10 Things About Top-Level Table Tennis Players
1. They Know the Game Is Mostly Mental
Talk to any national team player and you’ll find they firmly believe top-level competition demands top-level intelligence. At the highest level — the gap between a very good player and a great one — it always comes down to table tennis IQ. At the national team level, every player trains hard. But people differ in mental capacity and in how fast they absorb knowledge.
Table tennis is fundamentally a self-discipline sport. You need to play boldly and yet carefully. Under extreme pressure, your execution still needs to stay composed. This is deeply counter-intuitive, but you have no choice but to embrace it. That’s true for every player.
At the top, though, it becomes a battle of the highest table tennis IQs. During a match, both players are constantly probing and adjusting tactics. When one approach stops working, how do you switch to the next one? And when do you return to what was working before?
(A warning from Ma Long’s paddle)
2. They Know How to Focus
Average players know how to relax and get in the zone through music or other routines. But most elite players choose pre-match meditation, or mentally rehearse how their tactics will unfold and adjust.
For them, blocking out outside distractions and locking in concentration is simply second nature.
3. They Love Talking About Table Tennis
Just as equipment enthusiasts like us love talking about gear, it’s purely spontaneous passion.
4. They Can’t Wait to Start Practicing
Whenever they discover a new problem and figure out how to fix a gap in their game, top players are always eager to get back out and work on it.
5. They Are Students of Competition
Whether in table tennis or basketball, elite players consistently grow fastest through match experience. Absorbing lessons and constantly reviewing builds ever more wisdom in their mental library.
Of course, players who keep repeating the same mistakes simply cannot be called elite.
6. They Can Serve With Heavy Spin — But Often Make It Look Effortless
One major difference between skilled amateurs and players at the provincial or national level is that professionals often serve with what looks like a soft, effortless motion — yet the spin is intense.
A national team friend once told me: “What matters in your serve isn’t generating spin. Make the serve look no-spin. Because your spin means nothing to them. The more spin you put on, the easier it is for them to borrow the force and attack.”
For elite players, the most important thing isn’t how much spin they produce — it’s how thoroughly they can deceive the opponent and make them misread.
7. They Attack Serves That Go Deep; They Can Also Keep Serves Short — and Handle Anything With a Push, Drive, or Flip
This is simply a realistic description of being technically complete.
8. They Like to Target the Opponent’s Playing Elbow and Transition Gaps
This is widely understood. At the top level, hammering a fast ball at the body or working the backhand-and-middle two-position pattern constantly pins the opponent down and creates counterattack opportunities.
9. They Keep Their Body and Equipment in Peak Condition
Is that why Boll re-mounts his paddle multiple times per session and changes both rubbers at every practice? Extravagant!
On the physical side, before every major tournament, players load up on proper nutrition while avoiding any unfamiliar foods.