WTT Champions Frankfurt 2023

[Shine]

Very very impressive indeed. Is he going to be now a member of the big 4 now?

or is this more of a Hirano Miu moment?

Always Debbie the downer uh 😂😂
He's more of a real deal than Hari to me, He was almost in the Olympic finals and lost by 2 points. If he'd won, he probably would have beaten ML in that final. We'll see what happens next year.

 

[Shine]

He's not better than WCQ in any aspect, he just played better than WCQ on that day. 4-0 3-0 3-0 3-0 is no joke.

The CNT can study and beat you if you rely on a few special tactics or strength.

But from the match you can tell Lin is pretty well rounded now. 3 years ago he struggled with:
Mid distance top spin
FH top spin
Short game
Strength in general

Now he has fixed all that and is just better than ML and WCQ in every aspect.

I think Lin will challenge the CNT for years to come.

 

[Shine]

Does FZD need to become a tinier fatty?

I.e. calm down on those hotdogs and sugar laced cakes Timo was leading him astray with? 😂

I think he needs a couple new serves, a polish of his bh and intense blocking practice.

 

[Metaxa]

How does Lin Yun Ju with a such a strong backhand make it even stronger? It is a reminder to double down in your strengths and stop over thinking your weaknesses.

Not 100% completely agree, your weaknesses must always be improved to achieve better stability. Lin has to have just about the best BH timing in the circuit. His FH has improved a lot now. The fact that he is left-handed almost always gives up some advantage. This, together with his tactical insight and quick thinking, makes him what he has achieved today.
I think I wrote it here a year or so ago, he is a potential world champion and I have also written that about Kuai Man, because she is also a very very good left-hander.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

since you asked so politely
his secret is in his
shoelace

which type for the ultimate win?

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

For a professional table tennis player, the key characteristics needed in a lacing system would be a secure fit, comfort, and the ability to handle quick, lateral movements without loosening. Here's how each lacing type might fare:

1. Straight/European Lacing: It can provide a secure fit and is flat against the shoe, which may be comfortable. However, it might not be as tight and secure for the lateral movements required in table tennis.
2. Criss-Cross Lacing: This is a reliable and standard method that provides good tension and stability, which can be adjusted for tightness. It's a practical choice for athletes.
3. Ladder Lacing: This method is very secure and doesn't easily come loose, making it a good option for sports that require a lot of movement. However, it can be a bit rigid and may not provide the best comfort over long periods.
4. Straight Bar Lacing: While aesthetically pleasing, this lacing may not be the most secure for athletic purposes as it can be prone to loosening during high-intensity activity.
5. Double Back Lacing: This method could be useful if the player has extra-long laces and needs to ensure they don’t come undone. It can provide a tight fit, but it might also be unnecessarily complex.
6. Bow Tie Lacing: This method is more decorative and doesn’t provide any particular athletic advantage. It’s less likely to be suitable for the demands of professional table tennis.

Overall, the Criss-Cross Lacing would likely be the best recommendation for a professional table tennis player due to its balance of tightness, security, and ease of adjustment. It's a tried and true method for many athletic shoes, allowing for quick tightening and loosening as needed. The Ladder Lacing could also be considered if the player prefers a very snug fit that doesn't loosen easily during play.

 

[NextLevel]

Not 100% completely agree, your weaknesses must always be improved to achieve better stability. Lin has to have just about the best BH timing in the circuit. His FH has improved a lot now. The fact that he is left-handed almost always gives up some advantage. This, together with his tactical insight and quick thinking, makes him what he has achieved today.
I think I wrote it here a year or so ago, he is a potential world champion and I have also written that about Kuai Man, because she is also a very very good left-hander.

Obviously, but the backhand makes everything work. I am not saying he didn't improve the other stuff, but even the backhand improved as well.

 

[ZFT]

I think he needs a couple new serves, a polish of his bh and intense blocking practice.

In today’s game with the threat of chiquita, you’re limited to 4 serve options: empty, heavy short back, heavy long, surprise variation change up.

Polish of his backhand: yes agree.

Intense blocking practice: we are no longer in celluloid, everything needs to be counterspun back, particularly if FZD keeps dropping 1-1.5 steps behind the table. LYJ gets away with direct flat blocking as he has such good touch to take BH off the bounce on the rise along with his fast equipment. Though being so close to the table to support his backhand game was no doubt a dilemma for him and his coaching team to solve for his forehand wing. I noticed the amount of taping may have inadvertently helped stabilise his FH counter. When he needed power he seemed to exaggerate a higher follow through with the elbow anchoring/feeding the power. I will keep a keen eye to see what happens once he no longer needs the taping.

 

[Shine]

In today’s game with the threat of chiquita, you’re limited to 4 serve options: empty, heavy short back, heavy long, surprise variation change up.

Polish of his backhand: yes agree.

Intense blocking practice: we are no longer in celluloid, everything needs to be counterspun back, particularly if FZD keeps dropping 1-1.5 steps behind the table. LYJ gets away with direct flat blocking as he has such good touch to take BH off the bounce on the rise along with his fast equipment. Though being so close to the table to support his backhand game was no doubt a dilemma for him and his coaching team to solve for his forehand wing. I noticed the amount of taping may have inadvertently helped stabilise his FH counter. When he needed power he seemed to exaggerate a higher follow through with the elbow anchoring/feeding the power. I will keep a keen eye to see what happens once he no longer needs the taping.

Yeah it's the serve variations that are necessary, that was what confounded a lot of players whilst playing Alexis.
I'm not referring to a passive block, I'm talking about an active block; the kind Harimoto and Ma Long does very well, of course intuitively he'll know when a counter is necessary, Absorbing the opponent's attack and redirecting well is key. Often an all out counter goes long.
He also needs to bring back the chiquita and perfect it, all these push strategies are easy pickings.

 

[zeio]

More on Harimoto. He says LYJ had a few more serve variations than himself and that got him confused. The match was decided in G1 and G3, namely when he missed the FH loopkill on the loose ball at 6:2 of G1 and then the FH loopkill that got blocked back at 6:6 of G3. For this match, he says LYJ had the upper hand in the small detail of serve and receive. Lastly, he points out LYJ reached the later rounds in Tokyo 2020, that despite himself being higher in world ranking recently, LYJ's table tennis looks really strong, and he feels he has to work on inadequate areas in the remaining half year before Paris 2024.

ベスト8の張本智和。左利きの林昀儒のサーブ「自分より何種類か多くて惑わされた」【卓球 WTTチャンピオンズ】
https://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/tabletennis/news/2023/11/031833.html

勝負を分けたのは第1ゲームと第3ゲーム。

「1ゲーム目の6-2で、ちょっと浮いてしまったフォアハンドのミスと、（ゲームカウント）1-1の6オールの浮いたボール。相手のバックに行ったボールをパパーンと返されてしまった。防ぎようのあったミスなので、そこはもったいなかったです」

第3ゲームまで互角のラリーを繰り広げていただけに、ほんの1本のミスが響いた。

そしてこの試合、左利きの林のサーブを張本がいかに攻略するかがひとつの鍵だったが、「サーブ・レシーブの細かいところで、ちょっと相手の方が上だった。左利きの選手の中でも特に林のサーブはいい」と話す。

例えば、2回戦で張本が勝ったグロート（デンマーク）も左利きだが、「僕のチキータがもっと入っていたんですけど、林選手のサーブは低かったり切れていたり、いろんな種類があって惑わされた。自分よりサーブの種類が何種類か多くて、（自分のサーブに対し）チキータも相手の方が多く入っていた。僕もチキータから入りたかったですけど、そうさせてくれなかった」と振り返る。

大舞台で同世代のライバルに敗れ辛酸を舐めた張本。

「東京オリンピックでも彼の方が上のラウンド（男子シングルス4位）に行ってますし、ここ最近、世界ランクは僕の方が上かもしれないですけど、彼の卓球を見ていて本当に強いなと思う。パリオリンピックまであと半年、足りないところを練習していく必要があると思っています」と自身の現状を冷静に見つめていた。

 

[TensorBackhand]

More on Harimoto. He says LYJ had a few more serve variations than himself and that got him confused. The match was decided in G1 and G3, namely when he missed the FH loopkill on the loose ball at 6:2 of G1 and then the FH loopkill that got blocked back at 6:6 of G3. For this match, he says LYJ had the upper hand in the small detail of serve and receive. Lastly, he points out LYJ reached the later rounds in Tokyo 2020, that despite himself being higher in world ranking recently, LYJ's table tennis looks really strong, and he feels he has to work on inadequate areas in the remaining half year before Paris 2024.

ベスト8の張本智和。左利きの林昀儒のサーブ「自分より何種類か多くて惑わされた」【卓球 WTTチャンピオンズ】
https://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/tabletennis/news/2023/11/031833.html

So he waited until half year until Paris before realizing he needs to work on weaknesses?

 

[NextLevel]

So he waited until half year until Paris before realizing he needs to work on weaknesses?

The night is darkest before the dawn. Didn't Lin Yun Ju fall put of the top 10?

 

[TensorBackhand]

The night is darkest before the dawn. Didn't Lin Yun Ju fall put of the top 10?

Yeah.

Id be interested to hear what Harimoto thinks his own weakness is. Although here he identified service return.

 

[NextLevel]

Yeah.

Id be interested to hear what Harimoto thinks his own weakness is. Although here he identified service return.

You can watch the match and read his interviews, he discusses the need to lose weight as he realizes that he doesn't need as much bulk to play good table tennis and watching Lin reinforced that.

 

[Egon]

More on Harimoto. He says LYJ had a few more serve variations than himself and that got him confused. The match was decided in G1 and G3, namely when he missed the FH loopkill on the loose ball at 6:2 of G1 and then the FH loopkill that got blocked back at 6:6 of G3. For this match, he says LYJ had the upper hand in the small detail of serve and receive. Lastly, he points out LYJ reached the later rounds in Tokyo 2020, that despite himself being higher in world ranking recently, LYJ's table tennis looks really strong, and he feels he has to work on inadequate areas in the remaining half year before Paris 2024.

ベスト8の張本智和。左利きの林昀儒のサーブ「自分より何種類か多くて惑わされた」【卓球 WTTチャンピオンズ】
https://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/tabletennis/news/2023/11/031833.html

The key here is to work very hard. Let him better tell us why he gained muscle mass

 

[Egon]

You can watch the match and read his interviews, he discusses the need to lose weight as he realizes that he doesn't need as much bulk to play good table tennis and watching Lin reinforced that.

You and I wrote almost the same thoughts at the same time

 

[TensorBackhand]

The key here is to work very hard. Let him better tell us why he gained muscle mass

Got it. So sounds like he wants to do a 180 and go back to his old fast attack fast reaction style.

 

[zeio]

So he waited until half year until Paris before realizing he needs to work on weaknesses?

Have you ever competed? Players have this tendency to 鑽牛角尖/my way or the highway, especially the better they are. Take Hayata, it took her the previous Olympic cycle to stop herself from hitting "bazooka", as Ishida put it, at every chance she gets.

That's 悟性/comprehension, often referred to as 球商/TT quotient in China.

 

[zeio]

Harimto:

LYJ:

 

[Metaxa]

Yeah.

Id be interested to hear what Harimoto thinks his own weakness is. Although here he identified service return.

I do not know if he himself knows what his lesser qualities are but I have known for a long time what his shortcoming is and for attentive readers I have written it here several times, namely his reflex time especially in his BH > FH movement and with age and having developed more muscles it has not improved. I therefore fear for another top 3 in the future, I don't see it happening again.
It is also not what he will be able to change so 123. He is not there with innate let's say.
Other than that, he obviously remains a fantastic player.