Lily Zhang Interview | It’s been a valuable experience at Ultimate Table Tennis

Lily Zhang of Team United States competes during the Women’s Team Round of 16 match between the United States and Germany. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

The points format in the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) League has added an extra dose of unpredictability and pressure on both favourites and underdogs. There have been innovations that have made the league exciting for both teams and fans: best-of-three games in an 11-point system, golden point at 10-10, and if a singles paddler or mixed doubles pair wins a game in a best-of-three duel, it will not be considered a complete loss. The points obtained will determine which teams make it to the knock-outs.

Given this scenario, what Lily Zhang has done for Bengaluru Smashers is extraordinary. The 28-year-old American player, ranked 28th in the world, has won all her five matches, barring one (she won 2-1 against Chennai Lions’ Poymanti Baisya), by a margin of 3-0. Born to Chinese parents Bob Zhang and Linda Liu in California, where she learnt the basics, she has represented the USA in four Olympics (2012 London to 2024 Paris). Excerpts:

Four Olympics and you’re only 28…

I haven’t thought much about the 2028 Olympics. It’s still four years away. Right now I’m trying to take a breather, trying to live in the moment.

You have played for UTT for two seasons. What has changed and what has remained constant?

I think a lot has changed in terms of the level of competition, which I think has increased. You see a lot of good players who have become superstars on the international stage. I have Manika in my team, who has been amazing, and Jeet (Chandra), an emerging paddler. I think what has remained constant is the love and the way UTT has been organised. It’s the people of the league, their warmth has been really nice. Some of my best times have been in UTT. That’s one of the reasons I decided to come back. It has been absolutely incredible. I have been having a great time with my teammates, both with U Mumba and Smashers. The manager and the physio have been very supportive. Whatever you need is given. More than that, there are people who listen when you feel low.

Lily Zhang | Photo Credit: R. Ragu

How to compete with different players from different countries who play different styles and use different rubbers?

You learn so much just by training with them and watching them play. When Manika Batra plays, it is really inspiring to see how she handles the crucial moments, the way she ‘talks to herself’… I have learnt so much from my team and others as well. It has been really amazing to meet players with different rubbers because I don’t even get to train like that. I don’t get to play against such players on a regular basis even at the international level.

Don’t many paddlers at the international level use different rubbers?

In international tournaments I don’t play against so many different players. Here I played against Poiyamanti, S. Yashini, Nityashree Mani, Kritvika Sinha Roy and Orawan Parnang. Every other opponent has different rubbers. It is either anti-spin, long pimples or short pimples rubber. When I played against Nityashree of Jaipur Patriots, it was very different. I didn’t really 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 medal at the 2016 Nanjing Youth Olympics. But the bigger medal came at the 2021 World Mixed Doubles Championships, when you won a bronze medal. How big was that medal?

We found out that we (China’s Lin Gaoyuan and I) were going to play each other only last night. It was a last minute decision. But it is a dream come true for me to play and win a medal. And more than that, it was the first time in 62 years that the USA had won a medal at the World Championships since Dick Miles won in singles in 1959. It is a great honour to win a medal for the USA.

What was it like playing with Lynn?

We were not prepared at all. We got used to the doubles chemistry during the match itself. Of course, we were not expecting to win a medal.

Your teammate and Olympian Kanak Jha has said that it is very difficult to get sponsorship in the US. How is the TT culture in your country, given that you have started Major League TT?

I think it has been growing since I started. Still, it is tough because it is a niche sport, considering that our country is far ahead in basketball, football and baseball. Of course, it is tough to make a living playing TT in the USA. You have to play in leagues abroad to sustain yourself. I would like to believe that we are growing slowly. Now that we have got our own league (Major League TT). We hosted our first season and I played for the Bay Area Blasters. It was great that someone took the first step that was needed.

Where do you train in the US?

There are many private clubs that hire coaches from China and India. There are a lot of local American coaches. I train in Fremont (California). I haven’t had a private coach for the last eight years or so. That’s just because it’s very expensive to bring a coach from abroad. Right now I have no one to guide me.

How important is having a coach for a player of your ranking?

It is very important to have a coach to reach a certain level. It is very important to have a coach to keep an eye on you and guide you. I would love to get more funding so that I can hire a coach.

You have a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Would you like to play at the highest level or pursue further work or study?

I am taking psychology classes at Berkeley. Right now, I am considering whether to go back to school or work in marketing or pursue TT. My next tournament is the China Smash in Beijing (September 26 to October 6). I am very happy with this season. With the Paris Olympics, everything was climaxing. I have no regrets. It has been exhausting, but I think I performed to the best of my abilities.

Do you want to be in the world top 20 and what are your short-term ambitions?

Nothing much. I am not paying attention to anything. I don’t like talking about rankings and results. I am trying to see how good I feel at the table and whether I am performing to my satisfaction. I just want to enjoy my game.

Being born to Chinese parents, do you feel table tennis comes naturally to you?

I don’t know (laughs). But I was born and raised in the US. My parents moved to the US in the late 80s or early 90s, I think. My parents introduced me to the sport. We used to have a dining table that worked like table tennis. It was more fun. I enjoyed it so much that it became a passion for me. A lot of Chinese-born players have moved out of China because the quality and quantity of good players is so high. It’s very difficult to get to the top in China.