26 Apr 2020

We’re back with another edition of Player Watch with the latest from the star names in table tennis.

Here’s what your favourite players have been up to lately:

by Simon Daish

Music, DIY and… Tattoos?

Time in quarantine presents the perfect opportunity to learn new skills, catch up on your favourite shows or even complete odd jobs around the house. What have table tennis stars been preoccupying their time with?

Can we have a big round of applause for Tin-Tin Ho, who has put a smile on our face with her lockdown ukulele song:

Jon Persson has also been keeping himself busy with the Swede whipping out the toolbox for some DIY:

 

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Ny karriär, När börjar jag @norsjoallbygg ? 🛠🔨

A post shared by Jon Persson (@perssonjon) on

Danish legend Michael Maze on the other hand looks to have had some work done on him, so to speak:

 

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💉💉 @lunaringtattoo 💪🏻

A post shared by Michael Maze (@maze.michael) on

Britt Eerland agrees Berlin move

Another piece of club transfer news to bring to your attention and this time it’s Britt Eerland who takes the spotlight with her move to German Bundesliga.1 side TTC Berlin Eastside.

Exciting news for the Dutch player but it also arrives in sad circumstances with her former club TuS Bad Driburg withdrawing from the league due to financial problems. Runner up at the prestigious 2020 Europe Top 16 Cup competition earlier in the year, Eerland will be welcome addition to Berlin’s line-up.

Britt Eerland heading to German capital for club table tennis (Photo: Rémy Gros)
Keeping fit

Now might seem like the perfect opportunity to sit back, relax and catch up on some well-deserved rest but for athletes it’s important to stay in tip-top condition, that includes the pro table tennis players.

Looking for a good leg and core exercise routine? Follow Yana Noskova’s lead:

 

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Итак первый пост будет про ОФП. Оказывается очень много упражнений,которые можно делать дома. Вот некоторые из них)Для этого нужно лишь купить необходимый ДЛЯ ВАС инвентарь. Я для себя уже купила : коврик,гантели,фитнес мяч,балансировочные подушки,разнообразные ленты для фитнеса. Упражнений очень много разнообразных,вот некоторые из них. Раз в неделю буду выкладывать упражнения которые делаю лично Я 😌

A post shared by Yana Noskova (@yana_noskova_) on

As for Natalia Partyka, she has been staying active with a nice 40 kilometre cycle!:

 

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40 km i prawie umarłam 😅😬 #bike #biketour #spring #quarantine #ostrava #czechrepublic #plumbike #adidas #adidasoriginals

A post shared by Natalia Partyka (@npartyka) on

Heming Hu is taking it to the next level, keeping his parents on their toes with a multi-ball session:

 

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Mum and dad finally found their purpose in life 😅 – – Morning Multiball sesh with da fam 🥵🥵🥵

A post shared by Heming Hu – Table Tennis (@heming_hu21) on

From playing Fortnite to competing at the World Table Tennis Championships #nevergiveup!

Finally, rounding off this edition of Player Watch we have an inspirational story centred around Senegal’s Ibrahima Diaw.

An emerging name in African table tennis, Diaw took to Instagram to reveal how he received news of his 2019 World Championships invite while playing “Fortnite” with his friends two days prior to the event. Diaw never gave up on the dream and last year it became a reality, even if he did have to quit the game early in the process!:

 

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CRAZIEST DAY OF MY LIFE!! Last year, 2 days before the #wttc2019 in Budapest on this day, while I was playing @fortnite with my friends. I got an email from @ittfworld saying that I’m eligible to participate at the tournaments for Senegal 🇸🇳. I obviously quit the game, put the PS4 in my luggage 😂, booked the first flight ticket to Budapest, ran to the hall to pick up my rackets and my shoes, call a friend to bring me rubbers there! All that 2 hours before my flight !! At my arrival, the organisation didn’t have room for me and put me in the hotel with the Chinese national team. I didn’t even got a back number😂 That day changed my life 🙏 #IThinkWeAintDoneYet #ittf #nevergiveup #fortnite

A post shared by Iba Diaw (@iba94) on

General News Natalia Partyka Britt Eerland Yana Noskova Jon Persson Tin-Tin Ho Michael Maze Ibrahima Diaw Heming Hu