UK Nationals 2023 finals long weekend

[NextLevel]

Paul is 34 and just might Be ready to make way for new blood. Liam just looks a bit lacking in drive.

Paul's age I could agree with you and I considered his married status as well, but with the Olympics next year and the fact he has travelled on tour, he might make one last push.

Liam gas ups and downs with his mental health struggles but his talent still makes him extremely dangerous even if mercurial. Table tennis is also a sport that heavily rewards experienced if one trains right, so I can see a comeback performance by Liam or Paul in a tournament with bigger stakes than this one.

 

[Wrighty67]

Paul's age I could agree with you and I considered his married status as well, but with the Olympics next year and the fact he has travelled on tour, he might make one last push.

Liam gas ups and downs with his mental health struggles but his talent still makes him extremely dangerous even if mercurial. Table tennis is also a sport that heavily rewards experienced if one trains right, so I can see a comeback performance by Liam or Paul in a tournament with bigger stakes than this one.

I hope you’re right as Paul I have always felt was a world class player waiting to come out.

 

[NextLevel]

I hope you’re right as Paul I have always felt was a world class player waiting to come out.

Haha, Paul is a world class player I just think it was unfortunate that he was so far ahead of his peers as a junior and wasn't able to get the full rewards of physical training earlier in his career.

 

[vvk1]

Gotta say the whole set up and streaming is a bit amateurish. Especially when you see some of the other European nations. The UK nationals looks budget. It’s a real shame it just doesn’t have enough behind it and interest built.
Even finals day it looks empty.

Agree about Jarvis though. Hopefully can kick on as he looked really assured.

Drinkhall looked a bit slow. Has he been injured? Pitchford just hasn’t seem right for a long time now. There’s something not right as he seems a shadow of his best.

The biggest shame is the gap from those 4 to the rest. It’s big!

Location, location, location ... Compare the audience at the last several nationals to the ones in 2016 which were held at the Hertfordshire Sports Village in Hatfield, England, which is basically north London. The sports hall was full pretty much every day.

Just look at this

- all seats are filled, some people are even standing.

 

[NextLevel]

The biggest shame is the gap from those 4 to the rest. It’s big!

This is far more the norm than the exception in most countries that don't have the top leagues. I think it's to England's credit that they can get a player like Jarvis (and even the other three) without a good TT infrastructure - probably unpopular view but my two cents. Most countries are lucky to get one player at the level of Pitchford or Walker unless again they are one of the major TT countries with a really strong professional club system.