[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]I went to the Los Angeles Open this weekend which is the biggest tournament in the US after the US Nationals, US Open, and Teams tournaments. I practiced some this week but am not able to find players my level to practice with.
I was breathing really hard in most of my matches so I need to do more aerobic training. I do some strength training for the core and legs but not much aerobic training.
I did not do well except for my two matches in my open singles group. I was excited to play Quadri Aruna of Nigeria who was the #1 seed in the Open Singles so was really trying to get ready for that open singles group. He is very famous in the table-tennis world and in Africa after he became the first African to reach the quarterfinals in men’s singles in table-tennis at the Olympics when he did so last year. He defeated former World #1 and Rio’s German flagbearer Timo Boll 4-2 and World Doubles Champion and top 10 world-ranked Chuang Chih-Yuan of Taiwan 4-0 on his way to the quarters in Rio. He has also reached the quarters of the 2014 World Cup and was selected as the 2014 International Table Tennis Federation Star Athlete of the Year. He is in the top 30 in the men’s world ranking and his USATT rating for this tournament was 2850.
Quadri was friendly in my interactions with him and I was probably trying too hard initially when I played him. In the first game and a half (lost 11-4, then down 5-1 in 2nd), I was trying to hit too hard and making too many unforced errors. Then I slowed down and played pretty even with him. I lost 4-11, 9-11, 8-11. We had a good point at 9-9 in the 2nd game and he got many balls back and I tried an off-the-bounce smash that missed. I don’t know if he felt uncomfortable playing me but at 9-7 in the 2nd game, he walked onto my side saying the game was over and it was 11-7 but I corrected him. A minor disagreement happened again in the 3rd game where I was ahead 5-3 and he said it was 4-2. He either made two honest mistakes or felt pressure playing me. He’s played seriously for at least 20 years and played thousands of matches so should not be off by two points twice in the score but hope those were honest mistakes.
At the 2013 LA Open, I won one game against Dimitrij Ovtcharov, current World #4 and 4-time Olympic medalist and holder of all major European titles. He beat all the other Chinese players comfortably en route to the LA Open title in 2013. Both he and Quadri had some trouble with my heavy backspin and some in rallies. Both of them played a match last week in the semis of the Bulgarian Open World Tour where Quadri was up 3-1 and lost 4-3.
From what people tell me and my own experiences, I likely have the most speed and spin on my shots but am the worst physically and mentally among top US players. I start breathing hard during tournament matches and this partly leads to a deterioration of confidence and the mental game. I end up not being able to serve short, return serves with touch, miss balls I would normally make, move slowly, and so on. I have to improve in those two key areas. When I was young, I was always practicing, in shape, and always mentally confident so all my rivals hated playing me. Now people look forward to playing me!
I played one other match in the open singles group against a Kuwait national team player who was rated around 2300 and won 11-5, 11-5, 9-11, 11-4. I was ready for these two matches thanks to the chance to play Quadri but did not do well in my other matches, even when I won.
Full match with Quadri which I lost 4-11, 9-11, 8-11:
Full match with the 2300-rated Kuwait National Team player which I won 11-5, 11-5, 9-11, 11-4:
On Sunday, I watched the quarters and semis before having to catch my flight and return home so missed the final. Korea’s Joo Se Hyuk, who has reached the World Men’s Singles final at the 2003 Worlds in Paris and won silver at the 2012 London Olympics, had a good match with Quadri Aruna in the semis. Joo won 4-2. Quadri has a lot of power on his forehand but Joo was able to get enough balls back and with heavy backspin. Joo won the final also 4-2 over former Chinese National Team member Hou Yingchao in a battle of the world’s best two defensive players of the past 10 years to take home the $10,000 first place check! That’s good money for table-tennis but almost laughable compared to other big sports.
Full Semifinal Match of Joo Se Hyuk against Quadri Aruna which Joo won 11-9, 6-11, 5-11, 11-3, 11-8. 11-3:
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
