OOAK Table Tennis Forum

True, but the point of the show was not that you knew who was going to win, but the spectacular display of skills and talent. But I agree, it is much better not to know who will win. It adds to the atmosphere of the event.



Hey! I am only human, you know

Now, let's bring fattchoi over here for some hardbatting

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Why doesn't the ITTF promote a world hardbat championship? That would be interesting as it virtually eliminates the current day atmosphere of people trying to beat the system with an equipment advantage. As Debater said "talent will always win out," plus people love to play it and watch it. Maybe table tennis needs to embrace its roots more.

There's the argument that a sponge/inverted player will beat a hardbat player. There's also an argument that an MMA fighter will beat a boxer. But people still like boxing and they still like hardbat. If you're looking for something that is easy to understand and follow, hardbat is it.

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My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

Adham

Can you explain a little about FIT?
http://www.tt-manufacturers.com/home.htm

Is this run by the ITTF, or completely independent?
What purpose does it serve?
Do manufacturers pay to become members?

Thank you!

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FIT is completely independent from the ITTF. It is an association of table tennis manufacturers and wholesalers. Its purpose is to act as a service organization to its members and to act as a lobby group to the ITTF. They meet once or twice a year and discuss all issues related to equipment. They make recommendations to the ITTF through the Equipment Committee and they also do research on behalf of their members. I do not think that there is a fee to join. Their Executive Committee meets regularly with the ITTF's equipment committee to discuss equipment issues. Sometimes they invite me to their meetings to ask questions or to make suggestions, or even to complain about some ITTF matters. I try to cooperate with FIT as much as possible, but keeping in mind that some of our objectives are different, while some are the same.By the way, not all manufacturers are members of FIT.

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Adham Sharara

Thank you Adham!

Yes it's curious why some manufacturers would not want to be members... if there are no fees, what's the downside? Perhaps they simply cannot see the benefit...

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OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

FIT is very useful to the ITTF. We make many decisions together, especially the FEES that we charge for authorization and approval of equipment. We also share our research findings with FIT. I do not know why some manufacturers are not members, it is in their interest to be informed, to have peer-group support, and to be readily informed. I asked one non-member manufacturer this question, and the answer was "Because we are not obliged to join". Go figure !!

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Adham Sharara

Sorry for having missed these questions.

1. It is still in the works, hopefully in 2010 as a modification to the current Pro Tour. It would not be called GS, but something else more appropriate to our sport. Stay tuned.

2. This already exists. We have a China vs World match every year. This year it will be next month in Shanghai and will include both Men and Women. The next step is to take this challenge match out of China and into other countries, but alternate every second year in China.

3. The ITTF cannot make rules for or against any particular style. The fact that there are few defending players in my opinion stems from coaching and not from rules. If there were an equal number of defensive players as there are attacking players the results would also be balanced. If you look at the women international players, you will find more successful defensive players just because there are more of them. So, in my opinion the "coaching" mentality has to change. Most coaches, especially outside of Asia, do not know how to develop a defensive player, so they take the easy way out and teach the attacking style that they know well. The rules are not the problem, coaching is the issue. The ITTF cannot tell the coaches how to coach, but we try to influence the associations and in general the coaches to pay more attention to the defensive style for a better balance and because it's a beautiful style to watch and a great part of our heritage.

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Adham Sharara

Not specific rules. However a consistent workaround toward this end is that equipment has been banned and/or changed so that the net effect is to cripple certain defensive styles which are considered "deceptive," supposedly require "less skill," or are not considered attractive for TV. The deck is now stacked in favor of top-spinners.

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My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

You see, the main problem is that I, and many others, do not agree with this premise at all. To say that equipment would help the defensive player is a fallacy. What you are saying is that at lower levels a player using some specific type of equipment with long pimples, or low friction pimples has a better chance against other players at that level. Perhaps that is true at that level. But are these really "defending" players? Can they return balls from both sides 6, 7 or 8 times when attacked? The core of the problem comes from the lack of coaching knowledge at the early stages to develop solid "traditional and modern" defensive players. It has nothing to do with equipment. Why are you not saying that with the removal of the so-called speed glue we are favouring defensive players? In fact, equipment has nothing to do with it. If you develop 20 players and 10 of them are defensive, they will have an equal chance. But if you develop 100 players and one of them only is defensive, and his coach does not really know how to teach him the real defense, then of course you will not get top defensive players. I hope you understand what I mean.

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Adham Sharara

YOUTH HEALF ISSUE IN RUSSIA.

Adham
For me, the most vital issue of todays is to prevent our young players from using the home-brewed organic glues, most injurious to healf.
Here, in Russia. we still have over 20,000 youngsters going on with various speed glues. !2-17 y.o.players are still taking a daily "glue inhalation" in the many of municipal sport centres and tt-clubs.
For now, the ENEZ control is only established for the Russian`s SuperLeague matches. (some 150 pro-players envolved).
For money reason, only 5 ENEZ boxes were distributed down to the regional Associations. (65 active branch-associaions throuthout Russia).

We need an affordable testing instrument to fight the harmful glues at club level.
]ELIZE machine seems to meet the case well enough/.
Mr, President
Let us know, please, all the circumstances regarding the device.
How to buy it? How to operate? WASSING did not response as yet.

Thanks.

The Elize device has been used at the Qatar Open and at the World TTC in Yokohama on an experimental basis. It is not yet ready for mass use (clubs, associations, coaches and players).

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Adham Sharara

It seems like I screwed up in my response above. Could the administrator delete the two above responses and then I will post again my response as a separate reply. Thanks.

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Adham Sharara

Defensive players: I completely disagree with you assessment, but let's just leave it to that and agree to disagree. I have my views and you have yours. Mine are based on coaching and yours are based on equipment, so we could never agree.

China vs World: These are official matches that count for Ranking. The next one is in Shanghai on 7-8 June following the China Open.

GS: Yes, I hope it works well, we are making presentations to sponsors at this time. But for your information the ITTF Pro Tour already enjoys a lot of TV coverage in different parts of the World. Also starting next month we hope to have ALL Pro Tour events live and free on itTV.

Statistics: Please go to the ITTF website and look at the pull-down menu "Ranking & Stats" and select "Statistics". You will have many results and statistics available for you to explore. If you want to know the results between 2 players against each other, go to the "Pro Tour" pull-down" menu and click on "Head to Head" and then enter the names of the 2 players. Viola. Knock yourself out. I have done the Ma Lin vs Wang Liqin for you :

Tour Player 1 Player 2 Date Event Time Rnd Result Winner
Qatar Open 2009 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 2/21/2009 MS 1/1/1900 12:00:00 PM 4 0 - 4 MA Lin (CHN)
World Table Tennis Championships 2009 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 5/4/2009 MS 5:15:00 PM 4 4 - 3 WANG Liqin (CHN)
Volkswagen Open - Japan 2008 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 5/25/2008 MS 1/1/1900 12:15:00 PM 4 1 - 4 MA Lin (CHN)
Volkswagen Open - China 2008 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 5/18/2008 MS 12:15:00 PM 4 4 - 3 WANG Liqin (CHN)
ERKE Qatar Open 2008 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 3/22/2008 MS 1/1/1900 12:15:00 PM 4 0 - 4 MA Lin (CHN)
Tournament of Champions 2007 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 10/22/2007 MS 3:35:00 PM 4 2 - 4 MA Lin (CHN)
LIEBHERR German Open 2007 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 11/11/2007 12:15:00 PM MS 11/11/2007 12:15:00 PM 4 1 - 4 MA Lin (CHN)
World Table Tennis Championships 2007 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 5/27/2007 MS 4:00:00 PM 2 4 - 3 WANG Liqin (CHN)
Qatar Open 2007 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 2/17/2007 MS 5:15:00 PM 2 2 - 4 MA Lin (CHN)
JAPAN Open 2006 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 9/24/2006 MS 1/1/1900 11:30:00 AM 4 4 - 3 WANG Liqin (CHN)
Volkswagen Open (China) 2006 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 6/18/2006 MS 1/1/1900 4:15:00 PM 2 0 - 4 MA Lin (CHN)
QATAR Open 2006 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 2/17/2006 MS 6:15:00 PM 2 4 - 2 WANG Liqin (CHN)
World Table Tennis Championships 2005 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 6/5/2005 MS 9:00:00 PM 2 4 - 2 WANG Liqin (CHN)
QATAR Open 2005 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 2/25/2005 MS 6:15:00 PM 2 4 - 1 WANG Liqin (CHN)
Pro Tour Grand Finals 2004 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 12/12/2004 MS 9:00:00 PM 2 4 - 1 WANG Liqin (CHN)
CHINA Open 2004 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 9/12/2004 MS 11:30:00 AM 4 1 - 4 MA Lin (CHN)
SINGAPORE Open 2004 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 5/30/2004 MS 6:30:00 PM 2 4 - 1 WANG Liqin (CHN)
Olympic Games 2008 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 8/23/2008 MS 11:00:00 AM 4 2 - 4 MA Lin (CHN)
GERMAN Open 2003 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 11/9/2003 MS 3:30:00 PM 2 4 - 1 WANG Liqin (CHN)
CHINA Open 2003 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 9/14/2003 MS 11:30:00 AM 4 3 - 4 MA Lin (CHN)
CHINA Open 2001 WANG Liqin (CHN) MA Lin (CHN) 6/9/2001 MS 5:30:00 PM 2 3 - 2 WANG Liqin (CHN)

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Webmaster: [email protected]

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Adham Sharara

I think the reason there are very few defensive coaches these days is because the last decade seems to many to be a systematic assault by the ITTF against tactical players who use long pips.

In 1998, the aspect ratio was reduced from 1.3 to 1.1 and resulted in a ban of 12 of the most popular chopping rubbers. In 2000, the ball size was increased to 40mm which hurt long pip players a lot by significantly reducing the spin we had to work with. In 2002, the density limit of pimpled rubber was reduced from 50/sq. cm to 30/sq. cm. stifling innovation. In 2008, a minimum friction requirement was added resulting in approximately 30 popular low friction pimpled rubbers being banned. In 2009, the most popular "frictionless replacement" rubbers from TTMaster were banned primarily because of one complaint letter from a disgruntled player.

To keep diversity in the game and move toward leveling the playing field between defenders and offensive players (offenders ), I think the aspect ratio should at a minimum be returned to 1.3 to compensate for the bigger ball, and the maximum pip density and minimum friction requirements should be removed.

You have stated that you would like to bring defense back to the game. These moves would help make that happen.

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My whole set-up costs less than a sheet of Butterfly Dignics

Hi Speedplay, perhaps some examples of which particular statistical information you would like to see during the broadcast?

I, for one, would like to see the playing style and rubbers used in the match, aside from the win-loss statistic and age, perhaps.

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