WTT Champions Xinxiang 2023

[NextLevel]

Imo he is a real beast and has the most CNT play style out of all the non CNT players - attacking hard and early with a lot of spin. This match against Fan Zhendong he was producing shot quality matching or even exceeding that of Wang Chuqin imo. It was a miracle and testament to Fan Zhendong's abilities that he was able to withstand that onslaught that Lim Jonghoon brought to the table. Any other player would have just crumbled.

My money is still on Fan Zhendong in the final. He just seems faster than Liang Jingkun and as long as he keeps a sound mind and doesn't make tactical mistakes like 2019 WTTC he should win. It's just about pressuring the middle and exploiting wide FH of LJK, and avoid power battles on the BH.

I think Fan often takes it personally when it comes to backhand battles. It will be interesting to see whether he accepts the backhand battle is not worth it or whether he goes out of his way to try to win it.

I love watching Liang play backhand, I learn something new just about every time about what is possible if you decide to dominate with the backhand. And he does it with powerful controlled play, so you can learn from it even if you don't have the touch of Harimoto or the technique of Fan Zhendong. It is just incredibly smart.

Wait when did he win 4-1 against Xu Xin?

Google is your friend.

Lim Jonghoon on fire, beats Xu Xin - International Table Tennis Federation

by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager Some five days ago in Hong Kong, the gods of sport had not shone on the forehead of Lim Jonghoon; he was beaten by Japan’s Kazuhiro Yoshimura, the champion elect, in a momentous seven games semi-final encounter decided by the minimal two point margin...

www.ittf.com

 

[blahness]

I think Fan often takes it personally when it comes to backhand battles. It will be interesting to see whether he accepts the backhand battle is not worth it or whether he goes out of his way to try to win it.

I love watching Liang play backhand, I learn something new just about every time about what is possible if you decide to dominate with the backhand. And he does it with powerful controlled play, so you can learn from it even if you don't have the touch of Harimoto or the technique of Fan Zhendong. It is just incredibly smart.


Google is your friend.

Lim Jonghoon on fire, beats Xu Xin - International Table Tennis Federation

by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager Some five days ago in Hong Kong, the gods of sport had not shone on the forehead of Lim Jonghoon; he was beaten by Japan’s Kazuhiro Yoshimura, the champion elect, in a momentous seven games semi-final encounter decided by the minimal two point margin...

www.ittf.com

Yes I agree, LJK's BH is really amazing - he also does it with a super short stroke. I would argue that Liang Jingkun has more power than Fan Zhendong on the BH and if Fan Zhendong insists on a BH powerloop battle with LJK he will lose, just like 2019 WTTC. LJK's real weakness is his mobility (front-rear, left right) which Fan Zhendong can exploit (he did it in the 2021 WTTC) just like how Ma Long always does. LJK loves it when he can stay in one distance and blast winners from left to right.

 

[Metaxa]

I noticed that Lim Jonghoon is adopting the serve receive position with the right foot in front now rather than the unconventional left foot in front position (for a lefty). Quite interesting that he changed something so fundamental in his game.

And...he touched the corner of the table several times with his right index finger! Why would he do that? 🤔

 

[blahness]

Turns out Fan Zhendong still plays smart, just exploiting the slow movement of Liang Jingkun, especially by targeting the middle and FH.

He's not gonna allow a 2019 WTTC repeat any time soon lol

 

[Wrighty67]

Turns out Fan Zhendong still plays smart, just exploiting the slow movement of Liang Jingkun, especially by targeting the middle and FH.

He's not gonna allow a 2019 WTTC repeat any time soon lol

Very disappointing final after such a series of world class matches - I had high hopes for LJK but he was nowhere near the level he’d need to beat FZD. Fan is simply incredible when under pressure at game point down - he always finds the point.

 

[Choosikick]

These Chinese finals are boring, I didn’t even want to watch

 

[blahness]

Very disappointing final after such a series of world class matches - I had high hopes for LJK but he was nowhere near the level he’d need to beat FZD. Fan is simply incredible when under pressure at game point down - he always finds the point.

Nah FZD showed the world that he cracked LJK's game in the last WTTC. LJK really needs to slim down if he wants to match FZD.

 

[blahness]

These Chinese finals are boring, I didn’t even want to watch

Even Ma Long vs Fan Zhendong at the Olympic finals?

 

[OldUser]

Most of the CNT have quite strong personalities and individuality - it's just that English media doesn't report a lot about them and that they don't express much of their thoughts in English. LJK's behaviour is not something "special" so to speak.

lol yeah sure, that's why they have so many yellow cards ... and why western players have so few compared to them *

The CNT is a goulag: when you show your mind, you're in jail for 3 months, WCQ and LJK won't contradict this...

 

[OldUser]

These Chinese finals are boring, I didn’t even want to watch

And guess what ? next even in.. China again, Lin Shi Dong wild card again. Not that he doesn't deserve it, but why are there so much guys ranked over the top 50 and not Félix Lebrun for example ?

Thanks CTT, not WTT anymore. Last event the WTT allowed too much wild card for chinese players: country's one, and WTT one. Not fair, not normal.

It has to change.

 

[NextLevel]

lol yeah sure, that's why they have so many yellow cards ... and why western players have so few compared to them *

The CNT is a goulag: when you show your mind, you're in jail for 3 months, WCQ and LJK won't contradict this...

It's unfortunate that when someone tries to give you an alternative perspective that you resort to using these kinds of arguments rather than exchanging information. When the top Chinese players protested Liu Guoliang's firing in 2017, how many months did they spend in jail? And is suspension for violating a behavioral code really the "goulag" - doesn't it happen in more significant sports all over the world? And who were the first players in TT to tear shirts and jump on tables after winning matches that you can remember?

 

[NextLevel]

And guess what ? next even in.. China again, Lin Shi Dong wild card again. Not that he doesn't deserve it, but why are there so much guys ranked over the top 50 and not Félix Lebrun for example ?

Thanks CTT, not WTT anymore. Last event the WTT allowed too much wild card for chinese players: country's one, and WTT one. Not fair, not normal.

It has to change.

Doesn't the host/organizer tend to determine the wildcards handed out in most if not all sports?

 

[Metaxa]

En wie waren de eerste spelers in TT die shirts scheurden en op tafels sprongen na het winnen van wedstrijden die je kunt herinneren?

Zhang Jike in Rotterdam (2011)?

 

[blahness]

Hello Next Level! I unfortunately lived in the Soviet Union and communist ideology. With all due respect to China and their people, with its five thousand years of history, they have communists in power with all the ensuing consequences. It is not so easy... Where are these people who behaved differently than a communist should? The same Zhang Jike for example. I'm surprised he's not in jail yet. But judging by the latest news, everything is going to this...

I'm pretty sure you'll go to jail anywhere else in the world if you shared explicit intimate videos of your girlfriend without permission from her.

Also communist countries are not supposed to have thriving stock and property markets plus extreme income inequality levels worse than the US 😂 Everything's supposed to be shared equally, no? It's more like fake communism from what I see so far...

 

[OldUser]

Doesn't the host/organizer tend to determine the wildcards handed out in most if not all sports?

When the organizer is also the chairman of the organization, and decides that most of the competitions will take place in his own home soil, there's clearly a problem, sir. If you don't want to see that, i'm not the one to blame.

 

[NextLevel]

When the organizer is also the chairman of the organization, and decides that most of the competitions will take place in his own home soil, there's clearly a problem, sir. If you don't want to see that, i'm not the one to blame.

While the WTT is not a great organization, if you have the funding for a tournament, you can run one too. The reason why they got him is because he can get them the funding. This was also why Qatar and such places had tours. So bring your money, fund events, and you can give your wildcards. If you want to play holier than thou because you do not know the realities and challenges of leadership, that is your prerogative.