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When you watch a match, there are several elements to consider – technical, tactical, and psychological. Technical factors refer to specific movements your body makes in order to achieve a desired outcome. It’s the fundamentals and basics of each sport. In table tennis, these can comprise of footwork, stroke, stance, serve, and receive. For example, if you really want to improve your backhand underspin loop, you can watch closely each time the stroke occurs during the match. Slow down the video in order to really be able to see every aspect of the technical stroke involved. Watch for the ready position of your feet and body, the angle of your paddle, the backstroke, the contact of the ball on the paddle, and the follow through. Take note of these technical features and create specific drills/exercises in training on the table to correct them.

Once you create a plan to incorporate those technical skills in practice, you can move on to analyzing the tactical elements of the game. These elements refer to actually applying the technical skills you’ve learned in practice to formulating strategic decisions during a real game or match. Anyone can work hard in practice and perfect every technical ability under the sun, but the capability of a player to maneuver and judge what to do during high pressure moments makes all the difference in the end. Since table tennis is a dynamic sport, the game requires your own tactical performance just as much as the opponent standing across the table.

Several factors to keep an eye out for when you’re analyzing your own tactical game is your spin, depth of the ball, placement, timing variations, and speed. Determine what common factors win the most points for you in the match and try to keep recreating that in the future. Is your backhand your technical strength? If that’s the case, try to figure out which serves or receiving patterns influence your opponent to aim their shots into your backhand. For instance, serving with a forehand pendulum might cause the opponent to receive with the spin, meaning the ball will likely be returned to your backhand. Or maybe learning a backhand serve allows you to adopt a stance that’s more devoted to playing the third ball with your backhand. While understanding your tactical strengths is essential, be aware of your own tactical weaknesses as well. Maybe you notice while studying a match that you tend to stick to one speed during rallies, which might be useful against opponents who don’t prefer that speed but will likely backfire against most high-level players who can easily adjust. Try to vary the speed, the timing, the rhythm and be conscious of that in future matches.

If you’re focusing on tactically analyzing your opponent, the first thing to note is their general style of play. Are they more of an offensive attacker that likes to go for broke on the third ball? Or do they tend to back away from the table and take on a more defensive stance in blocking and placing the ball? Once you’ve determined their typical patterns, watch for their serves. The first three balls of each rally, particularly the serve and receive, hold extra weight to consider when analyzing matches, as it often determines the pace of the rallies and entire game. Try to see which serves your opponent prefers to use and the way they use the serve to set up the next ball. Look for the varying spins, depth (short, half-long, or long), speed, and placement. Then create a plan devoted to how you might return each serve, whether that’s making the next few balls in the rally easier to return for you or receiving it in a manner that creates discomfort for your opponent. Once the game progresses into open rallies, try to determine your opponent’s tendencies, as well as their weaknesses. For instance, they might tend to play only cross court on their forehand, which you can be more aware of and prepared for during a rally. Or, they might have trouble with their footwork going from middle to forehand which you can easily target as well.

Last but absolutely not least, evaluating the subtle psychological elements in a match is much more significant than what many people think. There are countless evenly matched players in a match, both technically and tactically. However, the result of the match often comes down to psychological discrepancies between opponents – how much mental toughness each player has, the way they handle pressure, their body language on display. When you analyze a video, you can watch how both you and your opponent react to certain moments in the match. Maybe their body language becomes dejected and defeated after losing several points in a row and that might be the perfect time for you to go more on the offensive. Nonverbal communication could just be the key to converting match point.

Match analysis might not be as interesting or fun as spending time training on the table, but it is essential to developing a deeper understanding of the game. When you’re competing in a match, it’s almost impossible to determine everything you need to develop because you’re far too close to it. Spending the time to re-watch and study allows you to take on an objective lens to the game and see the exact areas that you need to work on, technically, tactically, and psychologically.

The post A Guide to Understanding How to Analyze Your Match Videos | Lily Zhang’s Blog appeared first on JOOLA Global.

Firstly, I’d suggest taking a step back and evaluating how you feel. And by how you feel, I mean, look for any signs of mental fatigue, such as lack of motivation or energy, increased anxiety, emotional and mood imbalances, and/or low self-confidence. If any of these symptoms begin to show up, it’s worth it to re-examine your routines and create more space and time for psychological recovery. Consider your brain as a muscle that needs just as much time, if not more, to recover as your physical body.

Before you even step foot out, it might be beneficial to do some research on the destination. It can be so daunting to step foot in a vastly different country on the other side of the world. By just allotting even a little bit of time to learn about the intended location, you can mentally prepare for what’s to come and know what to expect upon arrival. Furthermore, you can even research various sights to see, foods you want to try, and activities you want to do in the city. I actually love this because even during moments of extreme travel fatigue and homesickness, I still feel a surge of excitement and anticipation. It’s like being offered a new perspective of gratefulness, a reminder that I have the rare opportunity to consistently experience new places and cultures.

When you finally begin your journey on the road, your day-to-day routine is often thrown off course completely. You’re going to be experiencing jetlag, adjusting to an entirely new environment, and adhering to the organizing party’s schedule. You might feel out of control and your brain doesn’t recognize certain cues or routines that would normally prompt peak performance. Try grounding yourself with habits that allow your brain to take a breather away from the respective sport and associate with certain learned techniques or moments where you feel good. Some habits can range from yoga to watching Netflix to even eating a certain snack. I personally enjoy a light yoga session in the morning or re-watching/reading a favorite show or book. Even small actions like these really help me feel at ease and provide a sense of lightness and familiarity.

Furthermore, the combination of traveling and competing will automatically create stressors on the mind and body. Another effective way to mitigate those stressors is practicing meditation or other specialized relaxation techniques. Meditation is a scientifically proven way to unwind the body and allow the brain to focus on the present moment. You can even add or practice diaphragmatic breathing techniques in order to really focus your mind on the present and be able to relax your entire nervous system. Apps such as Headspace or Breethe can be a great tool for those who are unsure of where to start or want a guided practice.

Finally, and I cannot stress this one enough, do not self-isolate. It can be so difficult to be away from home, from loved ones, and from the comfort of safe and familiar surroundings. Particularly if you feel you’re in a rut or going through a period of tough losses. If you notice yourself slipping into a dark mental state, try your best to reach out and ask for help. Trust me. I’ve been there. I had fully convinced myself that I just needed to be strong and get through things on my own. But I quickly found out that this mindset will only be detrimental to your psychological well-being in the long run. A receptive support system is so vital to creating a safe space and buffering the stress and anxieties that come with sport and even life itself.

Being a professional athlete requires so much physical exertion and training, but there is also so much more to it that’s not exactly visible to the naked eye. At the end of the day, it’s really up to you to invest in your psychological well-being and prioritize how you feel mentally and emotionally. Everyone has different recovery strategies, but take the time to figure out which ones work best for you. Rejuvenate your mind, and your body will follow.  

The post How to Manage Travel Fatigue (Psychologically) | Lily Zhang’s Blog appeared first on JOOLA Global.

First and foremost, you want to make sure your physical wellbeing is taken care of. This subsequently affects how you feel psychologically. It’s common knowledge at this point, but I cannot stress this enough – one of the absolute most important aspects of your physiological health is sleep. Sleep is inextricably linked to an elite athlete’s performance, particularly as one of the strongest indicators in predicting injuries. When you travel across multiple time zones, the fact is that you will experience jet lag, a disruption to your body’s natural circadian rhythm. However, there are ways to adjust to your expected time zone as quickly as possible and get the necessary hours of sleep to perform well.

In general, practice good sleep, hygiene and create a relaxing bedtime routine. This will vary from person to person, but a consistent routine around 30-60 min before you to go to bed allows your body to recognize when it’s bedtime and in turn induce sleepiness. Some suggestions might be to take a warm bath/shower, practice meditation or breathing exercises for a calm mind, try some gentle stretches to relax your muscles, or read a book. During this time frame, make sure to minimize blue light exposure by putting your phone/laptop down, or if you must use them, it might be worth it to invest in a good pair of blue light glasses. Lastly, creating an optimally cool temperature and dark room may help you fall and stay asleep easier.

ADJUSTING FOR JET LAG

Timing is also incredibly important. Before a flight, you can already begin adjusting your sleep times. For instance, if you travel east, try getting to bed and waking up 30 min earlier than usual and the opposite if traveling westwards (go to bed and wake up 30 min later than usual). Timing your meals can also be just as effective, since the gastrointestinal tract resets your circadian rhythm by producing insulin when eating, which in turn involves cortisol and stimulates wakefulness. Avoid eating any particularly large meals 2-3 hours before bedtime, and on the first day of arrival, you might want to consider eating a carbohydrate heavy meal for dinner, as carbs induce sleepiness more than protein-rich foods.

As a last resort, taking melatonin supplements are an option if need be. I would highly recommend to stay away from any sleeping pills, as they target our brain’s GABA receptors to sedate the brain, rather than produce natural sleep. It’s not nearly as effective as real sleep. Not to mention that they have a plethora of side effects, including daytime drowsiness, memory problems, increased tolerance, and even a higher chance of death or cancer.  Melatonin, on the other hand, is released naturally by the body’s pineal gland in order to signal night time, therefore telling us when it’s time to fall asleep. Even so, take it only when necessary, as often and prolonged intake decreases the body’s own ability to produce melatonin.

WATCH WHAT YOU CONSUME

Additionally, traveling to foreign destinations allows you to experience the wonderful foods and flavors of the country’s respective culture. However, this change in environment also creates the opportunity for potential food poisoning or gastrointestinal issues, particularly for those with sensitive stomachs. Be very cautious of what you eat and drink. Some best practices include eating fully cooked foods rather than raw, as heat kills dangerous germs. Try to avoid ice, as it’s usually made from tap water, and instead, reach for properly sealed beverages. When consuming fruits or vegetables, make sure they’re peeled or worst case, wash with filtered or bottled water and allow to dry fully.

You not only want to make sure you prevent getting sick with these practices, but also be aware of what you choose to eat in your meals. Nutrition is instrumental in how an athlete’s body functions and its subsequent performance. Yes, pasta, pizza, or fries might be fully cooked, but how do they make you feel after? It’s also understandably difficult to follow a healthy nutrition plan in a foreign country, as you often don’t have control over what is offered, and diets differ from person to person, but eating a balanced meal that consists of carbohydrates (whole grain and leafy greens), protein, and healthy fats might make the bit of difference needed to go that extra mile in the match. Good sources of carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Protein can vary from lean meat and poultry to fish, eggs, tofu, beans and nuts, and dairy products. Fats are necessary to absorb fat soluble vitamins and provide satiety, and these can comprise of avocado, nuts and seeds, and olive or canola oil. On top of all that, make sure to stay hydrated with fluids, preferably with water or sports drinks to replace any lost electrolytes during game day.

There are of course many other ways to speed up recovery when on the road, but these are simply a few of the tools and practices necessary I’ve found useful to keep in mind. It’s not easy to follow everything strictly when your entire environment and routine is thrown off course, but I’d suggest to try to do whatever you can in the moment. After all, feeling good physically is only the first step to feeling good psychologically. Speaking of which, travel fatigue can hit just as hard mentally. Luckily, there are just as many psychological techniques that can be incorporated in your travel and competitive schedule to assist in emotional recovery. But that’s a whole other article.

The post How to Manage Travel Fatigue (Physiologically) | Lily Zhang’s Blog appeared first on JOOLA Global.

These can be some of the toughest losses to experience. How do you come back from a heartbreaking loss? People will often tell you, “forget the match, it’s not the end of the world.” At least that’s something I’ve personally heard a thousand times. And all I want to do is scream at them in frustration. I know they’re only trying to help, to put the situation into context. But no matter how minute a sports loss is in the grand scheme of the universe, sometimes it really does feel that way. Like the end of the world in that moment. Which is okay to feel, it really is. Think about it. You poured your blood, sweat, and tears into this. As athletes, we dedicate every fiber of our being into perfecting this very specific craft. It becomes almost larger than life itself. We always want to see our efforts pay off, but there’s never a 100% guarantee that you’ll win because the person on the other side of that table wants it just as much as you do. And that’s just sport.

So, feel it. Once the initial shock wears off, feel your feelings, scream into your pillow, cry, whatever helps in the moment to release those feelings. These reactions are normal – it just means you care. Disregard those who may tell you to “just get over it.” The absolute worst thing you can do is to suppress and bury those feelings as if nothing happened. That doesn’t mean they’re not still there. They sit silently, insidiously, at the back of your mind, just waiting for their moment to strike again. The macho mindset of indifference will almost certainly guarantee another “choke” in the future because you haven’t let yourself process and learn from the past.

After you’ve let yourself feel, reframing your mindset becomes just as essential. There is a fine line between allowing yourself to feel and negatively ruminating on the past. Rumination happens when you continuously engage in a repetitive negative thought process, creating a destructive cycle or pattern that becomes increasingly hard to stop. This can range from thoughts of “why am I so bad, that was the stupidest decision, I’ll never be able to beat this opponent.” The repetition of these thoughts ends up hardening our neural pathways and beliefs of ourselves, which can then easily lead to a fixed mindset. A mindset that allows us to believe our mistakes are inherent and unchangeable.

So instead of participating in a negative thought process that limits our abilities, let’s move forward with a growth mindset. Stanford psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck emphasizes the importance of a growth mindset in her renowned book, Mindset. This means that your intellect, abilities, and talents can always be developed and improved upon with time and effort. Think, “this loss is not a ‘failure’ but rather an opportunity to help me grow.”

Finally, when you’ve started to heal the anger, frustration, disappointment, or whatever you might have felt from the loss, it might be worth it to revisit the game/match in an objective lens with either yourself or a coach to learn from and plan next steps. Focus on what worked and what didn’t work in the match and create a game plan for the future. Study the techniques, the strategies of both you and your opponent’s. Hone your strengths, identify what skills need improvement, and then head back to the table and focus on those details. You’ve already done the hard part. Now being able to take a step back and analyze the match is just the cherry on top.

Remember that losses are inevitable in this game. You may lose again in the future. Actually, scratch that. You will lose again. Even GOATs of each of their respective sport can tell you about countless disappointing and heartbreaking losses. As cliché as it sounds, it’s not the loss or failure that matters. It’s how we channel our resiliency, how we learn and grow, and how we bounce back stronger than ever.

The post How do you Come Back from a Tough Loss? | Lily Zhang’s Blog appeared first on JOOLA Global.

This probably won’t be like my usual blog posts that are often peppered with positivity and words of encouragement. An easily digestible lesson you can take away at the end. I could write that despite the pandemic and postponement of the games, I bounced back to train with ferocious intensity and motivation. I could tell you that I had the time of my life in Tokyo. I could even say that I’m itching to get back on the table, to resume a mentally and physically demanding training schedule. Everyone loves a success story. Unfortunately, that’s not often the truth. I mean, you would never be able to tell by my Instagram, but that’s social media for you, isn’t it? We’re all fine online. No, not just fine. Thriving. We post the best parts of our life, subtly boasting to the world. Look at all the wonderful places I get to travel to! Check out this aesthetically pleasing plate of avocado toast! How terribly easy it is to pretend. The shimmering rays of sunshine we beam proudly on the surface, the icebergs we bury so deeply beneath.

My feed is no different. The truth is, this year has been one of the toughest years of my life. I’ve struggled with bouts of depression and anxiety in the past, but it’s never been worse than the past year. Yes, there have been some incidents in the year that have deeply exacerbated my mental health decline and perhaps one day, I will feel ready to share, but for now, please bear with me as I try and articulate my experience as best I can.

The months that led up to Tokyo felt like a blur. All the days bleeding into one. Every time someone asked how I was doing, I’d clench my fists and desperately try to hold in the tears that would bubble up, threatening to spill over. The words that came out told a different story. I’m doing great!, I’d say. I wasn’t great. But how could I tell them the truth? That it’s been sleeping all day but feeling constantly tired. Crying into the pillow until my eyelids swelled in grotesque size. Scrambling to cover the red puffy splotches with makeup the next day. Being overcome with violent waves of nausea without explanation. Feeling impossibly overwhelmed by even the smallest of tasks. And it’s not that I didn’t want to dispel this suffocating weight. Many times I have come close to opening up, but was afraid to put a damper on the mood or cause any discomfort. The last thing anyone wants to be is a burden. So instead, I’d put on a smile and lie through my teeth, feeling like the biggest fraud on the planet.

I tried to ignore the signs, to focus the little energy I could muster on this singular goal. The Games. It was the only thing that mattered. I refused therapy, neglected self-care, pushed away loved ones, and isolated myself, all the while convincing myself that it was simply unrelenting dedication to my craft. The more I withdrew, the more this aching tiredness sunk its unforgiving teeth into my bones, building a comfortable home for itself there. Without even realizing it, I had become a shell of a human, a stranger to myself. The eyes that stared back at me in the mirror were sunken, empty, broken. No, they were not my own.

By the time Tokyo rolled around, I was in complete disarray on the inside. The stress and adrenaline from the Games propelled me through my matches, but they were unremarkably average. I reached the third round in Women’s Singles, the same round as my 2016 Rio run. At the time, I attributed this devastating, yet strangely peaceful feeling eating at me directly after the match in part due to the fact that I wasn’t able to improve my result from the last Games. But I only now understand it was relief. Relief that it was all finally just over.

Only a day later, news broke out that Simone Biles had withdrawn from the gymnastics team finals. I was stunned. What’s crazier is that my immediate reaction to the large headline plastered across my phone wasn’t hey is she okay?, but rather, how is the team going to win gold without her now? Process that for a second. In my warped, twisted mind, winning meant more than health.

You know, I always thought I could handle everything by myself. Asking for help was a sign of weakness. Athletes push and push themselves to the limit, to the brink of exhaustion. No pain, no gain. But what happens when the pain becomes too much? Well, if it’s a physical injury, we take a break. We go to numerous doctor’s appointments, assess the point of injury, and put in the necessary time and effort to rehabilitate. There are no questions, no comments, no doubts about why we treat the hurt.

What about the other side of the spectrum? While there have been efforts to create safe spaces for athletes to seek help, there are still significantly fewer resources allocated towards mental health. Most of all, it’s the stigma that dissuades many athletes from taking the first step. There’s shame, guilt, humiliation. Because it’s not a broken arm or a strained hamstring, because the pain isn’t visible to the naked eye, then there must be something deeply wrong with you. You, as a person.

I’ve talked to people, even other athletes, who criticize Simone Biles or Naomi Osaka for “quitting.” She just can’t handle the pressure, she signed up for this, it’s her job to push all the way till the end, they’d say. That’s not how I see it. For an athlete, it’s one of the hardest things to shove away your ego and recognize when you need to step aside. Simone and Naomi said hey, maybe you don’t need to sacrifice your well-being for a medal or a title. Call them weak, but to me, they’re trailblazers, paving a path that allows athletes to finally feel seen, valid, and most of all, human.

I may not have nearly as large of a platform as Simone or Naomi, but I want to do my part in being more transparent, honest. To let others know that they’re not alone by finally exposing this vulnerable side of my underbelly I’ve kept shamefully hidden for so long. We might feel crushingly isolated in our struggle but there is always someone out there who feels the same way you do. The more people that speak out, the easier it will be in the future. Let’s normalize nourishing our minds just as much as we do our bodies.

Slowly, painstakingly so, I am beginning to learn how to unpack the toxic mindset I’ve internalized over the years. Realizing that it’s okay to reach out for help. And it’s okay to not be okay. The healing process isn’t linear. Growth isn’t linear. It’s a continuous cycle of ebb and flow. There will be days where you will feel seemingly okay and then be engulfed by a helpless wave of grief the very next. Sometimes you just need to sit in all that grief and sadness and anguish and allow it to wash over you.

I won’t say that it’s easy. It still hurts like hell. But through all the pain and suffering, I’ve unearthed a resilience I never even knew I had. I welcome the first slivers of self-compassion into my soul. The voice in my head is gradually becoming gentler, kinder. Seven-year-old Lily who first picked up a table tennis racket that one fated day wouldn’t have even dreamed about playing in the Olympics, let alone in three. I look to her, someone who once saw the beauty in this sport, in this life.

So now you ask, what’s next?

Pausing. Taking a minute to breathe deeply. Reveling in how far I’ve come. And giving myself permission to just be.

The post Life After Tokyo – What’s Next? appeared first on JOOLA Global.

My Mindset Towards WTT Macao

• December 8, 2020
• By: Lily Zhang

Reimagined. Reinvented. Reconceptualized. These words reverberated constantly throughout WTT’s marketing outreach. Plastered all over the flooring in competition throughout 2019, hyped with endorsements from the best players in the world, announced through news of groundbreaking collaborations with massive corporate brands, WTT was finally going to host its premiere in Macao. And despite all that we had glimpsed of the future of our sport; I was still unsure of what to expect going in.

But first, let’s take a step back. After the Women’s World Cup, I flew to Zhengzhou for the 2020 ITTF Grand Finals. My World Ranking wasn’t high enough to actually participate in the competition, but because I needed to stay in the bubble in order to remain safe and Covid-free prior to the debut of WTT, I resided with the rest of the players and staff for the duration of Finals. While it was a particularly constructive experience to watch and learn from the top players in the world, even gaining the opportunity to commentate some exhilarating matches for ITTF, I couldn’t help but feel a constant nagging sense of wanting to play. To experience the adrenaline, the electrifying emotions of nervousness, excitement, and tension all rolled into one jumbled mess before a match.

That being said, I could hardly wait by the time WTT Macao came around. The hugely anticipated moment was finally upon us. It’s fair to say we witnessed what we were promised. A freshly designed arena, a sleek black table and flooring, surrounded by an octagon-shaped ring with orange tinted LED lights, truly emitted the feeling of a futuristic action movie.

Just to summarize the structure of WTT Macao briefly and simply, 16 men and women from all around the world were invited to participate in Macao. The first 4 seeds compete against one another for seeding positions. Positions 9-16 are drawn randomly to compete in Battle Round 1 and earn a spot against positions 5-8 in Battle Round 2. All matches thus far are best of five. The victor of these subsequent matches then face the top 4 seeds in the quarterfinals. These matches start from best of seven all the way until the finals, where it transitions into the ultimate best of nine match.

Utilizing the novel draw format, I was drawn to play against my good friend and JOOLA teammate, Petrissa Solja (WR #19) of Germany in Battle Round 1. I had previously lost in our last two encounters in the German Bundesliga last year, so I knew it was going to be an uphill battle.

Furthermore, I’m a slow starter. It takes me a game or two to really get in the groove. The moment I begin to find my rhythm, it’s often too late by then. And now with WTT’s new implementation of a best of five match formats, it’s all the more vital to start positively. I knew I had to be prepared thoroughly and extensively- there was no room to just “feel it out” during. So that’s exactly what I did. I analyzed her matches the night before. I talked with my coach about strategies; I established a clear and stable mentality, reminding myself that I should be the one fighting out there, not defending.

That’s not to say I wasn’t nervous. As we waited backstage for the walk-ins, my hands were freezing, yet sweaty; my knees knocked impatiently against one another, my heart raced at a million beats per minute, ready to jump out my chest at any given moment.

These (normal, I might add) bodily reactions subsided as soon as the first point began. I came out strong, executing the strategies discussed prior with my coach. Peti was also clearly a bit rusty in the beginning, as I took an imposing lead to 2-0. In the third game, she finally began to shake off the nerves and played much more to her standards, but with some luck on my side, I was able to close out the game and match 3-0. The be perfectly honest, I felt good and quite proud of my performance. The match unmistakably reflected my comprehensive preparations and clear mindset.

The next match – well, let’s just say oh, how the tables turn… I faced Feng Tianwei (WR #9) of Singapore in Battle Round 2 – a rematch of our meeting at the Women’s World Cup, just less than a few weeks ago. I had prevailed in that encounter, only narrowly escaping a comeback. But then, I heard it.

“Wow, you literally got the best draw you could’ve gotten.” Words that I tried to filter mindlessly through one ear and out of the other, but still somehow managed to crawl and lodge their way into my brain. Yes, it’s true. I had won in the last match, but this was still Feng Tianwei we’re talking about. Former World Champion, Olympic Bronze medalist etc, etc. The list goes on…

I’d have to be irrational to believe that I could easily take this match. Yet somehow, my relentless old friend – the insecurity of not being enough – resurfaced, nipping at my thoughts and forcing me to doubt my abilities. I didn’t want to seem like a fluke or a one-trick pony – just being able to perform well in one tournament. The duality of wanting, even expecting, to win again just to prove myself to the world, while also being terrified of failure, greatly clouded my approach to the match.

It showed. Feng Tianwei rocketed out to a 9-3 lead in the first game. It was pretty much an accurate foreshadowing of the rest of the match. She entirely took control of the pace and the rhythm, forcing me far back from the table – away from my comfort zone. I felt as though I was desperately clawing for air, just for a moment to breathe, to catch up. At one point, I even thought, “this is humiliating.” And, just like that, the entire match was over before I had even processed what was happening. 3 nil.

That’s how fast it can happen. When you compete with unrealistic expectation, with the fear of losing, and with a mindset worrying about what others may think, the nerves can just as easily take control. That’s not to say you shouldn’t have goals or the confidence that you can win, but there is a fine line between belief and expectation.

Your mindset, your outlook determines your reality. Subtle, even subconscious, changes in the way you think dictate the way you feel emotionally. The things you pay attention to. They deeply affect the way you perform on the table.

There’s a quote I heard year ago – from where and who I cannot recall, but it says, “We are more hurt by our expectation of others than by their actions.” We often worry about the ways others will react; we overthink; we twist reality. But external validation will NEVER be beneficial. It may manipulate you to accomplish something in the moment, then ultimately rear its ugly head to bite you in the long run.

I absolutely fell victim to allowing my mindset to be governed by what I thought others would perceive of me. The irrational thought that others would be greatly disappointed of me if I lost, festered in my brain. There was not a moment in this particular match where I felt clear and calm, ready to stay in the moment and enact my own game. But as with every match, this is a learning experience, a time of observation and understanding. Recognizing this becomes another moment of growth that I can readily reflect back on.

All in all, these competitions were unbelievably valuable experiences. The 1.5-month timespan of the #RESTART bubble seemingly flew by, while somehow simultaneously feeling like a lifetime of remarkable moments. And not just in table tennis. At the risk of sounding exceedingly cheesy, I truly do feel as if I made lasting friendships with so many of the players and the staff. There was an unspoken bond in us all to get through this difficult time together. To work towards the same goal, to bring back and showcase the beauty of the sport that we all love so much. Thank you to the ITTF and to CTTA for going through (logistical) hell and back to even pull this off, to my sponsor, JOOLA, who fully backed this rollercoaster of a journey, and finally to my friends and family unconditionally cheering for me from afar.

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Point by Point

• November 19, 2020
• By: Lily Zhang

“iPhone out of storage” – that was the notification that popped up on my phone as I was in the middle of filming a YouTube video for the millionth time in a futile attempt to talk through my thoughts and feelings on the upcoming Women’s World Cup. It was probably the 7th or 8th day of quarantine (I pretty much lost track of time after the first 3 days) after traveling to China for the highly anticipated #RESTART of international competition. As grateful as I was to compete again, here I was, struggling to find the physical words to express my feelings. It was mostly just a jumbled mix of emotions swirling around in my brain, each fighting and clawing its way up to try to make the final cut. The amount of times I filmed and re-filmed the video is just, well, embarrassing. And in the end, I couldn’t even find the nerve to post it on my channel (maybe I’ll post it eventually if you guys really want to see it).

But finally, after so much anticipation, the day came. My first match of the Women’s World Cup was against Margaryta Pesotska (WR#38) from Ukraine. Not only was it my first match, but we got to play the very first point of all international competition after 8 long months. The actual #RESTART of table tennis! I was awfully nervous that I would directly miss my service or service receive, but the point turned out to be a great rally and quite fitting for the revival of our sport (in my opinion). However, things only seemed to go downhill from there. My nerves got the best of me and I found myself abruptly down 0-3, so far away from where I wanted to be. In the 4th game, I was finally able to let go of all my reservations and told myself to just play freely. It worked. I came back to 2-3, even going as far as to lead 10:8 in the 6th. But unfortunately, I couldn’t close it and lost 4 straight points to lose the game and match. Disheartened, I could only walk back to the practice hall with my head down.

Despite the nagging feeling of doubt creeping its destructive way through my mind, I had to almost immediately begin preparation for my second group match against Adriana Diaz (WR #19) of Puerto Rico. Adriana is an extraordinarily talented player, already making huge strides for her home country of Puerto Rico at such a young age. We also know each other very well, having played the other in virtually every Pan American Championships or Cup. That being said, I knew prior to going in that it was going to be a closely contested match.

However, this match felt like déjà vu to the previous one. Adriana took the first two games with relative ease and it was not looking good for me. At that moment, I knew I had to change something. Anything. I’m still not exactly sure what avalanched the click, but when I walked back to the table after the second game, my mindset shifted from a rushed necessity to win the match to a rather peaceful acceptance of the outcome, win or lose. This change provided me the composure and perseverance to take it one shot at a time, rather than hastily rushing to finish the point. I played with much more patience and soon, I recovered my deficit to 2-2, eventually taking the match 4-2.

With my first win under my belt, I faced Mo Zhang (WR #34) of Canada in my last match of the group. Once again, she was a familiar foe. The match really could have gone either way. And in the end, it truly did come down to the wire. The entire match was a see-saw – although I was constantly leading by one game, she would always fight back to even it up. But in the seventh and very last game, the tables turned in her favor. We were neck and neck until the very last part of the game, where I found myself down 7:10, with three match points to her name. At that sudden death moment, all I could think of was that I had a good run in the tournament.

Then, an unforced error from her brought me one step closer. The next one was a long backhand rally that I stood strong in. Suddenly, the scoreboard evened out as quickly as she had pulled away. As she began to crack under the pressure and started rushing, I told myself to keep breathing deeply and stick to the game plan. Finally, after my 4th saved match point, I took the lead and then eventually the game and match 13:11, 4-3. Even after her backhand sailed long in the last point, I didn’t really know how to react. I was just in utter shock and complete disbelief that I had actually won.

To add further drama to the day, Adriana, Margaryta, and I found ourselves in a nail-biting three-way tie that came down to a few measly points. A few points that felt seemingly inconsequential in each match, but ended up making all the difference. I was extraordinarily lucky, coming out on top of the group, with Adriana trailing closely behind. A more than dramatic first day in the books.

After advancing, I then found myself in a rematch against Feng Tianwei (WR #8) of Singapore in the Round of 16. I had played her in last year’s World Cup for the bronze medal and lost 1-4 there. However, this was her first match of the tournament, whereas I already had three long matches to find my groove. I took an imposing lead, while she was seemed to be still shaking off the pre-tournament rust.

Next thing I knew, I was the one up 3-0 this time, just one game away from defeating a former World Champion. My lead soon rushed out to 5:1, then 7:4. “Holy s***,” I thought. “I’m actually about to win.” But, Feng Tianwei isn’t a former World Champion by mistake. She stayed calm, continuing to play a tactically sound game to my premature excitement. She came back from behind to take the game 11-8, then the next with the same scoreboard, and then commanded a 10:7 lead in the 6th. Another rush of déjà vu swept over the match. I saved one game point. Then another. One more. Finally, on my second match point and with the help of a lucky break on the net, I secured the point and with it, the match.

The Quarterfinal match against Chen Meng (WR #1) of China – well, that one was an absolute learning experience. Despite being able to keep up in the first game, she then rocketed ahead in the next two to take a 3-0 lead. I had another chance in the last game, leveling the score to 9-9, but she quickly picked up the next 2 points, consequently taking the match 4-0. And a absolutely well-deserved win to her – it’s truly incredible how rapidly members of the Chinese National Team are able to adjust and take their game up several notches in such a short amount of time.

To sum it all up, this was truly a memorable tournament that I will never forget. If there’s anything I have learned from this experience, it’s that each seemingly insignificant point matters. Stay in the moment and focus on the present. Take it point by point. Because the more you think about the future or the results, the more easily you will fall victim to the monstrous heads of insecurity and fear of failure. Of course, that’s much easier said than done. I still have a tremendous amount to learn and improve on, but this World Cup has once again provided me with the confidence and motivation that I can compete with some of the best in the world. So, let’s keep moving forward steadily. Here’s to the next tournament, the next match, the next point.

Lily Zhang's Equipment

Blade

JOOLA Nobilis PBO-C

Forehand Rubber

JOOLA Rhyzer Pro 50

Backhand Rubber

JOOLA Rhyzer Pro 50

Where to Buy

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DOUBLE TABLE MULTI-BALL TRAINING

• with Lily Zhang

• September 29, 2020

Make sure to like this video and subscribe to Lily’s channel on YouTube!

LILY ZHANG'S EQUIPMENT

Where to Buy

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Learning to Cope with Our New Normal

• March 19, 2020
• By: Lily Zhang

“Will the 2020 Tokyo Olympics be cancelled? Postponed? What are you going to do if it’s cancelled? If it’s postponed, will there be an entirely new trials to determine the team?”

Over the past few weeks, I’ve received countless questions about how the novel COVID-19 virus, more commonly known as the Coronavirus, will affect the Olympics. Well, to answer that question honestly, I don’t know. I really don’t. Given the unprecedented and uncharted moment in history that we’re all going through, I only know as much as you do. Which is not much. This is something that I simply have zero control over and can only wait along with everyone else to see how the situation progresses.

I’m not a health expert. I’m not a financial expert. Instead, I can only give you my perspective on how I’m personally handling the circumstance at hand. In these uncertain times, things seem to be constantly changing every day, every hour, so I’m reminding everyone to read this with a grain of salt.

I’m writing this while currently self-quarantined in my own room back in the Bay Area. Just a mere few days ago, I was training full-time in Düsseldorf, Germany, preparing for our upcoming league matches, competitions that were still on the calendar, and most significantly, the upcoming Olympic Games. However, everything drastically changed when I woke up early Thursday morning to a barrage of text messages and missed calls from friends and loved ones informing me about an announcement made by our President, banning all travel from Europe to the U.S. starting Friday at midnight. Later reiterations stated that the policy wouldn’t necessarily apply to U.S. citizens or residents, but I worked with my federation to buy a ticket home immediately.

Besides the obvious risk of contracting the virus during the journey, traveling was particularly worrisome since I figured everyone and their mother would have the same idea and scramble to get home before the policy came into effect. My first flight from Frankfurt to Toronto was completely full, but the travel was otherwise fairly seamless, as I passed through customs easily in Canada. As soon as I got home, I made the decision to quarantine myself in my room anyways, away from the rest of the house and my parents. I felt (and still feel) completely fine health-wise, but since my parents are both over 60, we decided it was best to err on the side of caution in the case that I did have the virus, but wasn’t showing symptoms yet, or was just asymptomatic. And that’s just the thing.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the virus can incubate for 2-14 days before symptoms begin to present themselves and many people may even be asymptomatic, yet still have the ability to easily transmit it to others. While the virus might not be particularly life-threatening to younger and healthy people, we have the moral and ethical obligation to follow serious precautionary measures, such as staying inside and practicing the well-known phrase of social distancing.

I’m sure most, if not everyone, has seen the graphic about flattening the curve. This particular graphic represents the number of coronavirus cases in relation to time in two different scenarios. Overall, there might be the same number of cases in both scenarios, but this number shoots up severely in just a short period of time if there are no preventative measures in place.

In contrast, the number of cases flatten significantly and spreads out over a longer period of time if we do follow preventative measures, consequently protecting us from overwhelming the capacity of our healthcare infrastructure. That way, my parents, your grandparents, or any other person who needs it, will unquestionably have access to a bed in the hospital or to that ventilator they need to keep them alive. A useful way to look at it is to assume you actually already have the virus and change your behavior accordingly. It’s not too late to learn from the countries that have come before us. We need to do all we can do to protect the welfare of our more vulnerable community members and avoid unnecessary deaths.

However, with the implementation of these preventive measures, it’s safe to say that life as we know it has changed. Sporting events suspended, music festivals and large gatherings cancelled, schools and offices temporarily closed. Am I personally frustrated that our international competitions have all been either postponed or cancelled? That the professional league I’m competing in has come to a screeching halt? That the future of the Olympics is ambiguous? You bet. In fact, these were the only concerns consuming my thoughts in the earlier stages of all this. I thought it so devastating and unfair to have dedicated all this time and effort to fulfilling the Olympic dream, only to have it (possibly) ripped out from underneath me. Now all these years and years of hard work and dedication could very well amount to nothing.

But after exchanging feelings and thoughts with friends and even through some social media browsing, I have been actively working to adopt another perspective on the situation. Yes, it is okay to feel disappointed or even irritated that much of our plans have been completely upended. These feelings are perfectly valid. Nonetheless, it’s also important to acknowledge that many of us actually have the privilege to weather the storm by staying or working at home. Let us all take a moment to think about those who are most affected by the virus and these policy changes, including healthcare workers risking their own well-being by serving on the frontline, service industry workers who may depend on a constant revenue stream to survive, and the less fortunate who may not even have the luxury of a home to stay in.

It’s not always easy to find positives in a time like this, but there are always two different ways to look at a situation. There is a silver lining to this crisis. Maybe use the extra time to focus your energy on something you’ve always wanted to do. Practice meditation, read a book, learn how to poach that perfect egg. As a professional athlete, we are constantly on the road, traveling to that next competition or to that training camp in yet another city, another country. We often don’t get the opportunity to spend much time at home with family. I personally want to take this period to appreciate being home with my parents, reconnect with friends (virtually), and just regroup and refresh from the rigorous training schedule we’re normally used to.

The world is not ending. As we learn to cope with our new normal, it’s more crucial than ever to practice gratefulness, empathy, and mindfulness. Human beings have been resilient since the beginning of our existence and we will continue to be.

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