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Here is me looping with a 4 month old sheet of Big Dipper.

Even the match against Wu Yue, the pt at 3-1, 12-12 or so where Wu blocks down Zhang's loops is ridiculous.

Thanks. I really need to get good video editing software and start doing that. This match was more than worth it - I would do a shortform if I knew how to use MovieMaker well, but it looks like more trouble than I can handle.

Feb 28, 2015.

Both matches feature Kai Zhang, adopted by the US to be the next big thing in US table tennis when he is eligible to play for the US. Won't provide a spoiler but the final is extremely entertaining, and will probably be one of the best matches played in the US not seen by anyone. To help...

I agree - last year, when I saw her playing, I felt that it was clear that she needed surgery and she was refusing to get it - maybe there is another story, but I was not sure why she was playing without the surgery - maybe she has had too many or something but who knows. Someone laughed at me...

It's usually almost impossible to discuss these kinds of questions without videotape. I am not left-handed, but I could write the same post you did with reference to my level. In this sport, the descriptions are generally applicable - it's the level/quality of the technique that often...

Aqueminy, When you switch from traditional rubbers to tensioned rubbers, you will experience the loss of control whenever you choose to change, but you will adjust and regain it if you put in the practice time and develop the softer touch hand skills. That said, take me as one of the few who...

So is everything else coach's picks now? Obviously, we have FZD, ML, ZJK and XX barring injury to any of the above. FB will probably get a spot unless his loss to Freitas is overweighted, so who gets the sixth spot?

Exactly. In general, spin sensitive rubbers are very good if you read spin well and have an active spin manipulation game because you can overpower and borrow spin much more easily with such rubbers. However, they hurt if you have a passive game and are dealing with heavy spin because the...

Rhyzm has a couple of softer sponges (375 and 425) that are just as good in terms of control, but slower. I personally would recommend he try Hexer, which is similar to Baracuda, but less spin sensitive.

I think that the ideal is to approach every point with the same relaxed but competent intensity. IF your goal is always to approach the point and win it, then pressure becomes largely moot as your goal and mental state should be relatively similar from point to point. At the beginning of a...

I think for pros, that makes sense but I have seen amateurs use Hurricane 3 Neo on the backhand and other than paddle weight, they endured it pretty well. Since I use Big Dipper in 38 deg (Chinese scale) sponge, I sometimes wonder about how strict the recommendation against hard sponges on the...

This is not as "certain" as it might seem.

At this point, will warning you make any difference? It's time to just enjoy the blade and play. The game is fun no matter what you use to play it. However, playing to win against better players, if one ever aspires to it, requires a different level of focus and meticulousness from playing for...

I switched to tacky rubber on the backhand as well after the plastic ball came out and I can see why Ma Long made the choice if true. The new ball is harder to grip with just grippy rubber. But it is still possible to get good spin with any rubber.

That's a fine racket. I wouldn't let water touch that thing unless I was using distilled water. :p

Historically, too many great backhands. For me, when dealing with questions like this, the BHs of interest tend to be those from players who pretty much overuse it. Two that come to mind are Karakasevic and Henzell. But surely, there must be others.

The topic that never dies. ZJK, FZD, DO. All other backhands are deficient in some way.

In 2011, countries were allowed 7 players (Wang Liqin beat Xu Xin one round prior to what UpSideDownCarl wrote). So it should be six singles players as China is the host but the problem is that politics (or coach's decisions to put it more euphemistically) have often affected team selections...