Questions for Dimitrij Ovtcharov and Lee Sang Su

[Dan]

Hi guys,

I will have Dima on the TTD Cast soon and Lee Sang Su later in the day. If you have any questions you'd like to ask them, post them here and ill try add them in the podcast

Thanks 🏓

 

[JJ Ng]

For Dime, I would be curious:

How did his experiment with Hurricane 3 go? I understand he tried it for a year before going back to Butterfly rubber. It will be interesting to hear a top player talk about hurricane 3 especially when Dina did not play it growing up. I am curious as to the comparison.

 

[NextLevel]

For Dima: why did he pick the team Fulda in the Bundesliga? OR how did he get to that team in general?

For Lee: How does he keep himself going and how did he develop his big backhand (it is not as compact as most modern backhands)?

 

[Fnub]

For Dima: Could he compare Chinese SuperLeague and Bundesliga?
Is it true that he was EJ on blades?😁 In Russia there is really a lot of "Ovtcharov's" blades selling( made by DHS, BTY and so on)(just curious)

For Lee Sang Su: how did he develop the flexibility in game? His movements are so fluid and seem very relaxed

 

[Rinforzando]

For LSS: Does he know when he will stop his international career ?

 

[haggisv]

Dima: Can you give some tips on how to learn your tomahawk serve?

 

[blahness]

Lee Sang Su - what did you change in your game to become so dangerous to CNT players that you have won against Ma Long and Fan Zhendong? Was it the short game, BH, stability, etc?

 

[Snek]

For Dima:
Why Ma Long was so difficult opponent to you?

 

[Robin0910]

Lee Sang Su - what did you change in your game to become so dangerous to CNT players that you have won against Ma Long and Fan Zhendong? Was it the short game, BH, stability, etc?

I don’t think he’ll willingly tell us

 

[Dan]

Hey everyone, thanks so much for all your questions that's amazing! 🏓

 

[NetProphet]

Please ask Dima about his Olympic SF V Ma Long and how close he came to the final. I would love to hear his memories of it, if it's not too sensitive a subject of course.
Also what makes Ma and FZD such difficult opponents for Europe's best?
Is it just insane talent (to be even MORE talented than Dima and Timo) or is there something he has identified in the training and culture that sets them apart?

 

[jammmail]

Agree - would love to know more about Dima's Olympic experiences

 

[Egon]

Did Dima use No Tuning Airbox from Soulspin?
This is a box that changes the properties of rubber by increasing air pressure.

No Tuning Airbox

🏓 New racket cover: Store table tennis rackets under air pressure and use it to refresh the rubbers. Test the NO TUNING AIRBOX now >>

shop.soulspin.de

Someone on this forum wrote that he did this.

I'm also interested in whether he tried playing with a blade with G-FLESS technology (antifriction material) in the handle

 

[RomanAngerer]

For Dima:
1) why does he swap his grip between forehand and backhand so much?
2) how much does he benefit from exhaling on shots? (it's uncommon having the "moaning" in TT, more of a big tennis thing).
3) does he miss Donic Baracuda? Personally, I don't play that rubber seriously but it feels so pleasant to play with this soft masterpiece once in a while.
4) when was he to Kyiv the last time?
5) does he ever try playing outer carbon blades? Is he successfull with them and is there a big difference after all?
6) is Dignics 09c too hard for non-pros out of the box?
7) how did he evolve from relying on bomba backhand to a more versatile player?

 

[backspacer]

To Dima: why does Patrick hate chocolate?

 

[ThePongCommenter]

For Dima:
Why Ma Long was so difficult opponent to you?

I wonder what the answer could be...I just don't have any clue how someone could have struggled greatly with Ma Long as an opponent....

 

[ThePongCommenter]

For Dima:
1) why does he swap his grip between forehand and backhand so much?
2) how much does he benefit from exhaling on shots? (it's uncommon having the "moaning" in TT, more of a big tennis thing).
3) does he miss Donic Baracuda? Personally, I don't play that rubber seriously but it feels so pleasant to play with this soft masterpiece once in a while.
4) when was he to Kyiv the last time?
5) does he ever try playing outer carbon blades? Is he successfull with them and is there a big difference after all?
6) is Dignics 09c too hard for non-pros out of the box?
7) how did he evolve from relying on bomba backhand to a more versatile player?

No way he will answer 3 or 6 truthfully or at all on a public video given his Butterfly sponsorship. For 5 when he was sponsored by Donic he was using probably a TBALC or Viscaria with a swapped handle but obviously wouldn't say. There are a few videos on YouTube where he discusses his grip change and what went into the development of his blade, I believe TTD did one.

 

[ZFT]

To both: how many coaches have they had and who were the most influential and why? At this point they can choose to give a shout out which would be a very nice touch!

 

[joshmak10]

To Dima: Why do u choose ur equipment
To LSS: What do u use and why?

For all the equipment nerds like me

 

[Gozo Aruna]

For Dima:
Why Ma Long was so difficult opponent to you?

This was actually answered by Dima himself in an earlier interview with Dan of TTD.
Here is what I remember from that interview.
Dan: Dima, who was, in your opinion the most difficult or dangerous opponent for you?
Dima: I would have to say it is Ma Long.
Dan: Why?
Dima: You see, for normal players, they will return a shot, just return a shot but not Ma Long. He ( Ma Long ), will pause a short while, look at your position, your body language, then he will execute the shot. And that is what makes him so difficult to play against.