Build your perfect WTT player

[SFF_lib]

Hey guys,

We're running a new series, build your perfect WTT player with the pros. Up first is Dima:

Dimitrij Ovtcharov:

Who would you pick?

🏓 Forehand - Ma Long
🏓 Backhand - Fan Zhendong
🍽️ Serve - Ma Lin
🧠 Mentality - Zhang Jike
🖐 Feeling - Gauzy
🥊 Power - Ma Long
🕺🏻 Personality - Ma Long
🎊 Celebration - Zhang Jike

 

[SFF_lib]

I truly believe that Ma Longs FH is overrated and his game brain, game savvy and tactical awareness are underestimated. 🤷‍♂️
FZD matched him on both sides of the table for years but ML often found a different way to win.
As the saying goes, power is nothing without control. In this regard I think ML is perfect 😉

Your statement is true post knee surgery. Between 2015 and 2018 Ma Long's FH was in fact his main weapon.

After knee surgery, he had to develop a large arsenal of tactics to compensate for the loss of FH power.

 

[olive-nguyen]

🏓 Forehand - Ma Long
🏓 Backhand - Fan Zhendong
🍽️ Serve - Ma Lin
🧠 Mentality - Zhang Jike
🖐 Feeling - Gauzy
🥊 Power - Ma Long
🕺🏻 Personality - Ma Long
🎊 Celebration - Zhang Jike

Now about Ma Lin-how could I forget. That ghost serve was certainly something.

 

[olive-nguyen]

Current/recent:

Forehand: ML
Backhand: FZD
Serves: WCQ
Mentality: Duda
Feeling: Gauzy/Truls
Personality: Lind/Truls
Power: Hugo / Quadri
Celebration: Harimoto

All time:

Forehand: ML/RSM/WLQ
Backhand: FZD/WH/ZJK
Serves: JOW
Feeling: JOW/XX
Power: WLQ

In the all time let's not forget Kim Taek Soo. And a category here is also missing for em chops. Let's say Joo Sae Hyuk.

For feeling I was thinking about Waldners down the line serves, and in another instance Ryus tremendous save from Jan's serve.

Another one from Jan is the absolutely crazy block he did with Liu Guo Liang's around-the-net, and he just places it neatly on the table.

Let's talk about Kim Taek Soo's backhand counters too.

 

[Vrael]

Forehand: ML
Backhand: FZD
Serves: Maharu Yoshimura
Mentality: ML
Feeling: Koki Niwa (seriously, noone mentioned him ?)
Personality: Timo
Power: no idea with recent players ML/ZJK ?, WLQ all time
Celebration: ML

 

[Angerer]

Forehand: Ma Long
Backhand: FZD
Serves: WCQ
Mentality: FZD
Feeling: Timo/Niwa/Walther
Personality: Heming Hu (trollface )
Power: Dima
Celebration: Harimoto

 

[TableTennisDaily]

Wang Chuqin

 

[NetProphet]

I am surprised you put Ma Long for power and not FH

Actually, coming back to this again, is there any data anywhere that statistically shows who has the most power?
Power, being a combination of spin and speed, I actually find it hard to believe that Hugo has more Power than Ma Long, but maybe he does....
I know they had a ball tracker at the China Open 5 or 6 years ago and the most spin was generated by Ma Long and Xu Xin at around 130+ revolutions per second.
Ma Long also hit one of the fastest balls at ~80 km/h.
Some flatter hitters also got close to this speed but thats unsurprising given the differing technique...

Also not sure if I should start a new thread but am assuming this is ok here since the categories in this thread are directly leading to these thoughts and questions.

 

[backspacer]

Actually, coming back to this again, is there any data anywhere that statistically shows who has the most power?
Power, being a combination of spin and speed, I actually find it hard to believe that Hugo has more Power than Ma Long, but maybe he does....
I know they had a ball tracker at the China Open 5 or 6 years ago and the most spin was generated by Ma Long and Xu Xin at around 130+ revolutions per second.
Ma Long also hit one of the fastest balls at ~80 km/h.
Some flatter hitters also got close to this speed but thats unsurprising given the differing technique...

Also not sure if I should start a new thread but am assuming this is ok here since the categories in this thread are directly leading to these thoughts and questions.

Spinsight is tracking such stats and they are working with multiple players including Hugo. I think no one has beaten him, but I doubt they got Ma Long or any of the Chinese players to feed them data.

 

[NetProphet]

To be fair, there is no 'strategy' one, so power or forehand is ML's best bet.

I think we are interpreting 'Mentality' differently then... 😉

 

[Chunkyrock]

🏓 Forehand - Ma Long
🏓 Backhand - Lin Shidong
🍽️ Serve - Anders Lind
🧠 Mentality/strategy - Koki Niwa
🖐 Feeling - boll
🥊 Power - Calderano
🕺🏻 Personality - Aruna
🎊 Celebration - Harimoto

 

[Brs]

Forehand: Manyu
Backhand: Odo
Serves: Ito (ca 2018-19)
Mentality: CM
Feeling: Goda
Personality: HZJ
Power: Diaz
Celebration: Bernie

 

[PenHoldSandro]

I think we are interpreting 'Mentality' differently then... 😉

Yep, we are xd. I interpret mentality as more like confidence, and will to win. Not really strategy

What I mean is that if ur mentality is bad, ur legs would be shaky during a match, you can't focus, etc.

 

[PenHoldSandro]

Backhand-Zhang Ji Ke (sorry KTS)

I always read this as Joo, not Kim. Kim's backhand was great--for Jpen. He just cannot compare to shakehand players like Kreanga, Long, hell even Waldner!

 

[ThePongCommenter]

Actually, coming back to this again, is there any data anywhere that statistically shows who has the most power?
Power, being a combination of spin and speed, I actually find it hard to believe that Hugo has more Power than Ma Long, but maybe he does....
I know they had a ball tracker at the China Open 5 or 6 years ago and the most spin was generated by Ma Long and Xu Xin at around 130+ revolutions per second.
Ma Long also hit one of the fastest balls at ~80 km/h.
Some flatter hitters also got close to this speed but thats unsurprising given the differing technique...

Also not sure if I should start a new thread but am assuming this is ok here since the categories in this thread are directly leading to these thoughts and questions.

Not sure about the Spinsight or other data on this topic especially since it would be hard to measure during actual matches instead of in simulations. But I know a good amount of active WTT and/or Pan Am players and coaches and they are pretty much in consensus between Hugo or Quadri for most powerful and that seems to check out based on what I see as well. Maybe some years back Ma Long was a massive power player but that isn't something that I saw as his defining characteristic over the last 5 years or so.

 

[ThePongCommenter]

you will be surprised how many pros who are 20 years old today does not know much about table tennis players before they were born. Or at least that is my experience when talking to them.

And since dan likely just walked up and ask the players without notice to record his new serious, it is common the players will think about current players than oppose to those from previous generations.

Yeah that is my experience too. That's why I made the comment, these pro answers are probably just based on recent or current players, but its a whole different question IMO if we start talking about all players from all time.

 

[NetProphet]

Yep, we are xd. I interpret mentality as more like confidence, and will to win. Not really strategy

What I mean is that if ur mentality is bad, ur legs would be shaky during a match, you can't focus, etc.

I'd agree it incorporates that but you did say focus. TT is so fast that your own shots are trained, reactionary and muscle memory. So the focus is on other things, the opponent, the tactics, the strategy, building the points. That's thinking during the game and doing it right when needed and not be overwhelmed by occasion or a string of points against you but putting them out of mind to preserve and triumph.
I'm not saying this is the correct definition or the only way to look at it but that's my understanding of mentality

 

[olive-nguyen]

I always read this as Joo, not Kim. Kim's backhand was great--for Jpen. He just cannot compare to shakehand players like Kreanga, Long, hell even Waldner!

Even not being able to compare tpb to a shakehand backhand, i think he has his place. It's not like we can create another category for jpen.

As for Joo, yeah his counterattack symphony is really fun to watch, the step forward crazy backhand down the line. If he was an attacking player he's in my opinion likely gonna still be one of the top players in his prime. But most of all, how he can still go on winning games with Baçhets disease is quite commendable.

 

[olive-nguyen]

By the way I don't see anyone putting Xu Xin for forehand in the list. Is prime Xu Xin's forehand comparable to prime Ma Long's forehand?

 

[PenHoldSandro]

Even not being able to compare tpb to a shakehand backhand, i think he has his place. It's not like we can create another category for jpen.

He has a good BH, but not SH pro level...

As for Joo, yeah his counterattack symphony is really fun to watch, the step forward crazy backhand down the line. If he was an attacking player he's in my opinion likely gonna still be one of the top players in his prime. But most of all, how he can still go on winning games with Baçhets disease is quite commendable.

Of course, Joo is one of the legends!

By the way I don't see anyone putting Xu Xin for forehand in the list. Is prime Xu Xin's forehand comparable to prime Ma Long's forehand?

I put Xu Xin for feeling, not for forehand. Xu's forehand is extremely powerful, for sure (I based my forehand off his and RSM's!) but it doesn't have the power, just the spin. If you see ML or RSM in their prime, the ball gets shot out of their racket like a bullet! For Xu it's just really really spinny (you need great feeling for that)