Liam Pitchford told his mother “I want to do this full-time; I don’t want to go to school anymore”. He practiced 4 nights/week and now he is one of the best European table tennis players. He is a thin guy, with average physical strength. But what makes Liam be the top player? He is 2016 World Championships – Men’s Team Bronze Medalist, and 2016 Olympics hope for England. And what is his equipment?
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Liam Pitchford’s magic touching and wrist
Liam Pitchford quickly climbs up to the top 20 table tennis player in the World Ranking.
His winning percentage is rather good, about 62% of winning percent!
So what is his specialty?
Liu Guoliang once said that,
Learn table tennis from the new level to the master level. The new level starts from the body, the arm, the elbow. And the master level is playing with your fingers.
Liam has played with his fingers very soon. He has a wonderful feeling and a very good acceleration with his wrist.
That’s why he has one of the best backhands in the world. China Team has to change the tactic when Fan Zhendong played versus Liam Pitchford. They want to avoid backhand to backhand exchange with Liam. They change the playing direction to Forehand-to-Forehand looping game.
Liam Pitchford said:
I took the Olympic champion quite close and had him worried at one point.
Liam Pitchford equipment
Liam Pitchford played very smartly. He attacks close to the table, with a lot of spins. His main weapon is the backhand attack every place on the table. It’s not easy to predict the placement from his backhand. So if you are in the same playing style, you can learn from him (as your main model). Let’s see this video, and feel his touching and tactics:
Actually, Liam Pitchford is sponsored by Butterfly. His equipment is Mizutani Jun ZLC (blade), and Tenergy 05 Red (forehand rubber) and another Tenergy 05 Black as a backhand rubber.
Liam Pitchford’s equipment:
- Mizutani Jun ZLC ([easyazon_link keywords=”Mizutani Jun ZLC” locale=”US” tag=”ert06-20″]check price[/easyazon_link]/ read review)
- Tenergy 05 Red ([easyazon_link keywords=”Tenergy 05″ locale=”US” tag=”ert06-20″]check price[/easyazon_link]/ read review)
- Tenergy 05 Black ([easyazon_link keywords=”Tenergy 05″ locale=”US” tag=”ert06-20″]check price[/easyazon_link]/ read review)
If you want to know more about his career, and experiences as a pro player, you can read Liam Pitchford’s interview here. Actually, he is playing for GVHTT Hennebont (pro A – Messieurs in France).
You should read
Coach EmRatThich was born in Hanoi, Vietnam in 1983. He started playing table tennis at the age of 8. After finishing his Ph.D. in Paris, University Pierre Marie Curie (Sorbonne University) in 2011, he is now a table tennis coach in a small club in France (about 153 players). Interested in table tennis coaching for a global audience, he founded pingsunday.com, one of the best online coaching programs for table tennis players. Using the Chinese coaching philosophy, his table tennis lessons are free, which allows many table tennis players to improve fast. He can speak English, French, Vietnamese, and a little bit of Chinese.
Currently in Qatar open Liam used Muzutani blade ( ZLC?) as appeared from the video uploaded by ITTF.
I think he played with Victas in Olympic Qualification, where he lost, then he switched back to his mojo, which is Mizu zlc, to get back to winning ways.
Hello coach. I love your website! Liam Pitchford now plays for VICTAS he uses ZX GEAR “IN” Blade and VICTAS EXTRA >15 Rubbers forehand and backhand. May you please do review on VICTAS EQUIPMENT? ZX Gear IN/OUT blade and 15 Extra rubber?
Thank you!
Yes, I will update the info soon.
Thanks for the reply!
In Qatar open 2020 Liam is using Muzutani ZLC blade
Liam has a flexible and fast wrist. That’s why he is using Viscaria blade. Thank you coach.