Average age of top-20 table tennis players: do you think it has risen or declined?

Filip · Jan 6, 2019

Hi guys

I had this idea already for some time that the average age (with exception of Harimoto ofcourse) in table tennis is rising. Players can play longer, was my impression, and keep on producing very good results (Timo Boll and Samsonov are of course great examples for this). It gives me hope that I am still going to reach my best level in a few years

What do you guys think? Is the average top-20 player now older than 20 years ago? than 10 years ago?

Love to hear your insights!

Filip

Lula · Jan 6, 2019

I think that we may have more knowledge today than years ago about how you should practice and what you should do to not get injuried. So because of that maybe players can be able to play longer. I also think the game is a bit slower with the new ball and maybe that can make it is easier for players to play longer today, especially if you have an playing style where you block alot, play safe and have a good backhand. The play today is also more backhand oriented compared to before so proably players have a better backhand and do not need to play as much forehand as before which is harder for the body, so maybe players can keep up and play longer because of this.

When you had 5 serves and were able to hide the ball, and when there were more spin in the ball i can imagine it was easier to play longer because you could win more with the serve, spin and with less power. And the balls were shorter because of the hidden serve? Nowdays it is more power and less spin, and the ball is slower so players need to use the body more so maybe this will be a strain for the body so players can not keep playing as long? But because of the new ball i can imagine that players do alot more physical exercise which proably will prevent them from getting injuried, and can play longer because of that.

Maybe they could play longer before when there was speedglue because they got more help to get power in the ball then?

I also think that maybe how long you play also depends on how good new players there are coming after you. Waldner and Persson could play for Sweden a long time because there were not any new younger players that where better. While it is the opposite for the chinese.

I think that if the body is not injuried the europeans want to play even after the age of 30 since they have their peak then. Because europeans start to play later than the asians, it is not before after 30 years of age they have practiced enough to be at their best i think.

The asians start to play much earlier so they peak earlier in age. Maybe they are not as motivated after they have won alot already so they quiet? or maybe because they have played longer they have more strain on their body at an early age? or they do not think it as much fun because they have played so much?

I am speculating alot here so maybe im totally wrong! But interesting question!

Lightzy · Jan 7, 2019

Same as most sports. Peak around 20-25 (earlier physically but experience takes some time to build) , and no longer competitive around 35.

It's a short life.
Especially for athletes. The body isn't made to take that kind of abuse. It wears out.

FruitLoop · Jan 7, 2019

I would think peak is slightly different between Chinese/Japanese and European as Lula suggested. Probably European players don't peak until late 20's maybe 30's. Chinese probably around 25-26.

I am not sure the ages have changed much. Hi Zhi Wen is still top 200 standard prob in his mid 50's. I imagine so would Waldner and Persson if they were still playing regular tournaments. Astonishing really.

Filip · Jan 7, 2019

I was in a nerdy mood this weekend, and spent a few hours on an analysis. The average age for top 20 players since 2001 has risen 1 year according to the trendline, however, not sure if it is significant

And of course, you can see that the actual average age in 2018 was lower than in 2001. You can see the evolution in the graph. I might do some more analysis on this, but more detailed.

A few interesting things:

1) When Ryu had Kim Taek Soo as a coach on the Olympic games in 2004, only 3 months before, Kim was still in the Top-20 of the world!
2) 98 different players were in the Top 20 since 2001, not that many

Filip · Jan 7, 2019

Lula said:
I think that we may have more knowledge today than years ago about how you should practice and what you should do to not get injuried. So because of that maybe players can be able to play longer. I also think the game is a bit slower with the new ball and maybe that can make it is easier for players to play longer today, especially if you have an playing style where you block alot, play safe and have a good backhand. The play today is also more backhand oriented compared to before so proably players have a better backhand and do not need to play as much forehand as before which is harder for the body, so maybe players can keep up and play longer because of this.

When you had 5 serves and were able to hide the ball, and when there were more spin in the ball i can imagine it was easier to play longer because you could win more with the serve, spin and with less power. And the balls were shorter because of the hidden serve? Nowdays it is more power and less spin, and the ball is slower so players need to use the body more so maybe this will be a strain for the body so players can not keep playing as long? But because of the new ball i can imagine that players do alot more physical exercise which proably will prevent them from getting injuried, and can play longer because of that.

Maybe they could play longer before when there was speedglue because they got more help to get power in the ball then?

I also think that maybe how long you play also depends on how good new players there are coming after you. Waldner and Persson could play for Sweden a long time because there were not any new younger players that where better. While it is the opposite for the chinese.

I think that if the body is not injuried the europeans want to play even after the age of 30 since they have their peak then. Because europeans start to play later than the asians, it is not before after 30 years of age they have practiced enough to be at their best i think.

The asians start to play much earlier so they peak earlier in age. Maybe they are not as motivated after they have won alot already so they quiet? or maybe because they have played longer they have more strain on their body at an early age? or they do not think it as much fun because they have played so much?

I am speculating alot here so maybe im totally wrong! But interesting question!

Your post gives all good points, very nuanced. There are indeed many factors. The bal changes, rallies are longer, intenser, but everyone is also physically better. Maybe backhand to backhand play became a lot easier, and turning around to take fforehand is not so necessary anymore. Very complex picture

zeio · Jan 8, 2019

If you graph the chart by continents, Europe should stick out like a sore thumb until 2008 or so.

TT Guru · Jan 11, 2019

Going back to the 90s and 80s is a little bit trickier as many DOBs are not in the database. 1986 is as far back as I can go without the average age becoming unreliable. 1985 and before are missing at least 50% of the player DOBs in the top 20 for men and women. DOBs can be found for the various top players of their era all the way back to 1926, but a top 20 average age is not possible. Many of the initial lists had <20 players on them anyway. The first list to have 100 players was July 1986, when Jiang Jialiang and Geng Lijuan were the respective men's and women's no.1 player.

Filip · Jan 15, 2019

Cool graph! We can see a clear rise

TT Guru · Feb 23, 2019

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/fo...-to-2019-video&p=262091&viewfull=1#post262091

This thread shows the top 10 in an infographic video, gives an idea of how the rankings change over time.

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Average age of top-20 table tennis players: do you think it has risen or declined?

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