A lot of people have a ping-pong table in their basement, and some may even think they’re pretty good at it. But on Sunday in Pleasanton, table tennis fans got to see how the pros do it.
This is because a new league is bringing some of the best players in the world to the Bay Area.
Not a lot of people were in the parking lot, and not many people were inside either. But what do you expect from a sport that has always been just a fun game to play with family and friends in this country?
Flint Lane would like to make that different.
“I’ve always been fascinated that there has been no pro table tennis in America,” said he. “For now, we have pro everything else.” We can play tag, cornhole, and tennis.
Pro table tennis teams can be found all over the world, in places like Germany, Poland, Spain, and China. But this hugely popular sport around the world has never been played professionally in the United States. I thought, “Why not us?”
Lane started “Major League Table Tennis,” and even though it’s only in its second season, it has a lot of goals.
“Our hope is to model this after the NBA,” Lane said. “We’re going to add more teams; we already have eight.” There’s a draft, a lottery, and TV coverage. That’s why we’re aiming high.
On Sunday, there were teams from Chicago, Portland, North Carolina, and the Bay Area Blasters, who were from the area. In addition to pairs and doubles, they play a “golden game” that lets players switch roles during sets and is worth enough points to often decide the winner.
“These athletes are jumping all over the place,” Lane said. “They’re in great shape.” They can respond faster than any other sport because the ball is moving so fast.
And they have nine feet to figure out what speed and spin that ball has so they can hit back. “These guys are really good.”
Most protests don’t last long because things happen so quickly. But sometimes it turns into a long-distance fight where balls are hit and returned from the back of the court.
Emilia Martins seemed impressed. She plays with friends in San Leandro all the time for fun.
“It’s fun to watch real pros play.” That seems to be how they start: really soft. Then they hit the ball harder and harder, and then they move farther away from the table. “Where as ours stays pretty much the same,” she said with a laugh.
It may also be interesting for kids. There are free-play tables out in the “Fun Zone,” and 10-year-old Sayan Jafareli was hitting the ball with a great “chop shot.”
“When I watch them play, I feel like I want to copy them and how hard they fight,” he stated. “I want to fight hard, too.”
The league is also working hard to get new members and grow quickly. They want to show people what it’s like to play at a world-class level. The league even has a funny motto: “Think you’re good?”
Lane said, “Because everyone thinks they’re good.” “Anyone can’t beat me in my basement.” They’ll understand they didn’t know what good was when they come out, though.
They really are some of the best in the world. Out of the 64 people who have signed up for a team, 25 have already played in the Olympics. Tim Wang, the boss of the Blasters, said that the league is also good for the players.
Before, if you wanted to play table tennis professionally, you had to go to Europe or Asia. It’s a big deal that this is the first one in North America.
From January 10th to 12th, Major League Table Tennis will be back in the Bay Area at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton.
