Europe Smash Sweden August 14-24 2025

[JackJohnson]

Apologies for the quick diversion, but figure this'll have plenty of eyes on it and I certainly don't want to start a whole thread to ask a simple question.

I've seen multiple members mention the "forum search" function, but I'll be damned if I can find it. Will someone please direct me to it, or post a screenshot of where it is?

TIA

The search function is hidden on mobile unless you turned the screen/device landscape. In the past the search function could be seen in portrait mode but since the beginning of this year I think the admins did some changes to the site where they got rid of search function in portrait mode. Maybe the search function can be seen in portrait mode on mobile if you have a Galaxy Fold or something but with iPhones you’re unable to see the search function until you turn your device to landscape mode.

I did message @Dan about it a few months ago but didn’t receive a reply.

 

[BlopChock]

Does it really matter? Not speaking to you in particular because you already know this but this nonsense is completely unfair to the players.

From everything I've seen and heard from and about him, he seems a good human with a superlative work ethic.

I was simply mortified, and reflexively asked. And I'm not on social media, so not like I could look for myself.

Now that you ask, it doesn't matter in the strict sense that it's categorically, as you say, "unfair to the players ." On the other hand, I wanted to know if it was nationalistic, political, "fandom" of certain players run amok, a gambling syndicate/criminal element which is a threat to the integrity of the game, etc.

 

[TampaBayTableTennis]

can Truls do it?

 

[JackJohnson]

Before the match, Germany Men’s Coach Jörg posted an Instagram story of Duda training with New Zealand player Dean Shu. A player who played in the qualifying rounds and got out 1st match/1st round so was not expecting Dean Shu to still be in Sweden, especially being able to train with Duda which I found kind of strange to see. It was nice to see Shu being able to train with Duda.

I wonder how this relationship between these 2 players came to be. Whether it’s due to both of them training in the same facility in Germany or both players being sponsored by Victas (Not sure if Shu sponsored by Victas but when he does not wear Donic NZ team uniform he wears Victas)

 

[olive-nguyen]

The old gang was so formidable. Ma Long was a bloody superhero, ZJK was an enfant terrible superstar like John McEnroe, Xu Xin had that bad-ass super-villain vibe, and FZD was/is a frickin' robot.

Let's be honest, the actual world #1 is still FZD and it's not even close.

But god damn, I miss Zhang Jike.

Had a look at the old Ma Long vs Zhang Jike matches. Peak. Head to head. Miss those era. Oh and appeared in my feed was Ma Long vs Chen Qi Semi-final 2010 German Open. I think this is one of the best example of camera work. Malmö camera angles are slight improvement, especially compared to SG Smash which I think is really bad, (not as bad compared to 2020-2022 era tho). Hope they bring it back.

Oh and Gauzy nearly crashing into the ball girl. 😂

 

[ThePongCommenter]

You're right. LSD never looks confident and hasn't looked like a worthy successor to the throne yet. I can't explain why, but he doesn't look like the champions of old. Nothing like ZJK or FZD

Still waiting on an answer...how did ZJK and Ma Long look when they had just turned 20?

 

[zeio]

LSD on 4-3 Gauzy in the mixed zone.

Basically, he lost his patience early on after missing some lobs, but he didn't give up, found his calm and hung in there. Then the pointers by WH when he was behind came in handy in G6, when he handled the crucial points surgically.

The second set of links is a clip of WH's analysis during TO at 1:4 of G5, how Gauzy's BH rips were all very thin [very shallow placement?] and since LSD was standing in the middle and at that distance, he couldn't reach them at all and after that his BHs were all pushing forward [stretching]. If he couldn't do it on BH, not being able to play wide on BH, then he could just aim for the middle a bit more. All of them were out from the small triangle [the corner close to the net] and he should pay attention there. On receiving, it was too quick [in losing points?], that he couldn't keep the score close, trailing 1:4, 1:6 right from the start, that he should hang on to every point and find a way to keep the score close, that when Gauzy went all-out and missed, he didn't capitalize but missed left and right on his own as well, and he couldn't win like that, that if he could play short on the FH well, to play safe first and not necessary to play so short to win outright, or else play chiquita and then counterloop, or just simply play short to rein in Gauzy, rather than always thinking about winning outright by playing short, which he couldn't.

林诗栋谈第六局大逆转“有人庆祝？我想着不放弃”
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1fieLzkEJz
林诗栋：落后时想着不放弃每一球 感谢球迷支持
https://www.miguvideo.com/p/detail/957542291

王皓苦口婆心指导林诗栋：还是要想办法去并住比分
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1JveLz5Enf
https://www.miguvideo.com/p/detail/957542290

 

[NextLevel]

zooming out, i must say this event is the most exciting in a while. wtt getting everything right: commentary, TTR, camera angles are getting better, youtube videos are prompt (i'd rather have full matches before highlights but i get their reasoning, highlights are catered to the masses)

That'd probably a function of it being in Sweden. The European Teams champs in 2023 (or 2024) was similarly high quality, they just know how to set up the audio and coverage to give you great feeling of the action on TV and th rest probably follows to some degree from that anf the popularity of the sport in the country.

 

[zeio]

Fan Zhendong was not world #1 until he was 21. Fan is also arguably the greatest prodigy of all time (between him and Harimoto), so there is no shame in not being Fan Zhendong, but it is pretty ridiculous to expect a 20 year old to be the best/highest ranked player in the world and have no gaps.

Even as impressive as FZD, he stumbled in a few relatively big matches early on, e.g. Chen Feng and Li Hu of Singapore in MT of Asian Games 2014 when FZD was just 17 years and 8 months old, and ZJK and ML were there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_tennis_at_the_2014_Asian_Games_–_Men's_team#Group_A

 

[zeio]

zooming out, i must say this event is the most exciting in a while. wtt getting everything right: commentary, TTR, camera angles are getting better, youtube videos are prompt (i'd rather have full matches before highlights but i get their reasoning, highlights are catered to the masses)

WTT is getting praised? (Tony must be fuming)

Hate to say it, but Germany and Japan have unfortunately chosen to be on the wrong side of history again.

 

[M51]

So he's the worst best player in the world you've ever seen. 🤔

No, world number one doesn't mean the best player in the world.

Ask Xu-Xin.

The best table tennis player in the world world right now is still without a doubt Fan Zhendong, followed by Wang Chuqin.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

WTT is getting praised? (Tony must be fuming)

Hate to say it, but Germany and Japan have unfortunately chosen to be on the wrong side of history again.

Why am I fuming? We all want quality, that is the reason why players union is set up. Not everyone has tieba narratives like you.

I know your folks are born in a regime that you can't complain.
The rest of us, are in a democratic world - if the organization is a joke, we can laugh and talk about it. Something you are probably not used to in your home country. So I can understand you don't know what freedom is. Freedom to complain and demand for the better - quality, for all and with no fear of retribution or disappearance.

 

[zeio]

Moregard looks ahead to the final against LSD.

莫雷加德展望决赛对阵林诗栋……
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV19keLzBE3K
https://www.miguvideo.com/p/detail/957542532

 

[NextLevel]

Still waiting on an answer...how did ZJK and Ma Long look when they had just turned 20?

And of course, at that age for ZJK and ML (and XX), Wang Hao and Wang Liqin and Ma Lin and Chen Qi were still playing, largely shouldering responsibility in front of them... FZD, XX and ML have retired and WCQ and LSD are now the team leaders. No protection from the likes of ZQH, XYB, or XF.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

And of course, at that age for ZJK and ML (and XX), Wang Hao and Wang Liqin and Ma Lin and Chen Qi were still playing, largely shouldering responsibility in front of them... FZD, XX and ML have retired and WCQ and LSD are now the team leaders. No protection from the likes of ZQH, XYB, or XF.

technically speaking there is the XX and Chen Qi in the team, that has the age and experience
but they have performed so terribly that we think there is no one.

Also, FZD retirement should be an inner reflection of CNT management. The way things are going, I won't be surprised WCQ will also retire prematurely.

 

[NextLevel]

technically speaking there is the XX and Chen Qi in the team, that has the age and experience
but they have performed so terribly that we think there is no one.

Also, FZD retirement should be an inner reflection of CNT management. The way things are going, I won't be surprised WCQ will also retire prematurely.

Chen Qi isnt on the team? XX could be for aure but he is older too, at the age od traditional retirement from CNT so no big questions there. Not everyone can age likr ML.

I agree on FZD, I hopw his reward is on earth and not in heaven.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Chen Qi isnt on the team?

read again

 

[NetProphet]

No, world number one doesn't mean the best player in the world.

Ask Xu-Xin.

The best table tennis player in the world world right now is still without a doubt Fan Zhendong, followed by Wang Chuqin.

I think there's A LOT of doubt around that statement. Form comes and goes, as does appetite for the game.
Without an appetite to prove you are the best then you absolutely cannot be the best. That's FZD and he is welcome to his break from CNT duties.
But LS is no 1 on form and consistency over a period of time reflected in the rankings and he absolutely was the best player in the world at one point.
Whether anyone is the absolute best on a given day is another thing but if anyone wants to displace him from the no 1 spot they have to show more consistency.
Ask Hugo and Harimoto how that's going and ask WCQ about 2024 as well 😉

 

[mikeytt]

cool that the youth get to play in the same arena as the seniors, awesome comeback by lee seung soo!

 

[M51]

But LS is no 1 on form and consistently over a period of time reflected in the rankings and he absolutely was the best player in the world at one point

Strawman argumentation isn't going to magically turn the facts into your favor.