WTT Champions Montpellier 2026 10/27-11/1

This user has no status.
This user has no status.
🏆 Top 1% Commenter
Well-Known Member
Sep 2024
1,653
2,211
6,109
I think if Simon didn’t lob at all, just lose the point if he couldn’t get it, he would’ve won. Lobbibg might look good for show, but can boost opponent’s confidence a lot.
I don't even know where to start with this lol...
 
  • Love
  • Like
Reactions: NextLevel and Haito
says Making a beautiful shot is most important; winning is...
says Making a beautiful shot is most important; winning is...
🏆 Top 1% Commenter
Well-Known Member
Mar 2021
4,949
5,911
12,399
question for you guys; is Sidorenko always this good or did he smoke something special?

He is insanely fast & powerful
on both wings to boot! Amazing! Simply amazing!

If I may add; he seems like Anders Lind Max Pro version.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Haito
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Active Member
Nov 2013
679
557
1,295
Read 4 reviews
question for you guys; is Sidorenko always this good or did he smoke something special?

He is insanely fast & powerful
on both wings to boot! Amazing! Simply amazing!

If I may add; he seems like Anders Lind Max Pro version.
He was ranked about 100 in 22-23 at 20-21 years old then was banned as a russian from competition for two years. It's probably just getting into his prime that has carried him up and up
 
  • Like
Reactions: Loose Bottom
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
🏆 Top 1% Commenter
Well-Known Member
Jan 2019
1,307
1,013
6,626
Predictable go to for someone manifesting a loss.
Look at the match between Franziska and Alexis. Alexis was 2:0, 5:0 up. Franziska seemed to gain more momentum after winning a point that Alexis lobbed. Lobbing gives attackers more time to attack and gain confidence. Well, that was an observation. But my feeling is that Simon tried showing a little too much on game 3 (and he was still ahead), and LJK grasped that momentum and never went back.
 
  • Like
Reactions: J-fed
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Active Member
Jun 2026
548
374
1,464
Look at the match between Franziska and Alexis. Alexis was 2:0, 5:0 up. Franziska seemed to gain more momentum after winning a point that Alexis lobbed. Lobbing gives attackers more time to attack and gain confidence. Well, that was an observation. But my feeling is that Simon tried showing a little too much on game 3 (and he was still ahead), and LJK grasped that momentum and never went back.
Zero disagreement.
I put my money where my mouth was at the end of game 2. Stated it clearly. There were firm reasons for it.
 
Last edited:
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
🏆 Top 1% Commenter
Well-Known Member
Sep 2024
1,653
2,211
6,109
Look at the match between Franziska and Alexis. Alexis was 2:0, 5:0 up. Franziska seemed to gain more momentum after winning a point that Alexis lobbed. Lobbing gives attackers more time to attack and gain confidence. Well, that was an observation. But my feeling is that Simon tried showing a little too much on game 3 (and he was still ahead), and LJK grasped that momentum and never went back.
I think this is a classic case of applying what might happen at an intermediate amateur level to what happens at the elite pro level, when it doesn't apply.

Yes Simon was up 2-0 but the first 2 games were 11-9 and LJK has a years long history of being a slow starter and coming back against players who don't lob much. This was hardly a slow start by LJK standards, just two coinflip games that didn't go his way.

Simon also historically has won many points playing defensively against LJK and this match was no exception. It's a defining part of his playstyle when he gets moved around or the opponent sustains his first few attacks. Also, why no discussion of how staying in the points could wear down LJK? It's just pure hindsight to point at that as the reason he lost.

To suggest that someone should have lost a point on purpose to not give "confidence" to a seasoned veteran who doesn't lack confidence, is an absolutely ridiculous suggestion and I'm going a bit hard on your post because I hope these type of theories don't start sticking.
 
says Shoo...nothing to see here. - zeio
says Shoo...nothing to see here. - zeio
🏆 Top 1% Commenter
Well-Known Member
Jan 2018
13,968
13,419
30,812
WS R16
Harimoto WR3 (3) 3-2 Lily Zhang WR33 (14, -8, 4, -9, 7)
The fatigue is real, like WMY who has won WS in EUR GS 2026, Aichi-Nagoya 2026 and CHN GS 2026.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Loose Bottom
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
🏆 Top 1% Commenter
Well-Known Member
Jan 2019
1,307
1,013
6,626
I think this is a classic case of applying what might happen at an intermediate amateur level to what happens at the elite pro level, when it doesn't apply.

Yes Simon was up 2-0 but the first 2 games were 11-9 and LJK has a years long history of being a slow starter and coming back against players who don't lob much. This was hardly a slow start by LJK standards, just two coinflip games that didn't go his way.

Simon also historically has won many points playing defensively against LJK and this match was no exception. It's a defining part of his playstyle when he gets moved around or the opponent sustains his first few attacks. Also, why no discussion of how staying in the points could wear down LJK? It's just pure hindsight to point at that as the reason he lost.

To suggest that someone should have lost a point on purpose to not give "confidence" to a seasoned veteran who doesn't lack confidence, is an absolutely ridiculous suggestion and I'm going a bit hard on your post because I hope these type of theories don't start sticking.
Simon won many more points (most of the points probably) for close and middle tables. For lobbing, it was usually very far far away from the table and it was usually a way to play when there was no better option. For those lobbing points, how much energy Simon needed to run around and counter from far away from the table? Simon is a grand master of lobbing, but you can see that his chance of winning a lobby point is probably only 50%?

Maybe it is interesting to do a statistical research on how points and games play after a lobbing rally.
 
  • Like
Reactions: piligrim
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
🏆 Top 1% Commenter
Well-Known Member
Jan 2019
1,307
1,013
6,626
I think this is a classic case of applying what might happen at an intermediate amateur level to what happens at the elite pro level, when it doesn't apply.

Yes Simon was up 2-0 but the first 2 games were 11-9 and LJK has a years long history of being a slow starter and coming back against players who don't lob much. This was hardly a slow start by LJK standards, just two coinflip games that didn't go his way.

Simon also historically has won many points playing defensively against LJK and this match was no exception. It's a defining part of his playstyle when he gets moved around or the opponent sustains his first few attacks. Also, why no discussion of how staying in the points could wear down LJK? It's just pure hindsight to point at that as the reason he lost.

To suggest that someone should have lost a point on purpose to not give "confidence" to a seasoned veteran who doesn't lack confidence, is an absolutely ridiculous suggestion and I'm going a bit hard on your post because I hope these type of theories don't start sticking.
Well, went to to watch the match a little bit. Simon lobbed several times in game 3. For most of those points, there was really no need to lob. I think it was the showman Simon that decided to lob and entertain the audiences.
 
Last edited:
says Shoo...nothing to see here. - zeio
says Shoo...nothing to see here. - zeio
🏆 Top 1% Commenter
Well-Known Member
Jan 2018
13,968
13,419
30,812
CY: I beat WMY here because I lost 0-4 the last time at WTT F Hong Kong 2025 and so had nothing to lose here and could play aggressively, and if it were not WMY, who is WR1 and also my role model, I probably couldn't have played like that. But most importantly, I got lucky with all those nets throughout the match, especially G1, which was the key! LOL

https://weibo.com/7556183438/Rp5U8yzwg
WTT世界乒联
26-10-30 19:58
发布于 法国
来自 微博视频号
#WTT蒙彼利埃冠军赛2026# 女单1/8决赛,陈熠3-0王曼昱,赛后采访 [http://t.cn/AXj8DS3l] WTT世界乒联的微博视频
 
  • Like
Reactions: Loose Bottom
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
🏆 Top 1% Commenter
Well-Known Member
Jan 2019
1,307
1,013
6,626
CY: I beat WMY here because I lost 0-4 the last time at WTT F Hong Kong 2025 and so had nothing to lose here and could play aggressively, and if it were not WMY, who is WR1 and also my role model, I probably couldn't have played like that. But most importantly, I got lucky with all those nets throughout the match, especially G1, which was the key! LOL

https://weibo.com/7556183438/Rp5U8yzwg
WTT世界乒联
26-10-30 19:58
发布于 法国
来自 微博视频号
#WTT蒙彼利埃冠军赛2026# 女单1/8决赛,陈熠3-0王曼昱,赛后采访 [http://t.cn/AXj8DS3l] WTT世界乒联的微博视频
CY talked much better at interview than LSD, who is probably among the worst..
 
says Shoo...nothing to see here. - zeio
says Shoo...nothing to see here. - zeio
🏆 Top 1% Commenter
Well-Known Member
Jan 2018
13,968
13,419
30,812
LJK: First of all, Simon is an old and respectable opponent. Every time, actually, I won the last 5 [TL's note: 6] times... Every time, he could perform to his best on the court, and regardless of the result, both of us played very well and it was not easy for me to win after being down 0-2... The atmosphere was great but the cheering gave me a very difficult time from the beginning, as I wasn't all that nervous at first but it got tight as the match went on. The last point was fortunate but that is what happens in matches. Whatever the case, it was great that I came out on top in the end.

https://weibo.com/7556183438/Rp6S0BhxO
WTT世界乒联
26-10-30 22:26
发布于 法国
来自 微博视频号
#WTT蒙彼利埃冠军赛2026# 男单1/8决赛,梁靖崑3-2西蒙·高茨,赛后采访 [http://t.cn/AXjRB8Go] WTT世界乒联的微博视频
 
Top