Post Magazine: King Pong

You don't have to go to China to find a world where champions are legend, and dreams rise or fall with the bounce of a little ball. In this week's issue of Washington Post Magazine, Michael Leahy profiles Chinese American Han Xiao, whose dreams of making the U.S. Olympic Ping-Pong team are as much for the immigrant community that cheers him on as for himself.

Michael Leahy is a staff writer for the Magazine.

____________________

Charlotte, NC: Loved your story about the ping pong world yesterday. It opened up a side of lesser known sports that you seldom get in most major publications and I thought it was just fantastic. Those matches of Han Xiao seem so stressful, I don't know how anyone can stand up to all that pressure year after year. How would you rate Han Xiao's mental state right now? And what shot do you personally give him of making the American team?

Michael Leahy: Many thanks for joining us today. I see we have a lot of questions, so let's get started.

To the first questioner: thanks for the nice comments. In answer to your first question, I think Han is a strong and disciplined young man who, even if he feels a bit down in the aftermath of a loss, quickly rebounds. He is not susceptible to great highs or lows, a trait that is imperative for an Olympic-caliber athlete in most sports, given that composure is nearly as important as raw talent.

Re his chances to make the American Olympic team: Experts tend to believe that, if he takes some time off from school to train, his chances are in the 50-50 range. Some experts rate those chances even higher.

_______________________

Richmond, Va: I read your article about the malaria vaccine project and so when I saw your name on this story, I thought I'd take a chance. Just a terrific story, a joy to read. I hope this marvelous and brilliant young guy comes out the other side of this Olympic quest unscathed, if you know what I mean. Seems like he has a lot of good people around him but a considerable amount of pressure too. What do you see down the line for him after big time table tennis ends for him? As you point out, it's not it is rich with endorsement potential under the best of circumstances for an American. Thanks, Michael.

Michael Leahy: Thanks. Rather than offer a guess, I'll simply relate what Han has told me - that he sees himself perhaps going into business or some computer/technology-related venture. He has even contemplated some time spent in academia. So, like nearly anybody young, he is quite free-thinking about the future. By the way, let me repeat what I suggested in the story, which is that his absorption with matters outside table tennis has led to a contrained training schedule but a wonderfully well-rounded life, which bodes well for Han down the road. This is clearly not the tale of an athlete whose best days will be behind him at 30. Even if he makes the Olympics, I suspect Han's biggest achievements will come outside of sports.

_______________________

Bethesda, Md: Mr. Leahy, Thank you for an extraordinarily revealing story about a sport and a world I hadn't known anything about before sitting down to read your work on Sunday. Could you describe what motivated you to write about such a little-known sport around here and in this country? I admired your book about Michael Jordan's comeback here in Washington, as well as your many Jordan stories for the Post, and I was fascinated that you turned your efforts at a much more obscure sport. Could you also venture a guess at to how well Han Xiao would do if he tried out another sport? Many thanks.

Michael Leahy: Well, I think your question suggested the reason for doing it. I really wanted to do a story about a largely unknown athlete in an uncelebrated sport. I'd like to read more such in this vein. I actually thought for a while about doing a piece about somebody in the sport of curling, where participants slide large stones on ice toward a circle (I know nothing else about it, but I thought that might be an interesting, too). I chose Han in large part because he was so articulate and open over the phone (writers love bright subjects.

But I'd love to see somebody do a curling piece and stories about other obscure sports from time to time.

_______________________

Potomac, Md: Being an Asian American myself, I understood the relationship between Han and his parents. I wanted to thank you for capturing that essence particularly well. The father portrayal was almost streotypical of 1st Gen Asian fathers.

They always expect the best from what they or you choose to do, don't offer a shoulder to cry on (keeping the broader perspective that the experience will make you stronger), but ALWAYS, ALWAYS looks in their family's best interest.

Michael Leahy: Thank you very much for sharing your perspective with us.

_______________________

Washington, DC: Were you suprised to see Aziz, a nobody to the sport, doing so well against Xiao?

Michael Leahy: Well, I was mildly surprised but not shocked, I guess. If you watch enough sports, you realize after a while that nearly anything is possible, and that few things are wildly improbable. Aziz has talent and he was motivated on that day. I also think Han was a bit blase until he got beat. As the story notes, Han quickly turned the tables.

_______________________

Fairfax, Va: Han Xiao clearly has talent, but as good a game that he talks about how he must perservere, it seems like the people around him want it more than he does, that he feels the pressure to be that person that they want him to be. His father's expectation of greatness is the burden that he carries. Based on his reactions when he loses, he seems really unmotivated and accepting of defeat, to the shorter Han Xiao and to the possibility that his coach Cheng is still better than him. I don't see fire in this guy's heart.

Michael Leahy: Oh, he has considerable fire. It's important to remember that, after losing to Aziz, Han routed him in two matches. Re his defeat in Baltimore: What distinguished Han's reaction from most athlete's in that kind of situation is that Han, true to character, remained thoroughly open and honest about his reactions. I can't tell you how many times I've stood in basketball locker rooms and heard athletes dissemble about what happened in an event ("Was I having trouble guarding him. Nah, I tweaked my ankle. I wasn't 100 percent."). What I loved about Han was that, whether he won or lost, he was thoroughly honest about what he'd felt in a particular moment -- joy, euphoria, confusion, anxiety, grave disappointment. His openness ought not to be confused with lack of fire.

_______________________

Princeton, NJ: Michael,

Thank you for taking the readers on a great journey inside the world that is competitive table tennis. My question is this, what are Han's goals for life? Where does table tennis rank in those?

Michael Leahy: Thank you for your comment and question. I think I made reference a bit earlier to his general career aspirations. Han says that, whatever he does professionally, he'd like to continue playing the sport. As the story points out, there are many players in their 30s, 40s, even 50s, who continue to be formidable players.

_______________________

20015: Kudos on a fascinating piece.....as a former competitive table tennis player it was great to see this very misunderstood sport receive some publicity......also as someone married to an Asian, you captured the Asian parent dynamic very well....now where did I pack away that Stiga bat......

Michael Leahy: Thanks for the kind words. Yes, find that STIGA bat. Just an aside: I spent a lot of time wondering whether I should call it a racquet, paddle, bat -- there were different camps.

_______________________

Baltimore, Md: I loved the way you brought the first match in the article of Xiao and Aziz to life on paper. As someone unfamiliar to the excitement and energy the sport has, it was great re-living the emotions of the two players through your article.

Michael Leahy: Thank you for the kind comment. Let me note how grateful I am to Qasim Aziz for sitting down with me. He was a wonderful character.

_______________________

Washington, DC: Han has a lot of heart, but when he crushed Azizz the second time, was it really talent prevailing, or fire? I would think the former.

Michael Leahy: It's such a good question. But I would say it's not an either-or question. Against a capable foe, I think you generally need both qualities, which is what makes it such a wonderful sport. The fire engenders concentration, which you can't afford to do without in a sport where there is such a fine line between the topspin shot that hits that corner and one that lands an half-inch out.

_______________________

Bethesda, Md: Was Han perturbed that his coach gave added incentive to Azizz to beat him? I'm sure you watch football and it's an age old saying that you don't need to add fuel to the fire by giving the opponent more incentive to want to beat you. Also, Cheng was wrong in his statement. The only way you lose is if you don't try, so that totally goes against his trash talking to Azizz about "why bother playing if you're going to lose anyway."

Michael Leahy: One of the many great things about Han is that he is so accepting of things. It's not stoicism; it's simply an acceptance of people's personalities and ways. As the story makes clear, he reveres Cheng, notwithstanding the coach's penchant for providing rivals with added reasons for wanting to defeat Han. Long ago I asked Han your very question. He just chuckled, shrugged and said, "That's Cheng."

_______________________

Bowie, Md: Short Han clearly knows the nuances and different techniques of Table Tennis, as he described each almost as if he were describing a martial arts technique. As talented as American Han is, he will never get truly better because of his poor competition in the states and his gut that tells him the master (Cheng) will never teach the student everything. Given this, I think the only way American Han will get better is if he dropped out of school until the Olympics. Will this happen?

Michael Leahy: Let me correct one thing in your premise. Cheng ALWAYS has tried to teach Han everything he knows. The question is whether the student can overcome his deference to the coach and beat him in a major competition.

Re your question: As the story notes, Han is considering taking time off from school to exclusively train for the Olympic Trials.

_______________________

Ashburn, Va: Question: Would you happen to know of a place in Northern Virginia that would be the equivalent of the Maryland Table Tennis Center? I have been wanting to enroll my children in ping-pong lessons but have been unable to identify a place closer to us than Gaithesburg.

Comment: Table Tennis, in my opinion, is one of the gems that have not really been discovered in America at large, where it is treated as an occasional pasttime game, rather than the sport that it truly is.

Congratulations on a fascinating article!

Thanks!

Jorge (yes, an immigrant raised in latin america, where I spent countless afternoons playing ping-pong with friends during my teen years).

Michael Leahy: Thank you for your comment and question. If you e-mail me at leahym@washpost.com I'll be glad to pass along the name and number of someone who can likely answer all your questions in this regard. I think he'd be delighted to help you.

_______________________

McLean, Va: What was Han's take on the other Han's analysis of his game? Was he worried that his dad would find out the truth about the grade in Computer Science he retook?

Great Article and congrats to Han on his goals to reach Beijing.

Michael Leahy: Han is stunningly self-aware and honest. After the loss in Baltimore, I told him what the other Han had said, and he simply said, Yeah, well, I guess a lot of that is right.

Re his dad and the grade in the computer course. Han often chuckles in moments when other people might be tense. He chuckled when contemplating what his father's reaction might be to the publication of that anecdote. He said, "Well, that'll be interesting [to see how his father would react]."

_______________________

Anonymous: Where can I take my three sons to see some top notch playing in this area? They need to see the speed, agility and power needed to play table tennis. With a little practice you can start to hit the ball really hard and when that fact is conveyed it should rival golf in popularity which is done for that reason.

Trivia: How many 'ping pong' tables could you set up on Northwest Golf Course?

answer: 392,040!

Michael Leahy: My advice would be to go to Gaithersburg and watch Han and Cheng. It's a very welcoming club.

_______________________

Charlottesville, Va: As a member of the Charlottesville Table Tennis Club, I was delighted to see your article! (Cover story, no less!)

Are you a player as well, or how did you select the topic?

Michael Leahy: Thank you. No, I'm not a player. Like a lot of Americans, I've hit the ball around now and then.

_______________________

Baltimore, Md: Cool story, Michael. I'm kind of dying to know: Did you play him? How did you do?

Michael Leahy: No, I didn't play him. But I imagine if I did, I would get as many points as Han allowed me to get. Imagine the best basement ping-pong player you've ever seen. Now realize that such a guy would be lucky to get two points in a game against someone of Han's caliber. And he'd get those two only if Han made a couple of errors. It's like a club player thinking he'd even get a game off Roger Federer.

_______________________

Fairfax, Va: Are there any other places in the US that has the Ping Pong club like the one at the Potomac where there are serious US Olimpic contestants?

Michael Leahy: Again, if you e-mail me, I'll try to send a name and a phone number to you.

_______________________

Silver Spring, Md: Thank you for the story, it was an interesting look at a sport I know nothing about. Here's my question: How truly physical is the game of table tennis? The story mentioned that Han had to work out a lot to be in peak physical condition, but it also mentioned some middle-aged guys who are still playing at a high level.

Michael Leahy: The conditioning is what in the modern-parlance would be called "sports specific." You need strong legs to manage those quick steps around the table. Poorly conditioned players sometimes cramp, not because they're aerobically challenged but because their weak legs knot up. The best way to condition oneself for the sport is simply to play and practice the game for long stretches, though many players supplement this work with running, jumping rope, and light weight-training.

_______________________

Virginia: Hello. Just how is American and Chinese ping-pong training different?

Michael Leahy: I'd say the two countries' typical training regimens are different in two key respects: First, the Chinese train for many hours (generally about six hours) a day, six days a week. Secondly, the practice partners available to the good Chinese player are vastly superior to what a good American player gets. The superior practice player makes for a chance to develop against an array of styles.

_______________________

Portland, Ore: Were you aware that once Han makes the top 4 US players he must also contend with the top 4 Canadian players prior to qualifying for the Olympic Games?

Great article; really captured the essence of ping-pong in the nation's capital!

Michael Leahy: Thanks for the nice comment. Yes, as the story notes, he would also need to compete against the rest of North America's best.

_______________________

Washington, DC: Hello. great article. I was wondering if ping-pong still was a sport in China during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s/1970s?

Michael Leahy: Thanks. Yes, the sport was a very big deal in China during the Cultural Revolution. Both Mao and his wife were big fans.

_______________________

Bowie, Md: You wrote that Han Xiao's coach recommended that he take a sabbatical from college to train seriously in China, as it's too hard for Xiao to balance being both a student and an Olympic hopeful. How is the life of a student playing in a chinese university club any different? The Han Xiao from China beat the American Han Xiao easily, and they're both students.

Michael Leahy: But, in the weeks and months leading up to a big tournament, the Chinese Han Xiao can afford to train (and does) many more hours a day than the American Han Xiao. The training is a group REGIMEN there, as opposed to something that needs to be squeezed in by an American athlete like Han.

_______________________

Oxford, Miss: Thanks for another fantastic story. I am unsure of the immigration status of the parents & of Xiao, but was it not a bit risky of the parents to send their Chinese son, an accomplished 16 year-old Ping Pong athelete, back to China for training? I am also somewhat puzzled by the Chinese government - - allowing him back to train in one of their camps, considering his potential for defeating Chinese players in the future. This story also speaks to a positive side of immigration in light of great athletes in the U.S. Thanks for story-telling at its best.

Michael Leahy: Thank you very much for the comment and for your questions. The Xiaos, having been American citizens for a long time, face no travel hassles. And, of course, many years ago, the Chinese government raised no objection when Han's parents, Wei Xiao and Grace Zheng, decided to stay in America after receiving their graduate degrees. The Xiaos travel often to China. And the Chinese sports program welcomes the frequent exchanges of American and Chinese table tennis athletes, a trend that is often referred to by the Chinese as "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" and dates back to about 1970. For the Chinese to work with visiting American players is made far easier for the Chinese, of course, by the knowledge that Chinese players dominate the sport and that the top American player isn't even in the top 100.

Well, as usual, we've run well over our alloted time. Many thanks for all the great questions and comments, and I'll look forward to chatting with everyone again soon.

_______________________

Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.