May 5, 2025

Tip of the Week
Top Eleven Things About Top Table Tennis Players.

Talking Table Tennis
One of the quickest and easiest ways to tell if someone is a real student of the game is simple – ask them table tennis questions. If someone has spent many years or decades studying and thinking about the game, they’ll have lots and Lots and LOTS of thoughts about it. So, ask them. In the huge majority of the time, they’ll love to talk table tennis. It’s what they do!

This is especially true of coaches. It’s their profession. Some coaches coach only because they have nothing else they can do, and may not really be that interested in it. They put in the time for the money, and have the needed playing level as a practice partner, and they are often good at the fundamentals – they know how a forehand should be hit, etc. HOWEVER...

They may not put out the extra effort other than what’s needed. They’ll mostly teach the standard fundamentals without taking into consideration the specific needs of individual players. They won’t spend a lot of time watching you play so they can better coach.

We expect players to keep learning, yet many coaches do not. I always like to talk coaching with other coaches or players, at the club or tournaments. Some do not, and it often shows in their coaching. Unless you think you know more about every single aspect of the game than another coach or player, you can learn from him. I know coaches who think that way, and could never learn anything from me or most other coaches - their arrogance really hurts them, and ultimately their players. 

So, if you see me at a tournament, and I don’t look too busy – and most tournaments are at 70% waiting around – feel free to come up and talk table tennis. Warning – I can be triggered into long soliloquies by questions about tactics, strategic development, serve, receive, how to develop as a coach, or hardbat. (Also science fiction writing and presidential history!) Bring popcorn and any of my books you’d like me to sign.

MDTTC Open Results
Here they are! The tournament was held this past weekend at MDTTC.

Major League Table Tennis
Follow the action! (Here are news items over the last month.)

Butterfly Training Tips

New from Pingispågarna

New from Pongspace

Two- to Four-Minute Tips from Matt Hetherington
Here’s his video page with eight new tips over the last two weeks.

New from Tom Lodziak

Lots of Coaching Videos at TTProNet
Here’s the video page from Robert Gardos.

Fan Zhendong Analysis of the Forehand Topspin Backswing
Here’s the video (7:11) from Biomechanics Applied to Table Tennis.

Hugo Calderano Push Tactic Against Tomokazu Harimoto
Here’s the video (56 sec) from Drupe Pong.

New from PingSkills
Ask the Coach

Zhang Jike – The Rockstar of Table Tennis
Here’s the video (8:52) from Taco Backhand.

May 2025 Table Tennis History Magazine
Here’s the new issue, from Editor Steve Grant. Here are past issues.

Table Tennis Articles from Technical Journals

New from Steve Hopkins

New from USATT

New from ITTF

The Ping Pong of Tariffs
Here’s the cartoon!

Warning: May Start Talking About Table Tennis
Here’s where you can buy the shirt!

One of the Craziest Ping-Pong Music Videos
Here it is (2:20) – Little Sis Nora, AronChupa - Ping Pong. Will you ever get that song out of your head?

Pool vs Pong Venomtrickshots
Here’s the video (2:16) from Matt Hetherington!

Adam vs. Philippines level 1-14
Here’s the video (14:12) from Adam Bobrow!

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