Since table tennis remains a niche sport in the US, it’s an interesting decision. However, it seems the ITTF and WTT have grand ambitions to elevate the sport’s profile globally, and this move certainly aligns with that vision. My only beef? They didn’t pick somewhere on the East Coast, like New York or Atlanta metropolitan areas. But Vegas makes perfect sense. Compared to quiet suburbs or states, Las Vegas can draw huge crowds with its abundant flights, hotels, casinos, desert tours, and even the Sphere!! Plus, with the July 4th holiday in the mix… they’re planning their independence from table tennis obscurity in America.

Yet, looking ahead to 2025, Wang Chuqin’s calendar is looking insane and more packed than a Vegas buffet. Between the four Grand Smashes (Singapore, Saudi, USA, China), four (?) Champions events, the Finals, ITTF World Championships in Doha, Asian Cup, and other Asian competitions… WTT’s mandatory policy has these players not just earning points but racking up frequent flyer miles. Someone get this little lion heart a vacation! 🏖️ 🌅 🎢 🏕️

Check this out – YouTuber @TableTennisDaily just dropped a video World’s Most Intense Table Tennis Session! featuring Wang Chuqin’s training session at China Smash, and it’s wild. This guy’s workouts are more intense than my relationship with coffee! I’m both blown away and unsurprised—classic Chuqin, turning the practice court into his second home. Talk about a ping-pong powerhouse!

The training details I’m able to tell from this video:

• Full-table forehand drills
• Continuous forehand attacks from the pivot position (two placements)
• Forehand loop/backhand flip attack + full-table swing with random placement
• Initiate attack on backhand + forehand sidespin + forehand attack (cross-step) + backhand shot (reverse cross-step)
• And more…