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You are tautologically correct but your argument lacks nuance. I think you underestimate the relationships that are formed when people hang around together for many years. Of course the CNT thinks ML will rise to the occasion, but that is what "owing him" means - he has never disappointed at...

So the rules changed in 2016, where they were allowed to remove both Fan and Xu Xin to allow Zhang Jike? I think ultimately, China sent the Champs that they wanted to send. They subbed Guo Yan with Ding Ning back then as well.

You don't have that flexibility in the Olympics today if ever.

Okay. Since you still seem to misunderstand (or block your ears a d eyes to) the training investment in world tours vs WTTC, the latter they have special camps and training periods to avoid the very thing XX did by losing to Gauzy, I give up. No point in discussing this forever if these are...

Because of two players called Ma Long and Fan Zhendong?

Sometimes, I read things like what you wrote and wonder if people understand what Ma Long means to Chinese table tennis. Unless either Ma Long or Fan Zhendong get seriously incapacitated, Xu Xin is not playing singles. I don't know why you think the World Cup is a major - it barely is in the...

Curious why you think XX has any hope for Olympics singles...

The asterisk has been put out there. Good strategic move by CNT.

Harimoto has improved a lot. It is now a matter of time.

Calderano is an abuser. You are the one naive enough to think these things haven't been debated for years. People don't want to change. On most Jeoung Youngsik serves you can see the difference. The pros all tend to abuse the rule until they are forced to change. Not all but most. Timo...

Xiao Zhan will not be denied...

I think the first game really messed him up.

Ito thrives on high arcing topspin and doesn't like players who drive the ball through the table. It isn't easy to vary spin when the ball is coming at you at 100mph.

Very funny. The cool thing is that the coaches are around the players all the time. The choices are always based on more information than we have.

She stepped back and launched those backhands. I found that really impressive.

The rule has been around for years and yet it isn't enforced when people like Yoshimura and Ito abuse it. Ma Long has been abusing it for years but I guess we all ignore it because we like him. Compare it to how Jeoung serves and you see a clear difference.

Their chances of both for me are equal (almost zero). Germany, Taipei and South Korea are the only teams with near miraculous performances that can beat Japan before the final. Ito has to go cold and so do Ishikawa and Hirano. Ishikawa and Hirano are not chopped liver. Even if they lose the...

First of all I agree with the general sentiment that Hayata and Ito would be on the best team to oppose China. Especially if Ito and Hayata played doubles in the team event. I think that the idea that the result would be the same regardless of the team has merit but doesn't seriously...

I think this misunderstands the value of team preparation in growing Chinese players. Just about all the top Japanese players would be able to hold their own in the CNT if forced to as they would be forced to train with higher level players. The system would treat them differently though...

As much as this is an interesting view of Ishikawa, the truth is that for the most part, she has been the most consistent non-ethnic Chinese player of the past decade. Had a callow Ito not lost to Petrissa Solja in 2016 Olympics, she would have won silver for Japan with her strong performance...