Report of player for London 2012

Report of Timo Boll ( Click here )

Timo Boll - Time for Timo, the Hour is Nigh

Winner of the Men’s Singles title at the European Championships on an unprecedented three occasions, Germany’s Timo Boll is very much the man to whom, not only Europe, but the World looks to break the Chinese hegemony in major events. The Olympic Games is no exception. At the GAC GROUP 2011 World Championships in Rotterdam and one year later in Dortmund at the LIEBHERR World Team Championships, Timo Boll stood out from the crowd; others wilted against Chinese excellence but the German star challenged, competed and proved the biggest danger to the global superpower of table tennis. Now at 31 years of age, the time has come. There are surely many more years left in the legs of Timo Boll but will four hence in Rio de Janeiro, for a player who has experienced more than his fair share of injuries, be too late? Sweden’s Jan-Ove Waldner won Men’s Singles Olympic gold in Barcelona in 1992 when 27 years old and regained the Men’s Singles title at the World Championships in Manchester five years later when 32 years of age; the tournament in which 16 year old Timo Boll made his World Championships debut. The evidence suggests that for a European player, London is the right time for Timo Boll. In four years time will the speed of the German star be as potent as now? Unquestionably, the hallmark of Timo Boll is the heavy rotation he imparts from the forehand on his first three attacking strokes; that is not to suggest that any other aspect of his game needs attention but in the art of imparting top spin on a table tennis ball, he is the master. Furthermore, if Olympic medals were awarded by popular vote, Timo Boll would already own gold. If a vote was taken for the most popular player in the world; surely he would top the poll. Simply, he has not been tainted by his rise to table tennis fame; the manners both on and off the table are exemplary. He is the role model, the player aspiring teenagers aim to emulate.

Major Titles 2002 / 2007 / 2008 / 2010 / 2011: European Men’s Singles Champion
2002 / 2003 / 2006 / 2009 / 2010: Europe Top 12 Winner
2002 / 2005: Men’s World Cup Winner
2005: ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals Men’s Singles Winner
2001 – 2011: ITTF Pro Tour – 18 Men’s Singles Titles

Olympic Games 2008: Men’s Tean Silver Medal

Report of Zhang Jike ( click here )

Zhang Jike - The Man for the Big Occasion

In the Hungarian city of Tiszaujvaros on Sunday 16th June 2002, a new innovation came to a successful conclusion and a star was born. The first ever ITTF Cadet Challenge came to a conclusion with Adham Sharara presenting the awards, the concluding presentation was made to winner of the Boys` Singles event; politely the 14 year old leant forward to have the ribbon with the gold medal attached hung around his neck. Applause followed, the cameras flashed and the world had set eyes on Zhang Jike. Seven years later he made his debut for the Chinese Men`s Team at the World Cup in Linz and just as in a formative years, he impressed; he remained unbeaten and in the final against Korea he tore into Oh Sangeun as those there was no tomorrow. Zhang Jike had arrived and he had underlined one fact indelibly, the greater the challenge, the greater he responded. One year later, in 2010, he won his first Men`s Singles title on the ITTF Pro Tour when he succeeded at the Harmony China Open in Suzhou but more significantly, earlier in the year, he was selected by Liu Guoliang for the final of the Men´s Team event at the LIEBHERR World Team Championships against Germany. He duly delivered by beating Christian Süss. Again Zhang Jike had delivered on the big stage and of course one year later at the GAC GROUP 2011 World Championships in Rotterdam, he delivered again by winning the Men’s Singles title. He is a further refinement in the Chinese coaching scheme; watch Wang Liqin is his heyday, it was one backhand and then move around for a mighty forehand. Similarly, Ma Long is consistent with his backhand but it is his pile-driver forehand that is the might sword of success. Zhang Jike is different, the backhand is his strength and he is the master of the modern day backhand technique of the service from all points on the table. The backhand makes him different; his mentality makes him special. Against any player he has the capacity to lose a game and then completing dominate matters; it is as though he needs a crisis situation in order to respond or he needs to pick an argument with someone to be motivated. Simply he is special, very special and if you need a man for a crisis, choose Zhang Jike; notably at the LIEBHERR World Team Championships in Dortmund early this year he was sent out first to play. He was the man trusted to give his team the perfect start, he beat Timo Boll and once again delivered the goods. Without the tantrums in many ways he is like the great American tennis star of yesteryear John McEnroe, he thrives on the big stage and perhaps it’s in the stars; both share the same birthday.

Major Titles

2002 ITTF Cadet Challenge – Boys´ Singles – Winner

2009 World Team Cup – Winner

2010 LIEBHERR World Team Championships – Winner

2010 Harmony China Open - Winner

2010 World Team Cup – Winner

2011 German Open – Men’s Singles - Winner

2011 GAC GROUP World Championships – Men`s Singles - Winner

2011 LIEBHERR Men’s World Cup – Winner

2012 GAC GROUP ITTF World Tour Slovenian Open – Men’s Singles - Winner

2012 LIEBHERR World Team Championships – Winner

2012 GAC GROUP ITTF World Tour Korean Open – Men’s Singles - Winner

Report of Jun Mizutani ( click here )

Jun Mizutani

Potential, the word is often quoted when referring to young players who show a certain promise, those who catch the eye, they stand out from the crowd; they make the difficult look simple. Alas, many who have a supreme talent bestowed find the rigours of training too demanding, the pressure of the big occasion too great and before teenage years have passed, they have disappeared from the scene. In 2003 at the first ever World Junior Championships, we saw a player who stood out from the crowd, a player who displayed talent, a 14 year old from Japan; the name was Jun Mizutani. Left handed, smooth strokes, superb balance and an exquisite feeling for the table tennis ball set him aside from the artisan. There were no medals in Santiago but two years later in the Dominican Republic the potential shown was being realised; on a hot Caribbean night he won the Boys’ Singles title at the ITTF Junior Circuit Finals. The success was a landmark and in 2009 in Seoul, there was another landmark; he won his first Men’s Singles title on the ITTF Pro Tour when he struck gold at the Korean Open. The potential shown six years earlier in South America.n had been realised; he had not fallen through the trap door as had been the fate of some his contemporaries, who had shown promise at the inaugural World Junior Championships. On his return to Seoul in December 2010, he won the Men’s Singles title at the KAL Cup Pro Tour Grand Finals and was firmly established as his country’s leading player. Very much when Jun Mizutani was first seen in Chile in 2003, Japan lived on former glories; by the time he won in Seoul seven years later, the country looked forward with renewed vigour, at the helm was Jun Mizutani. Now, a decade has passed since the bright young man displayed the fact that he possessed potential; left handed, his consistent top spin play usually executed a small distance away from the table enthrals the crowd, often his speed proving too great for his adversaries. At the London Olympic Games, he will delight the crowds and a place on the medal podium may well be his lot; he has the potential.

Major Titles 2003 Asian Youth Championship – Cadet Boys’ Singles Winner 2004 World Junior Championships – Boys’ Doubles Winner with Seiya Kishikawa 2005 ITTF Junior Circuit Finals – Boys’ Singles Winner 2009 ITTF Pro Tour – Men’s Singles Winner - Korea 2010 ITTF Pro Tour – Men’s Singles Winner – Hungary 2010 KAL Cup Pro Tour Grand Finals – Men’s Singles Winner 2012 GAC GROUP ITTF World Tour – Men’s Singles Winner - Kuwait and Japan

Report of Chuang Chih-yuan ( click here )

Chuang Chih-Yuan - Chinese Taipei Star at Top Speed

He may not be the most powerful player in the World but if there is a player who is exciting to watch it is Chinese Taipei’s Chuang Chih-Yuan.

Speed is the key to his success and when rallies develop he is in his element; top spin to spin there are few players who are better to behold.

Now, for over a decade he has been the backbone of the Chinese Taipei Men’s Team; the successor in that role to Chiang Peng-Lung.

He made his debut in the World Championships in Eindhoven in 1999 and he has been present ever since; a total of no less than 13 consecutive World Championships.

However, arguably more impressive is his number of Men’s World Cup appearances. He first played in the Chinese city of Jinan in 2002 and since that time he has qualified every year for the prestigious annual event; 10 consecutive appearances.

Furthermore, even though now 31 years old, is he improving?

Over the years Chuang Chih-Yuan has experienced problems against defenders; arguably there is not the power in his play or perhaps there are not sufficient changes in the degrees of top spin?

Now, has he found a solution to the problem?

Surely the best male defensive player on planet earth is Korea’s Joo Saehyuk; his ever reliable backspin play combined with dynamic forehand makes him a world star.

Prior to this year, Chuang Chih-Yuan had lost to the Korean ace time and time again but when they met in Dortmund in late March, Chuang Chih-Yuan experienced few problems against his nemesis.

He beat Joo Saehyuk in three straight games in the group stage of proceedings and then repeated the dose when they met again in the quarter-finals! Six games played, six won none lost!

Now does that sum up Chuang Chih-Yuan; he is the man whose speed can unsettle an opponent and is more than capable of causing an upset and baffling the pundits.

A decade ago in 2012 he won the Men’s Singles title at the ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals in Stockholm, having only narrowly qualified for the event and never having won on the Tour!

The man to cause a surprise in London; could it be the fluent English speaking Chuang Chih-Yuan, if in a rhythm he will be difficult to stop.

Major Titles 2002 ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals - Men’s Singles winner 2003 Brazilian Open - Men’s Singles winner 2011 Chile Open - Men’s Singles winner 2012 Spanish Open - Men’s Singles winner