* *

"I have a piece of advice for defensive players the number of which is unfortunately declining. The wrist and the forearm are the most important for defensive shots. The movements must be short, but you must meet the ball halfway with your body."

* * *

The international grand masters who appeared in Ljubljana in 1975 were consternated and caught unawares by a new Chinese player called (bom 1954). Liang was an orthodox player but used a combined racket: smooth backside on the forehand side and long and very soft pimples on the backhand side. He alternated the sides of his racket and confused opponents with sliced balls which had a tendency to bounce backwards. And won. In the world such rubber became known as 'grass'.

Sfi sfC

Li Zhenshi (bom 1949) was an attacker who always seemed to be stuck to the table and reluctant to step back. He changed the direction and target of his splendid forehand with lightning speed.

In his ten-year career he managed to win ten medals at world championships. He was also a successful coach of the US team. Zhenshi, former officer of the Chinese Army, is married to the well-known sportswoman , twice runner-up at world championships (Birmingham and Pyongyang). Liang Geliang

back to Germany again in 1985. He still lives there. Huang Liang

He has lost some hair, but not leg flexibility, and has been very successful at veteran tournaments (he won the world champ­ ionships in Baltimore and Dublin in the over-forty class, and in Vancouver in the over-fifty). * * *

"I started to play table tennis in 1960 at the age of ten. My mother bought me a racket, and my first coach in the national team was Chuang Chiafu. He noted my basic mistakes and I soon corrected them. I owe every gratitude to the national team coach and one-time great retriever Zhang Xielin, and to Wang Zhialiang from Tianjin.

I have always claimed that you cannot be a good player without a good coach."

228