Interviews with Killerspin's 

Ilije Lupulesku and Robert Blackwell

Interview with Ilije Lupulesku

The Killerspin team at the St. Joseph Valley Open. L-R: Ilija Lupulesku, Arturo Shiu, Sasa Drinic, Ivana Conjar, Mark Hazinski, Ashu Jain and Aleksandar Karakasavic. Photo by John Oros, copyright 2002.

One can’t help but feel that something just doesn’t fit. It is an unseasonably warm May night in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood.  Hyde Park is famous for The University of Chicago, which has more Nobel Prize Laureates than any other university in the world, the world famous Museum of Science and Industry, home to Muhammad Ali and 19th century captains of American industry.  Outside doctors and graduate students sit at outdoor cafes discussing the future of their fields. Meanwhile….

Inside, one of table tennis’ most famous and legendary players sweats, laughs, coaches, and trains in a near-empty gym, seeming almost to be starting from scratch. Ilija “Lupi” Lupulesku has been to the top of the mountain in the world of table tennis but now is something of a pioneer for his sport, trying to create awareness in a nation that has paid little attention until now. After winning Olympic Silver and once being part of the top doubles team in the world, just how did a small-town kid from Yugoslavia end up here, in Chicago’s intellectual capital? The journey was a fascinating one.

When did you first start playing table tennis?

When I was a boy in Uzdin [Yugoslavia]. I first played when I was nine years old. I would go down to the club and play with the other children.

Did you play any other sports as a youth?

Oh yes, I loved soccer and was a very good player. For a time I wanted to give up table tennis and just play soccer, but I was encouraged by my coach, Jon Bosika, to continue with table tennis.

What exactly is Killerspin?

A lot of people ask me this these days. Killerspin (www.killerspin.com) is a table-tennis company whose mission is to make Table Tennis a major sport in the United States. We also have teams that compete in tournaments.

How did you become involved with Killerspin and end up in Chicago?

Jasna Reed introduced me to Robert Blackwell Jr., and he told me about the company. I was skeptical because America is not known for having good table tennis and I was not sure what kind of team it would become. But as I learned more about the company and saw the players that were going to be involved, I knew I would like to be a part of it. That meant coming here to Chicago and becoming involved in the community in this part of the city.

You are a former Olympic medallist and European Champion, and, at 32, you are older than many of your Killerspin teammates. Do you see yourself in a kind of a player/coach role with Killerspin?

Well, yes and no. I am still very competitive and feel that I can beat any of the world’s top players if I play my best game. However, I do have a great deal more experience than many of our players, and I definitely take on the role of a coach and mentor to our younger competitors like [Americans] Mark Hazinski and Arturo Shiu. It is a role that I enjoy and accept, but I still know that I can play at a very high level.

As of today, how would you describe your game and style?

That is difficult, to describe your own game. I think I have benefited most from my control, and I am known as a “tricky” player. I am left-handed, which presents a problem for many opponents, and I believe my short game is a strength.

Lupulesku and Karakasevic clown around after sweeping men’s singles (2nd and 1st, respectively) and doubles at the St. Joseph Valley Open. Photo by John Oros, copyright 2002.

What is your role in Killerspin?

I choose the products we should carry.  I have a lot of experience with different types of blades, rubbers, balls, tables and other table tennis equipment.

I decide who and when we will sponsor players.  I also head player training and development.  I love to coach, it is really the next step for me in table tennis. As I said, I enjoy working with young players. I think, ultimately, Killerspin will be working with even younger players, like 12- and 13-years-old. That is when you need to start training at a high level, as I did. It is very difficult to begin when you are older than that.

How would you compare the perception of table tennis in the United States to its status in your native Yugoslavia?

Well, there is really no comparison. In Yugoslavia, the game is popular as both a participation and spectator sport. The top matches will be played in large arenas in front of enthusiastic crowds, and the top players are often well known throughout the region. In the States, it is a popular game in terms of recreation, but it is not viewed as a serious sport, therefore the better players are not yet encouraged to develop their skills. That is why there are not many top American players.

How do you think America might become more interested in table tennis?

I think that what Killerspin is doing is a great start.  We are investing a lot of money to develop players and market the sport to those that don’t yet understand the beauty of our sport.

We invite people to watch us train, and train with us, and will be staging many tournaments in the near future that will feature some of the world’s best players in a truly American sports/entertainment environment. Plus, we have two young American players who I think will do a great deal for the popularity of the sport here.

Killerspin recently invited Zoran Primorac, who is sponsored by another company to do a series of exhibitions in Chicago. Why?

Zoran, besides being my longtime friend, has been one of the most dominant players of the last decade.  He is surely ranked among the best ever.  He is also a great ambassador of the sport of Table Tennis.  I had the pleasure of partnering with him to do an exhibition that brought the house down. He is a terrific showman.

Additionally we believe that it serves our interest to give people the opportunity to see the best in Table Tennis even if we do not profit from it directly.

Was this reunion with Zoran in Chicago emotional for you?

We have remained very good friends; he is one of my best friends. It was difficult when we were no longer permitted to play together after 1991, because we were such a great match together. But he is Croatian and I am Yugoslavian, and there was a war going on. There is nothing we could do, you know?  He left for Belgium to live and play and I remained in Yugoslavia and joined the military.

Tell us something about the young players you are developing.

We have two very good young players, Arturo Shiu and Mark Hazinski. With a little luck and the proper environment Mark has the opportunity to be one of the world’s best players.  Mark is the top young player in the United States and has a great chance to be in the 2004 Olympics.  Mark is very Table Tennis smart and he works really hard, I like his chances.  We also have Arturo Shiu, who was Panamanian champion at 15, and he also has great potential. He is one of the most talented young players I have met.  Arturo is very fast, has great feeling and a terrific serve.

Table tennis is immensely popular in Europe and Asia. Is it true that top players can become big celebrities in those parts of the world?

Absolutely. In China and Japan, especially, the top players become very popular and are often recognized in public. The same is true in parts of Europe. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, I was very popular in Yugoslavia; it felt like everyone knew who I was. Today, I still get recognized very often, but not as often as I did 10 years ago.

Do you miss it?

Oh, it was nice sometimes. But that is just life, you know, you cannot control if you are a celebrity or not, so I do not think about it much.

Do you see the sport reaching that level of popularity in the United States?

I think with enough exposure it definitely can. You see, so many Americans already play and love the sport, but very few know much about it beyond their basement table. When players, especially young players, have the opportunity to appreciate the skill involved with the fun of table tennis, and to watch the best players in the world, I think it could become very popular in the States. But in America it is all about marketing, and I think Killerspin can do that. 

What are some of your hobbies beyond the world of table tennis?

Right now, I just love to play with my daughter [18-month-old Leona]; it takes a lot of our time. I also like to walk with my wife, Zuzana, and I have always loved to fish. But I have not done much fishing since moving to Chicago. We also love the downtown shopping in Chicago, especially Zuzana.

Have you had a hard time adjusting to life in America?

Not too bad. There is a large Eastern European community here in Chicago and so that is very nice. Also, I came to America many times over in the 1990s to play or train, and I always liked it a lot. Plus, you know, Chicago is such a great place, how can you not like it?

Do you have any advice for young players, or those of us who are just trying to reach another level?

Young players need to practice hard, as much as four hours a day, and also do something for physical conditioning, for speed. After one year of training, young players need to compete in tournaments. It doesn’t matter where. You need to face many different players because if you do not face players with different styles, it is very hard to become a good player yourself.

When I was young, just starting, I played all the tournaments I could. When you play tournaments you will lose in the beginning, but that’s OK. After a time you will gain important experience from those tournaments and you will start to beat some good players. If you only practice and do not play tournaments, you will never know how good you really are.

Interview with Killerspin’s President, Robert Blackwell

By Chris Marrs

The Championships Killerspin Team at the North American Teams in November. L-R: Slobadan Grujic, Aleksandar Karakasevic, Kalinikos Kreanga, Sasa Drinic, Ilija Lupulesku, and Killerspin President Robert Blackwell Jr. Photo courtesy of North American Table Tennis, copyright 2001.

By investing his money and time in U.S. table tennis, Killerspin is having a huge impact on the sport. Already, Killerspin has signed many of world’s top players including Aleksandar Karakasevic, Ilija “Lupi” Lupulesku, Sasa Drinic, Mark Hazinski, Arturo Shiu and his recent signing of American college star Ashu Jain. Last year, Team Killerspin won the U.S. team championships in Baltimore, beating the U.S. National Team. What makes Killerspin’s president Robert Blackwell Jr. tick?

How do you see the Table Tennis expanding in the United States?

Table tennis is one of the most beautiful sports in the world but it has never caught on in the United States.  We don’t have real superstars, professional teams or leagues. I think that can change and must change. The sport must be entertaining and appealing to everyone. That’s why Killerspin plans to host exhibitions and events and sell merchandise that is fun, exciting and promotes the sport.

Why is Killerspin investing so much money and time in Table Tennis?

I really believe that Table Tennis can be a major sport in the US.  I also believe that when we are successful it will reenergize Table Tennis in the rest of the world as well.

I think that Table Tennis is a very unique sport and that once people are exposed to the sport in the proper way they will take to it in big way.  That is why we are taking such a big bet on Killerspin.

We have had two events featuring World-class players at our club in Chicago. The first was the “Battle of the Sexes” where Jasna Reed played Sasa Drinic in match for $3,000.  At the same event we had Karakasevic and Grujic playing Lupi and Kreanga in doubles. We invited many people that had never been exposed to world-class Table Tennis.  The reaction was fantastic.

We also had an event where Zoran Primorac and Lupi gave an unrehearsed exhibition.  It was amazing, the skill and showmanship those two guys have is really amazing.  I’ve never seen anything like it. You should have seen the excitement with the crowd and how kids went crazy for it. We had a real mix of people and Megan Mawicke, a major sports newscaster at NBC Channel 5 in Chicago. I want to grow that excitement in young people. Also, this is such a family sport that anyone can play, ages 8 to 80. It’s a sport you can play if you’re handicapped and it’s a great complement to athletes who play baseball, tennis, and golf.  If someone can make turn snowboarding and skateboarding into extreme sports that young people go crazy about, why can’t we do that with Table Tennis.

How do you plan to promote the sport?

Major events, promotional tours of schools, exhibitions and massive marketing.  One of the things that we most need is the creation of sports personalities.

We really have some of the top young U.S. players in the sport. Mark Hazinski, Arturo Shiu and Ashu Jain have tremendous potential. Mark is totally committed to being one the top players in the world. The same with Arturo, who is a crowd pleaser and tremendous hitter. These guys have done really well lately, including some surprising victories in the Buckeye Open in March.  Lupi is the most accomplished male Table Tennis athlete ever to make the U.S. his home.  He is preparing Mark and Arturo to advance in the sport. We plan to heavily promote our young players so that American kids have Table Tennis players that they can relate to.   We also have Alexandar “Salei” Karakasevic who is one of the world’s most talented players.

Our hope is that all these guys will be household names in the next few years. People need to see Americans who are excelling in the game and it will help build excitement.

Tell us a little about the facilities that Killerspin provides its players.

Our players get equipment, a first-class practice facility, physical trainers, high-level coaching, trips to Asia and Europe for special training camps, and coaching by Lupi.  Lupi organized a special camp for Mark, Sasa Drinic and Karakasevic in Yugoslavia for three weeks.  They had a special physical trainer, and Mark, whose rating is almost 2700, was one of the lowest rated players there.  He also got a chance to practice and play games with Karakasevic, whose current level is much higher than Mark’s.  But this is what Mark needs to advance.  I think Chicago currently has the best environment for our top players to advance.

What are your plans for Karakasevic?

Karakasevic [world #65) is moving to Chicago in late May.  By having him spend time in Chicago we will be able to monitor his conditioning progress and raise the level of play for our younger players like Mark, Ashu and Arturo.  

We are trying to prepare him for the 2004 Olympics and the 2005 World Championships.  He needs to continually work on his physical conditioning in order to be in the top ten in the world.  He also needs some coaching and a few big wins to gain confidence.  He has beaten Liu, Kong, Wang Liqin, Waldner and many other top players, but he has also lost to players ranked lower than he is.  He is very talented but still too inconsistent and needs to greatly improve his physical conditioning.  If he can get himself into world-class physical and mental shape we feel he has a chance to challenge the top Europeans and Chinese in 2004 and 2005.

Can you tell us about some of the events you are planning?

We have reached a tentative agreement with one of Chicago’s major institutions and one of the country’s top event promotion companies, to stage the “Killerspin Extreme Table Tennis Championships” sometime later this year.  The prize money will be around $300,000.  We are currently working with prospective players on the dates.  We will also have several exhibitions planned prior to the championship date.

We also have a secret tournament planned for this year.  It is a $10,000 winner take all purse for Killerspin Players only.  None of the players know any of the details.  It is going to be a real world test of their mental and physical abilities.  

Are you going to play in this tournament, and if so, who’s your main competition?

Yes, I am going to play.  Right now I would have to say Lupi, if he is in really good condition. Lupi’s rating is twice mine, so he may come in a little over confidant. 

What’s next for Killerspin?

A series of products – including instructional and highlight videos and cutting-edge merchandise – and exciting events and exhibitions. You can keep posted on what’s going on by signing up at our Web site at www.killerspin.com.