World Table Tennis Championships 2021

This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Well-Known Member
Aug 2021
1,956
347
2,319
@michael zhuang i think its less technique than mental strength which is needed. He didn't lose to Fan Zhendong , or even Timo Boll, but to Dyjas, and also Jorgic and An.

he played at a small % of his abilities. and when that happens, even the non - very top players can beat him
Â

For me, I think his sister has a better style than him. He stands too close to the table, and is mostly reliant on his backhand to win points. Against the mid-distance loopers, he cant attack the heavy topspin, so he ends up blocking a lot on his backhand. His sister has a more "Chinese" style, with a heavy forehand game.Â

 
  • Like
Reactions: iammaru

mrk

This user has no status.

mrk

This user has no status.
Member
Jul 2017
256
238
625
Any ideas what's happening to Harimoto? Too much pressure from always being in the limelight?

He usually struggles with pressure in bigger tournaments but overall his development in the last 2 or even 3 years stopped (more or less). His footwork isn't great at all to say the least (compared to Togami what a difference). He can only win bigger matches if he plays super aggressive which he can't always. If he can't attack the service with his banana flick his strongest weapon is disabled, he is beatable then. His opponents are aware of this.


I mean he is just 18 years old but to be honest I don't see how he could change his technique and footwork a lot from now on. Also his close to the table play might be not the best for him anymore because he grew a couple of centimeter in the last 2 years, he is quite tall now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TTHopeful

M51

says Poly balls still suck.

M51

says Poly balls still suck.
Member
Sep 2012
407
205
694
a%20jpg.jpeg



What a terrific camera angle. 😏
 
  • Like
Reactions: mrk

Brs

This user has no status.

Brs

This user has no status.
Well-Known Member
Oct 2015
1,107
1,376
2,608
I find it incredibly distracting when players move away from the table and suddenly they're out of the frame. This should never happen.

I agree. Players should never move that far away from the table, it's boring. Watch the women, they hardly ever do.

 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Well-Known Member
Nov 2017
1,012
1,224
5,119
Harimoto really needs to move to China and change up his training, because his technique is not developing at all.Â

Wang Manyu looked good in XD, i hope she goes far. Her partner Jha was alright, but not too offensive.Â

Lily Zhang looked really hesitant playing with Lin Gaoyuan, but they can find their game.Â

Lily Zhang and Lin Gaoyuan have at least one advantage over Jha/Manyu - they can communicate. I dunno if Jha's Mandarin is any better than Wang Manyu's English, otherwise it gonna be awkward

 
  • Like
Reactions: Shine
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Oct 2020
474
360
1,183

I mean he is just 18 years old but to be honest I don't see how he could change his technique and footwork a lot from now on.

Really? I'm not sure why that would be the case. Many of the absolute top players are still at the very pinnacle of the sport in their 30s. Timo Boll is 40 and he's managed to keep developing his game and remain competitive at the highest level. Harimoto, if he wants it, has a long career ahead of him and plenty of time to develop his game.

 
  • Like
Reactions: SamTheMan
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Well-Known Member
Nov 2017
1,012
1,224
5,119
Harimoto's biggest problem is people projecting his early development way into the future. It was silly to assume that since by 14 he was winning against top100 players and by 16 against top10, he must be top1 by 18. Yeah, and by 30 he'll rule the universe with iron fist. Doesn't work like that. Even if he never becomes a better player than he was a couple years back, that level is more than enough to win a few World Cups and Championships.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SamTheMan
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
May 2018
38
11
55
Read 1 reviews
The World Table Tennis Championships held in Houston has begun!

The number 1 seed is Fan Zhendong!

fanzhendongworlds2021%20jpg.jpeg

Number 1 seed Fan Zhendong: Photo via WTT

The draw has been released:

Men's Draw:

menssinglesdraw%20jpg.jpeg


Full men's draw here.


Women's Singles Draw:

womenssinglesdraw%20jpg.jpeg


Full women's draw here.


A huge tournament to follow, be sure to get involved in the TTD discussions. We can use this topic as a means to display all the latest results, videos and news from the World Table Tennis Championships! What are your predictions for the men's and women's singles?
Am I the only one who misses ML and XX?

 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Oct 2020
474
360
1,183
It was silly to assume that since by 14 he was winning against top100 players and by 16 against top10, he must be top1 by 18. Yeah, and by 30 he'll rule the universe with iron fist. Doesn't work like that.

Agreed 100%.
I just don't agree with the suggestion that, because he's already 18, he won't be able to alter his technique and/or game strategy to improve further. He may or may not get much better than he already is (which, let's be honest, is a level beyond most mortals!) - but either way it'll be because of the right coaching and hard work, and not because he's already too old to learn/adapt.

 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Mar 2014
206
105
472

Agreed 100%.
I just don't agree with the suggestion that, because he's already 18, he won't be able to alter his technique and/or game strategy to improve further. He may or may not get much better than he already is (which, let's be honest, is a level beyond most mortals!) - but either way it'll be because of the right coaching and hard work, and not because he's already too old to learn/adapt.

It’s not easy to change habits that you have had for more than 10 years. Possible? Yes. But very hard.

Many people questioned Harimoto’s technique and style 3-4 years ago or even earlier. His weakness in FH and footwork was clear, yet he still hasn’t been able to fix it. Especially when he keeps playing in tournaments, it’s hard to make major changes in technique. I thought Covid 19 was a good chance for him because there was no competition and he could concentrate on revamping and improving his technique but after a long period, he still looks the same, no change at all.

I also think Harimoto has stalled for the last 2-3 years while other players (young chinese players, Lin Jun Yu, even young european players) have improved a lot, that’s why Harimoto struggles so much now compared to a few years ago.
 
  • Like
Reactions: karupinkun
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Well-Known Member
Aug 2021
1,956
347
2,319
Harimoto is wasting his prime growth years training in Japan. He isnt being pushed, his technique isnt advancing. I think the Japanese coaches deserve a lot of fault for wasting the best years. They havent developed his forehand or his mid-range game at all in 3 years.Â
 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Oct 2020
474
360
1,183
It’s not easy to change habits that you have had for more than 10 years. Possible? Yes. But very hard.

Many people questioned Harimoto’s technique and style 3-4 years ago or even earlier. His weakness in FH and footwork was clear, yet he still hasn’t been able to fix it. Especially when he keeps playing in tournaments, it’s hard to make major changes in technique. I thought Covid 19 was a good chance for him because there was no competition and he could concentrate on revamping and improving his technique but after a long period, he still looks the same, no change at all.

I also think Harimoto has stalled for the last 2-3 years while other players (young chinese players, Lin Jun Yu, even young european players) have improved a lot, that’s why Harimoto struggles so much now compared to a few years ago.

All true. Yet the fact that other young players (most of whom are a bit older than Harimoto) have been able to improve illustrates the point: namely that the thing that's "stalling" Harimoto's development isn't that he's too old. In other words, if others who are older than him (eg. Lin Jun Yu, Darko Jorgic, etc.) have been able to improve meaningfully after the age of about 20 then that suggests that, at 18, Harimoto still has plenty of time to develop. Of course, whether he actually does make the adjustments to technique/strategy/etc is another matter entirely. I hope so, because he is a fantastic player and it would be great to see him seriously challenging for the No. 1 spot at some stage.

 
Top