r/sports • u/helloLeoDiCaprio • Nov 04 '24
Table Tennis Anton Källbergs craze hand-change-feint in Table Tennis WTT Frankfurt to win the game
184
147
Nov 04 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
46
u/kyrant Nov 04 '24
I was hoping for some replays and slowmos after this.
55
18
u/allnimblybimbIy Nov 04 '24
He puts the racket in his left hand and basically holds it completely still for the softest possible hit while swinging his right arm in a windmill making it appear like he’s going to smash
61
u/ViewAskewed Nov 04 '24
Assar knew instantly too. His look just screams "Well, ya got me." Cool to see things like this not taken too seriously and seen as part of the game.
11
u/KhonMan Nov 04 '24
He was certainly a good sport about it. He knew he had a long road back from being 2-0 down anyway.
30
u/MoozeRiver Chicago White Sox Nov 04 '24
That's really cool! Despite reading the title I didn't catch the move at first.
68
u/dae_giovanni Nov 04 '24
you have to watch closely to even see it, but that was sick!
dude on the right wound up with his right hand in a big, looping, motion, but then simply backhanded the ball with his left hand, which was suddenly holding the paddle/ racket/ bat.
9
1
15
24
4
1
1
1
1
1
u/Pallas_in_my_Head Nov 05 '24
"I know something you don't."
"And what is that?"
"I am not left-handed!" (musical sennet)
2
0
u/njconnect Nov 04 '24
He switched hands. VERY slick but could he maybe have achieved same results with same hands since other dude was far from the table?
5
u/kyredemain Nov 04 '24
The other guy would have charged the table as soon as he saw the set up. Maybe it would have still worked, but the feint gave enough of a hesitation to guarantee that he wouldn't get there in time.
-5
u/KhonMan Nov 04 '24
Sick move. It might be unpopular but I think this is not very sportsmanlike at 10-3 for match point. The obvious rebuttal is that if you don't want your opponent's to style on you, play better so they can't risk this type of move blowing up in their face.
I can see both sides, it just feels like showboating and is disrespectful.
5
u/turginity Nov 04 '24
Well, it's not like you can just do this on every kind of rally. He's practiced this trick against lobs specifically, so it also has to come up to take the opportunity. Perhaps Kallberg has a better sense of what players have a respect for the kinds of things he likes.
Consider, too, that at this huge point deltas---truly unsurmountable leads---players will sometimes do exhibition points. This rally was quite slow and silly even before the trick, they might have already been doing something silly
1
u/justzacc Nov 05 '24
What good is a tool in your bag if you never pull it out and use it? I like the move.
1
u/KhonMan Nov 05 '24
What good is a tool? It depends what the purpose of it is. If it's (1) legitimately the best way to win the point, then I accept it as fair game. If it's (2) a flashy move which is intended to show how skillful you are, a bit less so. And if it's (3) to humiliate your opponent, then I am firmly against it.
For example, one time Michael Jordan famously hit a free throw while closing his eyes. The Bulls were up 6. I consider this more of category 2. There was a real repercussion to him missing. If he did it up 20 I would say it's firmly category 3.
In this instance because it was 10-3, I think it's a big enough of a lead to make it category 3.
1
u/justzacc Nov 05 '24
You see how far away his opponent was, waiting for the hard rally? This wasn’t flashy, it’s sleight of hand work. By raising the arm in an exaggerated way he kept his opponent from creeping up to return the short ball, it was mental and technical. Seems like a legit way to advance in a competition if the objective is winning and not “having fun”
Also idk why you keep saying “humiliated” the opponent smiled and shook his hand right after lol I think it’s just you who would be humiliated if this happened to you haha
0
u/KhonMan Nov 05 '24
Would he have done it at 0-0 or not? I'll let actual table tennis players weigh in on it, but I sense that he would not. This is the only time I've ever seen this move pulled and I've seen plenty of rallies that end up with one player backed up off the table.
0
u/reedrick Nov 04 '24
Agreed, I was just avoid to comment the same. Looks like the opponent took it in good humor. This felt a little disrespectful.
-1
0
-19
804
u/sirduke75 Nov 04 '24
Needs a slow-mo replay at the end.