Lily Zhang of Team United States competes during the Women’s Team Round of 16 match between United States and Germany.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images
The points format in the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) league has added that extra bit of unpredictability and pressure on the favourites as well as the underdogs. There have been innovations that have made the league exciting for both teams and fans: best-of-three games in the 11-point system, golden point at 10-10, and if a singles paddler or a mixed doubles pair pockets one game in the best of three duel, it will be not considered an outright defeat. The points gained will determine which teams make it to the knock-outs.
Given that scenario, what Lily Zhang has done for Bengaluru Smashers is extraordinary. The 28-year-old American, world-ranked 28th, has won all her five matches, barring one (she won 2-1 against Poymantee Baisya of Chennai Lions), by 3-0 margins. Born to Chinese parents, Bob Zhang and Linda Liu, in California where she learnt the basics, she has represented USA in four Olympics (2012 London to 2024 Paris). Excerpts:
Four Olympics and you are only 28…
I haven’t thought too much about the 2028 Olympics. It is still four years away. Right now, I am trying to take a breather, trying to be in the moment.
You have played in UTT for two seasons. What has changed and what has remained constant?
I think a lot has changed in terms of level of competition, which I believe has grown. You see so many good players who have established and gone to become superstars on the international stage. My team has Manika, who has been amazing, and Jeet (Chandra), an up-and-coming paddler. I think what has remained constant is the love and the way UTT has been organised. It’s the people in the league, their warmth that has been really good. Some of my best times have been in UTT. That’s one of the reasons why I chose to come back. It’s been absolutely incredible. I am having, and had a great time, with my teammates both with U Mumba and Smashers. The manager and physio have been so supportive. Whatever you need is given. More than that, there are people who lend an ear when you are feeling down.
Lily Zhang.
| Photo Credit:
R. RAGU
How is to compete with different players from different countries who play with different style and employ different rubbers?
You learn so much from just training with them and watching them play. When Manika Batra plays, it is really inspiring to see how she handles crucial moments, how she kind of ‘self talks’… I’ve learnt so much from my team and the others too. To meet players with different rubbers has been really amazing as I don’t get to even train that way. I don’t get to play against such players regularly even at the international level.
In the international arena, aren’t there many paddlers using different rubbers?
In the international tournaments, I don’t play against such variety of players. Here, I played against Poymantee, S. Yashini, Nithyashree Mani, Krittwika Sinha Roy, and Orawan Paranang. Every other opponent has different rubbers. It is either anti-spin, long pimples or short pimples rubber. When I played against Jaipur Patriots’ Nithyashree, it was so different. I truly didn’t know how the ball was going to spin. I learnt it during the games, during the match. It has been a valuable experience so far.
You won a bronze in the 2016 Nanjing Youth Olympics. But the bigger medal came at the 2021 World mixed doubles championships when you bagged a bronze. How big was that?
We came to know that we (Lin Gaoyuan of China and I) were going to play with each other only the previous night. It was a last-minute decision. But to play and win a medal is a dream come true moment for me. And more so, it was the first time in 62 years that USA has won a medal in world championships after Dick Miles won in 1959 in singles. It is such an honour to win a medal for USA.
How was it playing with Lin?
We weren’t prepared one bit. We kind of got used to the doubles chemistry only during the match. For sure, we weren’t hoping to win a medal.
Your co-player and Olympian Kanak Jha has said that it is very difficult to get sponsorships in USA. How is the TT culture in your country given that you have started the Major League TT?
I think it’s been growing since when the time I started. Still, it’s tough because it is a niche sport, given that our country is high on basketball, football and baseball. It is difficult, for sure, to make a living in USA playing TT. You have to play in leagues abroad to sustain yourself. I would like to believe that we are slowly growing. Now that we have got our own league (Major League TT) . We hosted our first season and I played for Bay Area Blasters. It was great that someone took the first step which was necessary.
Where do you train in USA?
There are several private clubs where they hire coaches from China and India. There are quite a few local American coaches. I train in Freemont (California). I haven’t had a personal coach for nearly eight years now. It is just because it is extremely expensive to get a coach from overseas. I have no one guiding me at the moment.
How important it is to have a coach for a player of your rankings?
It is so important to have a coach for one to reach a certain level. It is absolutely essential to have a coach watching you and guiding you. I would love to have more funding so that I can hire coaches.
You have done your graduation in psychology. Will you consider playing at the highest level or will you chose to work or study further?
I am taking psychology classes at Berkley. Right now, I am re-evaluating whether to go back to school or try work in Marketing or whether to pursue TT. My next tournament is China Smash in Beijing (Sept. 26 to Oct. 6). I am very happy this season. With Paris Olympics, everything peaked. I have no regrets. It’s been tiring, but I think I performed to the best of my abilities.
Are you looking to break into the world’s top 20 and what are your short-term ambitions?
Nothing much. I am not looking at anything. I don’t like talking about ranking and results. I am trying to look at how well I feel on the table and whether I am performing to my own satisfaction. I want to just enjoy my game.
Having born to Chinese parents, do you think table tennis comes naturally to you?
I don’t know (laughs). But I was born and raised in USA. My parents moved to America in the late 80s or early 90s, I think. It was my parents who introduced the sport to me. We used to have a dining table that acted as a table tennis. It was more of a fun. I enjoyed so much that it became a passion for me. Lots of Chinese-origin players have moved out of China as the quality and quantity of good players is huge. It is insanely difficult to reach the top in China.
Published – September 05, 2024 12:09 am IST
