ITTF WTTTC Finals London 2026, 4/28-5/10

[NextLevel]

Seems like Germany has two main lineups. One with Kaufmann against stronger teams and another with Nina against weaker teams. A sign of how Boros regards their upper and lower limits?

I don't think it is just about limits, it is also about keeping players motivated - politics is important in team events. The most important politics for the athletes is justified meritocracy. But Nina is a home grown player and likely the reserve player who must be kept ready in case anything happens to the top 3.

 

[SilvestriDaVini]

Predictions anyone? Interesting that Iizuka won’t play against Jarvis since he beat him once in Bundesliga.

 

[Bran]

I had hardly heard about her before this tournament. She's strong and powerful, aggressive, complete, composed. Impressive.

 

[NextLevel]

View attachment 41470
Predictions anyone? Interesting that Iizuka won’t play against Jarvis since he beat him once in Bundesliga.

Hugo is playing out of slot is what I find interesting. Interesting that *both* teams made these changes.

 

[dewnyc]

Darn, Sally had 2 match points. To the decider we go

 

[NextLevel]

Very hard for a young player to recover from that - she used her timeout too...

 

[ThePongCommenter]

View attachment 41470
Predictions anyone? Interesting that Iizuka won’t play against Jarvis since he beat him once in Bundesliga.

3-0 Brazil

 

[NextLevel]

For everyone wondering why this is so tense, everyone knows this is the deciding match. Jessica is unlikely to win so if Sally doesn't win, Ukraine wins this.

 

[crystalline]

Makes one wonder if Lily played over Jessica would she have better chance beating Pesotzka

Also the timeout Gao Jun called at 10-9 game 4, Sally had match point but had to stop playing and later resume..

(all in hindsight of course)

 

[zeio]

Any idea why Lily is playing #3 spot (only one match)? Injury related?

Secure the 3rd point in a 2-2 match and "lure" the chopper away as a countermeasure.

ABC/XYZ
1st singles/2nd singles - Petsoska/Moyland
2nd singles/1st singles playing in 3rd singles - Bilenko/Lily

WTT Fan Vote
46% vs 54%
WT R16
UKR 3-2 USA
Pesotska 3-0 Reyes Lai (8, 7, 5)
Matiunina 0-3 Moyland (-6, -12, -6)
Bilenko 1-3 Zhang An (-9, 7, -10, -9)
Pesotska 3-2 Moyland (-12, 2, -12, 10, 7)
G4 75, 76, 86, 810, 910 TO for USA, 1210
Matiunina 3-0 Reyes Lai (5, 6, 8)

 

[Bran]

Tough outcome. She tightened up in the last points, with more experience, she would have taken it. That backhand miss on the first match point, in particular.

 

[NextLevel]

Makes one wonder if Lily played over Jessica would she have better chance beating Pesotzka

Also the timeout Gao Jun called at 10-9 game 4, Sally had match point but had to stop playing and later resume..

(all in hindsight of course)

Pesotksa usually beats Lily though Lily has beaten her before. I think either path was fine for the USA but since this path almost worked, it is what it is.

 

[lightspin]

Where is Amy Wang? Why didn't Lily play 2? IMHO Lily is by far the strongest player on Team USA.

 

[OvrChkn]

Pretty rough loss, but a good experience overall for the team. Most of the squad is under 20, so it's good that they are getting more international matches. They had a really nice bracket draw.

 

[zeio]

IND must be fuming here.

WT Grp6
IND 3-2 UKR
Batra 3-1 Bilenko (9, -7, 6, 5)
Ghorpade 2-3 Pesotska (-7, -8, 1, 9, -9)
Chitale 3-0 Matiunina (6, 8, 6)
Batra 1-3 Pesotska (-9, 5, -8, -6)
Ghorpade 3-1 Bilenko (7, 9, -9, 7)

WT R32
USA 3-1 IND
Moyland 3-0 Ghorpade (8, 8, 7)
Reyes Lai 1-3 Batra (-2, -7, 8, -4)
Zhang An 3-0 Chitale (8, 7, 11)
Moyland 3-1 Batra (-10, 9, 3, 11)

 

[NextLevel]

Where is Amy Wang? Why didn't Lily play 2? IMHO Lily is by far the strongest player on Team USA.

Can you say that in all seriousness after seeing all the players Sally beat here and her performance against Winter and in recent events?

The strategy of Sally 2, Lily 1, got them all the way here. It was 1 point away from working again. Why all the second guessing now?

Amy is probably in school and would been helpful for sure.

 

[NextLevel]

Kaufmann makes KKY look very ordinary.

 

[driversbeat]

Kaufmann beating Sreeja and Batra at the Olympics wasn't a fluke. She's a long pips killer and big match fighter. Definitely the favourite pick for LA28 singles if she continues this trajectory.

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Annett played amazing. She had no problems with KKY's pips.

 

[zeio]

WT R16
PRK 0-3 GER
KKY 1-3 Kaufmann (-7, -7, 4, -6)
No wonder Harimoto still fears Kaufmann.
Pyon Song Gyong 0-3 Winter (-9, -7, -4)
Cha Su Yong 0-3 HY (-8, -5, -9)