oh 3-1. Oh well...

 

[zeio]

The future is here...

Spoiler

to stay. T_T

MS R64
Matsushima 1-3 Shinozuka

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

...
Is there no one in the current MLTT that can over take Pitchford?
wait, his stats aren't good... I just had a look (not sure what it means but) - Singles, 17 wins vs 10 losses?? only 63%.

Those are games won/lost. You have to look at the SPINDex ratings to see that bo3 matches, he's 8-1.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Well they will probably need to beat more than just Liam and Kou Lei next season Though I am very curious who is joining that will beat Pitchford without a problem - sounds like WR Top 25 level.

you don't need to be WR 25 to beat Pitchford today.
just look at his wtt/ittf and Pro A results from past 2 years.
Pitchford is loosing to weaker players at the wrong time (the timing part probably makes it worse than it seems, but still, that is the stats)
Like the Feeder in England last year, he lost to a 130 player in QF, where he was favorites on home to gain some good points.

Lets hope he has better performance this year.
at least the 20 points from Singapore will help a bit as his 25 points from Manchester expires tomorrow.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Those are games won/lost. You have to look at the SPINDex ratings to see that bo3 matches, he's 8-1.

okay, so he is at a 89% win record
much higher than his Pro A of 33% and his international 40% in 2024, 50% in 2023.

He plays better in USA!!

 

[ThePongCommenter]

you don't need to be WR 25 to beat Pitchford today.
just look at his wtt/ittf and Pro A results from past 2 years.
Pitchford is loosing to weaker players at the wrong time (the timing part probably makes it worse than it seems, but still, that is the stats)
Like the Feeder in England last year, he lost to a 130 player in QF, where he was favorites on home to gain some good points.

Lets hope he has better performance this year.
at least the 20 points from Singapore will help a bit as his 25 points from Manchester expires tomorrow.

View attachment 34498

Who from Taiwan is beating Pitchford without a problem though? LYJ, Kao, Feng, Huang Yancheng, Kuo?