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Predictions:
Ma Long: Other players (especially Chinese players) are definitely catching up with Ma Long in terms of technique. Losing the recent World Cup is not going to help his confidence. Though Ma Long has a very complete technique, I feel that he has always had problems against strong Backhand players. Losing to Wang Hao 3 times in a row in the WTTC did have something to do with nerves but I have always felt that it also had equally as much to do with Wang Hao's backhand and the fact that Wang Hao's big tournament record is legendary. In matches where ZJK is in good condition, they have played many times till the 7th set with Ma Long winning a lot of those battles (an example is the Austrian Open in 2011). Ma Long has also won mostly (but not without a struggle) against FZD. All of these players can accelerate very close to the table and can give him a headache. I also feel that he is under more pressure because everyone expects him to win. It's not going to be easy but I still predict that he has the best chances for winning the WTTC in 2015 and perhaps in 2017. With a fully motivated ZJK, it could be tricky winning the Olympics but I hope that he at least gets a silver medal. He technique is also quite fluid and I hope that he can play beyond the normal Chinese retirement age of 30.
In contrast, he has an easier time against Xu Xin and Timo Boll, who are both Forehand oriented players.
Zhang Jike: Zhang Jike has achieved enough for several careers but he must be eyeing the Olympics in 2016. That will take him beyond other legends like Waldner, LGL, KLH. It is going to be very difficult to stop him if he's fully motivated to win the OG. He might start dominating in 2015 if he is completely focussed on being one of the two players who will qualify for Rio 2016. I have always though that ZJK has perhaps the most complete game. It might be simpler than ML's game but he is stronger in his crossover point and can accelerate very quickly as well. However, I can't imagine that his style is very easy on his body and he might not play competitively as long as some other players, especially because he has already achieved everything that others aspire for.
Xu Xin: He probably has the most monstrous FH in the world but I still rate XX a bit under ML and ZJK even if he has improved a lot and that's mainly because his backhand is not as strong as the other two players. I've read somewhere that he's like a 1.5 winged looper. An advantage for him is that less people are expecting him to win and he might play under less pressure than ML for that reason alone. As unique as XX is, his fitness levels need to be at 100% for his game to work and I can't see him playing at his current level past the age of 30 unless he changes a lot of things.
FZD: Fan Zhendong's style is a lot like ZJK's style and he has improved a lot. I don't want to predict too much here because he might turn out to be even more monstrous than WLQ in his prime. I really like his attitude towards the game as well. I kind of hope that he hits his peak after ML or Timo Boll win the WTTC or the 2016 OG.
Timo Boll: Timo Boll was very impressive in the World Cup and I feel that at this point in his career, he has less technical deficiencies than he has ever. He has also been very impressive in general since the team WTTC in 2014. He has adapted marvelously to the new ball and I hope that he gets a second wind like Waldner did. Tackling ageing while battling against the Chinese players is never going to be easy but I still predict that he will achieve perhaps a bronze or silver medal in the 2015 WTTC and at least a bronze in the 2016 OG. Nobody except Ovtcharov or Chinese players can stop him.
Ovtcharov: He has hit a pretty low phase in his career but even during the WTTC in 2014, I felt that he has quite a lot of catching up to do. ZJK probably played worse than I have ever seen him play in the team finals and I don't think that Dima from that time period would have a chance against the ZJK in the World Cup. He is still young and a lot of european players become great after they hit 28 and I hope that he takes over the Mantle from TB and Samsonov but I can't see him catching up with the Chinese players in the near future. He has won quite often against TB but I feel that that is mainly because he is so familiar with TB's game.
Ma Long: Other players (especially Chinese players) are definitely catching up with Ma Long in terms of technique. Losing the recent World Cup is not going to help his confidence. Though Ma Long has a very complete technique, I feel that he has always had problems against strong Backhand players. Losing to Wang Hao 3 times in a row in the WTTC did have something to do with nerves but I have always felt that it also had equally as much to do with Wang Hao's backhand and the fact that Wang Hao's big tournament record is legendary. In matches where ZJK is in good condition, they have played many times till the 7th set with Ma Long winning a lot of those battles (an example is the Austrian Open in 2011). Ma Long has also won mostly (but not without a struggle) against FZD. All of these players can accelerate very close to the table and can give him a headache. I also feel that he is under more pressure because everyone expects him to win. It's not going to be easy but I still predict that he has the best chances for winning the WTTC in 2015 and perhaps in 2017. With a fully motivated ZJK, it could be tricky winning the Olympics but I hope that he at least gets a silver medal. He technique is also quite fluid and I hope that he can play beyond the normal Chinese retirement age of 30.
In contrast, he has an easier time against Xu Xin and Timo Boll, who are both Forehand oriented players.
Zhang Jike: Zhang Jike has achieved enough for several careers but he must be eyeing the Olympics in 2016. That will take him beyond other legends like Waldner, LGL, KLH. It is going to be very difficult to stop him if he's fully motivated to win the OG. He might start dominating in 2015 if he is completely focussed on being one of the two players who will qualify for Rio 2016. I have always though that ZJK has perhaps the most complete game. It might be simpler than ML's game but he is stronger in his crossover point and can accelerate very quickly as well. However, I can't imagine that his style is very easy on his body and he might not play competitively as long as some other players, especially because he has already achieved everything that others aspire for.
Xu Xin: He probably has the most monstrous FH in the world but I still rate XX a bit under ML and ZJK even if he has improved a lot and that's mainly because his backhand is not as strong as the other two players. I've read somewhere that he's like a 1.5 winged looper. An advantage for him is that less people are expecting him to win and he might play under less pressure than ML for that reason alone. As unique as XX is, his fitness levels need to be at 100% for his game to work and I can't see him playing at his current level past the age of 30 unless he changes a lot of things.
FZD: Fan Zhendong's style is a lot like ZJK's style and he has improved a lot. I don't want to predict too much here because he might turn out to be even more monstrous than WLQ in his prime. I really like his attitude towards the game as well. I kind of hope that he hits his peak after ML or Timo Boll win the WTTC or the 2016 OG.
Timo Boll: Timo Boll was very impressive in the World Cup and I feel that at this point in his career, he has less technical deficiencies than he has ever. He has also been very impressive in general since the team WTTC in 2014. He has adapted marvelously to the new ball and I hope that he gets a second wind like Waldner did. Tackling ageing while battling against the Chinese players is never going to be easy but I still predict that he will achieve perhaps a bronze or silver medal in the 2015 WTTC and at least a bronze in the 2016 OG. Nobody except Ovtcharov or Chinese players can stop him.
Ovtcharov: He has hit a pretty low phase in his career but even during the WTTC in 2014, I felt that he has quite a lot of catching up to do. ZJK probably played worse than I have ever seen him play in the team finals and I don't think that Dima from that time period would have a chance against the ZJK in the World Cup. He is still young and a lot of european players become great after they hit 28 and I hope that he takes over the Mantle from TB and Samsonov but I can't see him catching up with the Chinese players in the near future. He has won quite often against TB but I feel that that is mainly because he is so familiar with TB's game.
