Which TEAM will win the Rio Olympics?

  • China

    Votes: 82 85.4%
  • Germany

    Votes: 5 5.2%
  • Japan

    Votes: 3 3.1%
  • Korea

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Chinese Taipei

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Great Britain

    Votes: 4 4.2%
  • Portugal

    Votes: 1 1.0%
  • Hong Kong

    Votes: 1 1.0%
  • France

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other (Post Below)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    96
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Timo Boll's game suffered from the glue ban already, he came back very strongly but I think it's over now.

For me it seems Mizutani's game is perfect for the plastic ball. He is very consistent, especially in long rallies, and his amazing footwork (closest to the Chinese style I think) helps a lot.
I think his chance of winning a match against one of the Chinese is 'bigger' than ever.

I am also wondering if they will put Mizutani in the second spot in the final and if Liu will react with changing the draw.

What do you guys think?
 
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I am not sure I completely agree @Herbert. IMO , he needs to further improve his backhand so that he can stay closer to the table. His footwork is amazing when he rallies, admitted, but with the plastic ball lhe does not have the power to consistently win rallies against somebody from CNT from that distance. He has a much better chance, if he stays closer to the table. I was hoping after he rebuilt his backhand that he will start using quick off the bounce backhands like Niwa or Jike to open points up ... but he has yet again got back into the habit of stepping away from the table ....
Timo Boll's game suffered from the glue ban already, he came back very strongly but I think it's over now.

For me it seems Mizutani's game is perfect for the plastic ball. He is very consistent, especially in long rallies, and his amazing footwork (closest to the Chinese style I think) helps a lot.
I think his chance of winning a match against one of the Chinese is 'bigger' than ever.

I am also wondering if they will put Mizutani in the second spot in the final and if Liu will react with changing the draw.

What do you guys think?
 
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Did you checked Olympic team playing systemm or just talking? Jap played for A and germany for X. Where is no difference if mizu will play on A letter or B because later A OR B can play in second round. So Roskopf had simply to guess which letter will mizu play. And they missed.
Logic german line up. Dima plays against Mizu (WIN). Timo against Yoshimura (WIN). german looses doubles. Mizu win against Steger. Dima wons last match. So in this logic case TIMO was main factor. Ofcourse dima could lsot to mizu too, but..


We say the same thing. If boll was placed first it would be a different case. Of course you cant know for sure if boll would beat yoshimura who is far less experienced, but if the risk pays of you are 2-0 ahead and doubles are always close to steal the match with 3-0. or have dima vs niwa in the decider.

I just think that the chances were greater if boll was no1, but yeah putting boll on no2 is also a risk (even greater in my opinion and germany dont have a chance for 2-2 since steger plays mizu whatever happens) since mizu is on great form

anyway thats all theory. Germany didnt produce any new talent besides franziska, steffen mengel is also very good but 28 years old already.

Alexander flemming looked really promising 6 years ago, dont know why he didnt get much exposure internationally like franziska did. If anyone know please share


 
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CHN - KOR

ZHANG Jike
MA Long
XU Xin


JEOUNG Youngsik
JOO Saehyuk
LEE Sangsu


1st: ZJK vs JYS
 
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I don't buy any Timo Boll's surgeries or injuries. Their technique has always been this crappy compact short stroke chicken wing brush looping rather than engaging the ball into the sponge. I've criticized Timo Boll bad technique for years only to be told back how dare you to disrespect our great player.

Pathetic looping technique of both Timo Boll and don't even let me start on shitty forehand technique of Bastian Steger, did you see the first game of the doubles? At least 5-6 easy kill balls all missed by his forehand technique, look closely and no other top player would ever squander such balls. Just look at his forehand and there is so fundamentally wrong with it he doesn't even have the power to lift the ball by rotating the arm and punching through it. Pathetic only pathetic players. They both looked like they were drunk, did you see Timo Boll's eyes? Too much basketball watching last night. There's no excuse, Samsonov is even older and plays much better FH strokes.

Watch the pathetic first game Timo Boll vs Jun Mizutani and his serve was criticized by the umpire to throw the ball a little higher. FFS no one throws the ball in this era that short anymore. It's pathetic how he doesn't even have at least one serve variation to toss the ball higher. Don't argue with the umpire to throw the ball higher and say it's 15cm, idiot it's not from the base of the table but from your hand !!! Just retire already pathetic serving that only resulted in many of his serves not only failed but easily counterlooped or flicked.

Don't let me start on his stupid tongue-sticking out during the rallies, he's the only one that does that. His constant racket twiddling is also highly disadvantageous, no one does that anymore in this era of table tennis. And what's with the stupid sudden jumping up during the serve receive, it holds no purpose other than he then have to lean forward to reach the ball and doesn't allow him to use BH flick as he almost never does that anyway.
 
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I don't buy any Timo Boll's surgeries or injuries. Their technique has always been this crappy compact short stroke chicken wing brush looping rather than engaging the ball into the sponge. I've criticized Timo Boll bad technique for years only to be told back how dare you to disrespect our great player.

Pathetic looping technique of both Timo Boll and don't even let me start on shitty forehand technique of Bastian Steger, did you see the first game of the doubles? At least 5-6 easy kill balls all missed by his forehand technique, look closely and no other top player would ever squander such balls. Just look at his forehand and there is so fundamentally wrong with it he doesn't even have the power to lift the ball by rotating the arm and punching through it. Pathetic only pathetic players. They both looked like they were drunk, did you see Timo Boll's eyes? Too much basketball watching last night. There's no excuse, Samsonov is even older and plays much better FH strokes.

Watch the pathetic first game Timo Boll vs Jun Mizutani and his serve was criticized by the umpire to throw the ball a little higher. FFS no one throws the ball in this era that short anymore. It's pathetic how he doesn't even have at least one serve variation to toss the ball higher. Don't argue with the umpire to throw the ball higher and say it's 15cm, idiot it's not from the base of the table but from your hand !!! Just retire already pathetic serving that only resulted in many of his serves not only failed but easily counterlooped or flicked.

Don't let me start on his stupid tongue-sticking out during the rallies, he's the only one that does that. His constant racket twiddling is also highly disadvantageous, no one does that anymore in this era of table tennis.


I really love this :D
 
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I am not sure I completely agree @Herbert. IMO , he needs to further improve his backhand so that he can stay closer to the table. His footwork is amazing when he rallies, admitted, but with the plastic ball lhe does not have the power to consistently win rallies against somebody from CNT from that distance. He has a much better chance, if he stays closer to the table. I was hoping after he rebuilt his backhand that he will start using quick off the bounce backhands like Niwa or Jike to open points up ... but he has yet again got back into the habit of stepping away from the table ....

Good point, but I think it's a tendency to move away from the table when someone is the better player, and that's wat CNT players are. In that case the better player wins in the long rallies. When Mizutani is playing a non CNT member he wins because he is the better player and takes advantage of it by keeping the rallies long, not being beaten by a single good shot. When playing a CNT member he plays the same way because he is used to it and loses because CNT members are the better players and have the advantage of winning the long forehand to forehand rallies.

I think Samsonov is best at adapting to players who are better and less than him. Against 'better' players he keeps the rallies short, plays the angles and low percentage blocks. Against players who are considered less he outplays them in the long rallies.

Anyway, I just started with watching table tennis in a more analytic way so I could be completely wrong
 
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My jaw dropped at the last point of the third game Youngsik vs ZJK when Zhang Jike slipped on the floor.

looool Liu Guoliang tried to call for shirt change to go outside the arena. The umpire didn't allow this, saying well so change the t-shirt here... In the end he didn't change his t-shirt. Obviously this was for purely psychological gain rather than just changing a t-shirt...

Isn't that strange if in the singles players were allowed during the brake to go outside the arena to change the t-shirt ?
 
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says Do you guys have streaks where you are just not playing...
says Do you guys have streaks where you are just not playing...
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Glad the umpire said no to ZJK 'changing his shirt'... no way, no chance of getting those sneaky chinese drugs or whatever they give them in secret... The Chinese look really worried right now. Young Sik is a machine.
 
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Glad the umpire said no to ZJK 'changing his shirt'... no way, no chance of getting those sneaky chinese drugs or whatever they give them in secret... The Chinese look really worried right now. Young Sik is a machine.

sneaky chinese drugs?rofl that was hilarious :p
 
says Do you guys have streaks where you are just not playing...
says Do you guys have streaks where you are just not playing...
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One thing is for sure. Zhang Jike is finished as far as the CNT is concerned. He will 'retire' after these games. Shame... he would be good enough to play for anyone else. But the Chinese are ruthless.
 
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