Bay Area fans get opportunity to see best table tennis players in world
Lots of people have a ping pong table down in the basement and they may even think they're pretty good at it. But on Sunday in Pleasanton, fans of the game got a chance to see how the professionals do it, as a new league is bringing some of the best table tennis players in the world to the Bay Area.
The parking lot wasn't exactly packed, and inside, the crowd was still pretty small. But what can you expect from a sport that, in this country, has always been just a fun game to play with friends or family?
Flint Lane wants to change that.
"I've always been fascinated that there has been no pro table tennis in America," he said. "Meanwhile, we've got pro everything else. We've got cornhole and pickleball and tag. There are many pro table tennis leagues throughout the world, they're in Germany, they're in Poland, Spain, China. But this fabulously popular sport globally has never been professional in America. And I figured, why not us?"
So, Lane founded "Major League Table Tennis" and while it's only in its second season, there is no shortage of ambition here.
"Our hope is to model this after the NBA," said Lane. "We've got eight teams, we're going to do expansion. We have a draft, we have a lottery, we'll be on TV. So, we're shooting high."
Sunday's tournament featured teams from Chicago, Portland, Carolina and a local team, the Bay Area Blasters. They play singles, doubles, and something called a "golden game" that allows players to switch in and out during sets and is worth enough points that it can often decide the match.
"These athletes are jumping all over the place," said Lane. "They're in incredible shape. The ball is traveling so fast, their reaction times are faster than any other sport. They've got nine feet to figure out what's on that ball--what speed, what spin--so that they can counterattack. So, these guys are really good."
Things happen so fast that most rallies are pretty short. But occasionally it becomes a long-distance battle with balls being smashed and returned from the back of the court. That seemed to impress Emilia Martins, who plays regularly for fun with friends in San Leandro.
"It's nice to watch the actual pros play. It seems as though they start, like, really soft and then they strike the ball harder and harder and then they get further away from the table. Where ours is pretty much always the same," she said, with a laugh.
It can be inspiring for the kids too. Out in the "Fun Zone," various tables are set up for free play, and 10-year-old Sayan Jafareli was putting spin on the ball with a mean "chop shot."
"When I watch them play, I feel like I want to copy them and how hard they fight," he said. "I want to fight hard, too."
The league is fighting hard, as well--to grow quickly and grab the attention of people who may not understand what it means to play at a world-class level. In fact, the league has a playful motto: "Think you're good?"
"Because everybody thinks they're good," said Lane. "I can beat anybody in my basement. But when they come out, they're going to realize, oh my goodness, they had no idea what good is."
They are truly among the best in the world. Of the 64 participants currently signed to a team, 25 have competed in the Olympic Games. But the Blasters' coach, Timothy Wang, said the league is also good for the players.
"In the past, if you wanted to be a professional player in table tennis, you had to go overseas to Europe or Asia and the fact that this is the first one in North America is huge."
Major League Table Tennis will return to the Bay Area on Jan. 10-12 at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton.
