The fall of FZD ?

[Gozo Aruna]

inconsistencies is one thing that he is being accused of.

Let LGY be LGY. I love how he sprinkle the occasional delightful surprises here and there.

I love surprises and life is like a box of chocolate, you'll never know what is inside - Forest Gump

 

[TensorBackhand]

inconsistencies is one thing that he is being accused of.

Right, but what makes him inconsistent? Compared to Harimoto, the differences are so dramatic.

Harimoto is like the world's best 1600 player. He plays a very basic style, stands in the middle of the table, blocks when he should, loops when she should, pushes when he should. He plays the same way a 1600 player does, but he just executes it perfectly. Kanak is somewhat similar, but even more "crabby" in style.

LGY is so different. He is much more creative, he kinda dances around the court. He hits counter attacks, step arounds attacks, smooth transitions from bh loop to fh loop, and has a variety of techniques and angles. When he is flowing, his play is beautiful to watch. What makes him inconsistent actually? Why can't he be a top 3 player? We saw him destroy both FZD and Harimoto, so obviously he has that gear in him.

 

[longle]

If they did that they would have no one to play lol, all of the CNT players had some losses to foreign associations...

I don't think it's about losing to foreigners, I heard CNT is very strict towards inappropriate manners. LJK has been suspended just for this

 

[JJ Ng]

Right, but what makes him inconsistent? Compared to Harimoto, the differences are so dramatic.

Harimoto is like the world's best 1600 player. He plays a very basic style, stands in the middle of the table, blocks when he should, loops when she should, pushes when he should. He plays the same way a 1600 player does, but he just executes it perfectly. Kanak is somewhat similar, but even more "crabby" in style.

LGY is so different. He is much more creative, he kinda dances around the court. He hits counter attacks, step arounds attacks, smooth transitions from bh loop to fh loop, and has a variety of techniques and angles. When he is flowing, his play is beautiful to watch. What makes him inconsistent actually? Why can't he be a top 3 player? We saw him destroy both FZD and Harimoto, so obviously he has that gear in him.

LGY's issue is mental. All Chinese players have perfect forms. What separates Ma Long, Zhang Jike and Fan Zhendong from the rest has been the mental toughness.

I remember one year, Fan Zhendong was changing his backhand rubber and he played so poorly for a stretch. He still ended up winning big titles when it matters.

I think it is too early to call for the downfall of Fan Zhendong, just like Ma Long surprised us today by dispatching Wang Chuqin pretty easily.

Wang Liqin, when he first came on the scene, had beautiful beautiful form. But his mental game was just not there compared to Kong Linghui and Liu Guoliang. Thank goodness Wang Liqin fixed his mental game relatively early on in his career and ended up winning three world championship titles. Not too shabby I would say.

 

[TensorBackhand]

Also why does LJK use inner blade and LGY use outer blade?

Just judging by style, I would have guessed the opposite. LJK is much more of a power aggressive hitter with one single gear. FZD and LSD I can kinda understand why they use outer, it fits their aggressive style.

LGY has more technique and finesse and variety, I would have expected him to use an inner blade with more feel.

 

[JJ Ng]

Also why does LJK use inner blade and LGY use outer blade?

Just judging by style, I would have guessed the opposite. LJK is much more of a power aggressive hitter with one single gear. FZD and LSD I can kinda understand why they use outer, it fits their aggressive style.

LGY has more technique and finesse and variety, I would have expected him to use an inner blade with more feel.

Everyone plays differently. Each person brushes and uses force (whether their waist, legs, wrist, elbow or even their fingers) differently. I am sure LJK and LGY have had plenty of blades to choose from and their current equipment work for them.

For example, you like Loki rubber. I don't like Loki rubber. I still remember @Tony's Table Tennis did a glowing review on Rxton 3 pink. I have taken off and put on that Rxton 3 pink twice and sorry I still do not like it.

You do not like Sanwei Target National. I love Sanwei Target National. I feel like Sanwei Target National is the closest thing to Hurricane 3 neo provincial blue sponge! Others may disagree with me so.....life moves on.

 

[NextLevel]

Can LGY replace FZD? I think he is often forgotten, but after watching him demolish Harimoto, you can see he has sublime skill.

What is preventing him from being at the top 3?

I guess you forget he lost to Lee Sang Su just this year.

 

[Matt Hetherington]

I hope he did not get any punishments from the National team just because of this which affected his mentality

I think it’s a far stretch to say it affected his mentality, he may have lost that match regardless, or maybe even played worse. It’s impossible to draw conclusions based on things like that without knowing the inside of his headspace.

If there was no big newspaper articles on the two events being somehow correlated then nobody would be having this discussion 😂

 

[BaRanchik]

Can LGY replace FZD? I think he is often forgotten, but after watching him demolish Harimoto, you can see he has sublime skill.

What is preventing him from being at the top 3?

Probably because he mostly loses against FZD, ML, WCQ, LJK.

 

[TensorBackhand]

Probably because he mostly loses against FZD, ML, WCQ, LJK.

But why does he lose? What is preventing him from winning? His talent seems to be on the same level

 

[NextLevel]

But why does he lose? What is preventing him from winning? His talent seems to be on the same level

Seriously? The guy who was losing to FZD when they were juniors and who lost to 3 different players at the WJTTC? Who had to work his way onto the top team with years of religious training and the retirement of ZJK and who earned the nickname "hardest worker" from LGY?

No, his "talent", if you want to use that word, is absolutely not on the same level. He is first team but the bottom of the first team. If you want to argue he has comparable skills at his best, that is also sketchy but more defensible.

 

[zeio]

Do you think Fan Zhendong era is over or he is just little tired and he gonna shine again ?

If you ask me, it could be PTSD from the hotel incident back in 4/2023. Tieba users who follow his Weibo feel that his mind has not been on table tennis recently.

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-cu...rld-no-1-table-tennis-player-hotel-room-china
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202403/1309529.shtml

Besides, has FZD ever had his era?