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

[Tyce]

Does anyone have a bit more insight into the schedule? I'd love to see Diaz v Eerland in the R32 but I don't see it planned in yet.
I generally seem to find matches only after they happened.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

legit question: is Lily Z considered over the hill?

you need to ask Lily that

isn't there talks about her retirement within her circle? Even her family is talking about it if I recall.

I think life for USA based players is a tough one. If it wasn't for private resources, she would never be able to still live in the USA and be a Pro player. So many good players have left, because one can't even cover the basics living expenses as a player and with MLTT salary, it has helped, but she isn't getting any younger and can't live off others for ever. Making income (saving money) would probably be a major concern, as she is near 30.

She is probably still good enough to make the LA singles and teams spot.
Amy and a couple of others can be a threat to the spot.
If Lily stays on, and don't really make good income out of TT, it requires something like an Olympic dream or a home ground Olympic dream to put everything else aside.

I think for Lily to continue Pro, have high level table tennis and make an income, she should appear for her Pro A French club Saint Pierraise more, she currently has 0 outings this season, with Singapore's Zeng Jian taking up the international players role.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

A bit off topic. Is Hamamoto still playing in Austria ? Or has she given up TT ?

 

[zeio]

Not on the national ranking list...

Ranglisten - Österreichischer Tischtennis Verband

www.oettv.org

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

Not on the national ranking list...

Ranglisten - Österreichischer Tischtennis Verband

www.oettv.org

really sad, such a talent wasted. I wonder what she's doing now

 

[d3nium]

Over the hill Pitchford victim Dima is destroying Xiang Peng right now. Brilliant performance so far.

 

[zeio]

XP = eXasPerating

MS R64
Ovtcharov 3-0 XP (4, 3, 9)

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

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.

I dunno Tony. You might be putting undue pressure on these Taiwanese young stars knowing that TTD will be following their every move to see if they slip up against the old fogeys currently in MLTT. Just kidding.... Glad to have them and hope they do well!

 

[d3nium]

I dunno Tony. You might be putting undue pressure on these Taiwanese young stars knowing that TTD will be following their every move to see if they slip up against the old fogeys currently in MLTT. Just kidding.... Glad to have them and hope they do well!

Liam lost to Lin Yun-Ju last time he played him, but beat him 3-1 the time before that, i think it was at the end of 2023.

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

SYB and JJH smiling and playing exhibition points in the final game of their match. I thought it was a pretty crappy draw for them to meet in the first round, but I guess it ended up being a really sweet moment between the two to send off JJH off into international retirement.

Turned out to be a perfect ending.

 

[ThePongCommenter]

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

I've never heard of NDAs being involved in any MLTT contract discussions that I'm aware of (or if they exist they get violated all the time) but if you are referring to Huang Yan Cheng I think he's a great player with potential and I'm excited to see him join the league, but I wouldn't say that beating Pitchford without a problem is a guarantee for him.

 

[ThePongCommenter]

are you saying I am a MLTT hater?
or you think Pitchford has yet to peak or still in his peak?

really interesting to see where your logic is from, because stats (backed with his playing level that equates to real results) don't back you.

View attachment 34441

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Digging into Pitchford's current season Pro A results a bit more. He has 6 losses on the season which are:

Geraldo
Katsman
Alexis
Felix
Sun Wen
Quadri

Alexis and Felix seems expected, I would say Sun Wen too. Quadri is not a surprise either.

So we are left with Geraldo and Katsman as his potential bad losses, neither of which are really slouches.

 

[ThePongCommenter]

Nina can't find any rhythm at all against Winter. Helped by some net cords and umpire disruptions.

G2: umpire still disrupting with technical faults. Referee comes by and motions with her hand and the problem is solved? Lol? Winter seems to be having her own problems stepping around and twiddling. Messing up her own rhythm.

G3: Nina not satisfied with umpire service warning. Feels like Winter is making too many of her own mistakes trying to play complicated (forehand anti receive, UFO, step around). Virtually no backhand anti chopblocks.

G4: Winter very frustrated. Trying to play all inverted but Nina seems even more comfortable with the rhythm. TO at 4-1.

No tactical change after TO. Methinks Winter hasn't broken out of the double inverted mindset. One forehand and one backhand placement is all it takes to jam her middle. Somehow manages to pull back to 7-4 with some last ditch attacks. TO for Nina.

Winter finally wins two points by setting up with backhand Anti. Goes back to playing forehand inverted pivot at 8-9 up. Pop up with Anti forehand at 10-10. Another easy high ball for Nina at 11-10.

3-11, 11-5, 11-7, 12-10

Welp that's the end for our new Anti star. Ironically I think a simpler, more defensive game will help Winter. Inverted attacks are supposed to be pulled out after you've frustrated the opponent with Anti, but Winter didn't even manage to get her Anti game going.

The switch was pretty recent so it takes a lot more time to change the way you've played your entire life, but I don't see this experiment really lifting her ceiling much, maybe it can raise her floor...

 

[ThePongCommenter]

What shoes is Zhou Qihao wearing. They do not look like Lining shoes that the CNT are forced to wear.

https://joola.com/blogs/major-leagu...ity-recap/zhou-qihao-rising-through-the-ranks

Probably a not-yet-released JOOLA shoe. "New blade in hand, and new shoes on feet"?

 

[KiwiPong]

Does anyone have a bit more insight into the schedule? I'd love to see Diaz v Eerland in the R32 but I don't see it planned in yet.
I generally seem to find matches only after they happened.

I guess Amy W lost to Diaz. Never even seen any post about her match. USATT didn’t even bother

 

[ThePongCommenter]

I guess Amy W lost to Diaz. Never even seen any post about her match. USATT didn’t even bother

She lost 3-0

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

I guess Amy W lost to Diaz. Never even seen any post about her match. USATT didn’t even bother

Amy seems content with her fast counter and smash game. And she's great at it, but when her opponent's spin level goes above her comfort level, she doesn't have an answer. This is why I see more promise in Sally Moyland who has a well developed spin game from both wings.

 

[ThePongCommenter]

And she's great at it, but when her opponent's spin level goes above her comfort level, she doesn't have an answer.

That is the case for most people whether they play flatter or more with spin...

Amy and Lily mainly have the same issue of relying on backhand dominance for too long, and while Moyland doesn't have that, she does have health issues they don't have.

Moyland did the majority of her training in Taiwan and Amy/Lily did theirs in the US where they didn't have much challenge for large parts of their careers.

 

[ThePongCommenter]

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!

Koyo: 25
Guo: 26
Olah: 33

These are the players who probably get retained in Season 3, maybe some others, though I am fairly sure Mathieu, Pryschepa, Wensheng Wei, and Jishan will be gone.

 

[NextLevel]

Amy seems content with her fast counter and smash game. And she's great at it, but when her opponent's spin level goes above her comfort level, she doesn't have an answer. This is why I see more promise in Sally Moyland who has a well developed spin game from both wings.

It's just a quality and speed of play thing. Happens at all levels of TT. You would hope that she can develop more weapons but without being increasingly challenged and adapting, at a certain level you are who you are and adaptation might not help that much.

And weirdly enough, there is no guarantee that Sally's well rounded style will actually have a higher ceiling. It might be more stable and make her compeitive against more styles but one of the challenges Amy has is that she is not fully professional while Diaz has no such confusion. Such is TT in the USA.