Playing Style
Wang uses a penhold grip. He is representative of a new wave of penhold players, having good attacking and defensive skills off both wings of the table. The greater freedom of the wrist involved in a penhold grip allows Wang Hao to generate large amounts of spin on the forehand side. As a result he is capable of high percentage attacking play well within the range of the table.
His reverse-sided backhand, popularly known as Reverse Penhold Backhand (RPB), is a standout stroke because he does not need to step around the table to use his forehand, unlike most penhold players who need to step around to cover up a relatively weaker backhand. The use of the reverse-side of the racquet was originally pioneered by former champion Liu Guoliang, but was largely unknown before Wang's domination since it was considered to be unorthodox and was rarely used by players in the professional scene. Moreover, Wang Hao is the player who best executes it without fail. He makes the RPB seems as if it is a normal shakehand backhand.
Compared to most pen-hold players on the professional circuit, Wang Hao uses the reverse-side for almost all shots on the backhand side, with the small exception of balls placed very slow and deep within the table during serves. This style of using the reverse-side exclusively for the backhand was considered to be improper, and when he first joined the national team most players did not think highly of him. Regardless of Wang Hao's future performance, his rise to the top of the world table tennis rankings has convincingly demonstrated the viability of this new style, and his contribution to the table tennis community will forever cement his place in table tennis history.
Also, Wang Hao is the only person in the history of Table Tennis to have went through 3 Olympic games, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, and London 2012, and to have won three silver medals respectively.
Read more about this topic: Wang Hao (table Tennis)
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