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Dusseldorf VII: Video Highlights

July 23, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins, photo by ITTFWorld) When Dang Qiu won the Seventh installment of the Dusseldorf Masters Series, he joined a strong list of winners including Timo Boll, Ovtcharov (twice), Duda, and Steger. This was the seventh event (6 were men’s events and 1 was a female event). The biggest story through the Semifinals was […]

ITTF Announces Updated Olympic Qualification Dates

July 22, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) ITTF has announced key amendments to the qualification system for the Tokyo Olympics. The changes mostly involve updating the calendar to push back deadlines and to use 2021 events and rankings to determine some categories of qualifiers for the Olympics which are now scheduled for 2021. The Continental Qualification Event deadlines for […]

BUTTERFLY FAVORITES: Omar Assar’s Jump Smash

July 21, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) This is a Butterfly Favorite. Egypt’s Omar Assar, World No. 38, explains his favorite shot. Assar has given his jump smash a name: the “Assar Boom”. A message from Omar Assar. Assar uses a customized Butterfly inner fiber carbon (very similar to the ALC Innerforce Blade) and Tenergy 05. Check […]

OPEN DOORS: Hoboken Table Tennis

July 20, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) Hoboken Table Tennis, Hoboken’s first social ping pong club, has opened its doors in New Jersey. The club has posted their COVID-19 Guidelines which include masks, a health questionnaire, limited gear (keep your bag with you), and reminders to follow all distancing and hygiene guidelines. The facility is currently set up with […]

Coaching Tip Of The Week: The Importance of Lobbing

July 20, 2020

(By Larry Hodges) One of the strange things top players and coaches often notice is that beginning/intermediate players who “goof off and lob” during practice often improve rapidly. There is a reason for this. When a beginning/intermediate player backs up and lobs, he develops mobility and footwork, and learns to react to hard-hit […]

Dusseldorf Masters VII: Q!

July 19, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins, photo by ITTFWorld) The latest installment of the Dusseldorf Masters event was held this week in Germany. This week’s winner, Germany’s Dang Qiu. The Dusseldorf Masters series have been held in June and July. This is the seventh event (6 were men’s events and 1 was a female event). The biggest story […]

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Alameda Ping Pong Gym

July 19, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) The Alameda Ping Pong Gym is a new club in the Bay Area. It offers 10 tables and lots of space with newly-renovated lighting and flooring.. With its location on Lincoln Avenue, the Alameda Ping Pong Gym is conveniently located for players on the East side of San Francisco Bay. Alameda is […]

NBA (table tennis) Update

July 19, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) When the NBA restarts the professional basketball season on July 30, it will be under strict lockdown rules that are designed to keep the players, staff, and families separated and safe. The protected area is being called the NBA’s “bubble”. The NBA released over a 100 page set of health protocols for […]

PongNow: Jenson Van Emburgh

July 17, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins) The PongNow interview series discusses table tennis with some of the best players and personalities in the sport. In this edition we have, TeamUSA Paralympian, Jenson Van Emburgh. Jenson was named to represent the USA at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. The Games have been pushed back to 2021, so […]

Dusseldorf Masters VI: Video Highlights

July 15, 2020

(by Steve Hopkins, photo courtesy of ITTFWorld) The sixth installment of the Dusseldorf Masters concluded over the weekend. The Semifinals matched Benedikt Duda and Anton Kallberg and also Dang Qiu against Omar Assar. Ultimately, Assar and Duda prevailed in the Semis with Duda winning the Final. The two matches shown below include the Final with […]