China Smash 2026, Beijing, 10/1-11

[NextLevel]

I remember Aditya Sareen beat Flavien Coton 3:0 in the ITTF U15 Boys' Teams Semifinal - World Youth Championships in 2022.
Coton is now arguably a top 20 player, Sareen on the other hand has hardly progressed at all in the last 3, 4 years. Coton has certainly progressed at a faster rate than Sareen in the last 4 years. I wonder why that is the case. Is it the difference in level of training and competition? The training in France and Europe is surely at a higher level than the US. Maybe Sareen has recently figured out his game and is taking a leap right now, let's hope that is the case.

Chulong Nie also beat Coton. Where is Chulong Nie?

Its a dangerous game to play to use such benchmarks. Flavien Coton is not just "playing in Europe", he is one of the top prospects for the best national team in the world with a man reputed to be one of the best coaches in the world. Many players would pay to be in such environments and can't afford or get the resources. Even Gauzy got better in recent years being in that environment and he has been in Europe for decades. Faraji has been in Europe, has Faraji magically rocketed up the rankings compared to when he was challenging WCQ and LSD?

Developing a player is complicated. The people developing Ady have more insight into the process than you ever will.

PS: i know for a fact that Ady's father has been picky about what situation to put him in in Europe. Whether this is a right or wrong call is anyone's guess but i can assure you that no one is going to give Ady the kind of resources that Flavien Coton has received coming to Europe as a teenager. Go study how many years Kanak had to be in Europe to get to where he got to or even Hugo. One can argue that it is better to be in those lower leagues than be elsewhere but that is also a judgment call and definirely not a guarantee that one will be playing closer to how Coton is playing juat because they are in Europe.

 

[jonol]

For choppers, do they usually chop with straight hands? then maybe straight hand loop makes it easier for transition, and better flow?

It's possible. To me the equipment seems like the obvious difference maker, but there is probably more than one reason for it.