Interview with Taiwan's Chuan Chih-Yuan

By Chunyen Liu (care of www.geocities.com/chunyenliu)

  Chuan Chih-Yuan’s Record

Thanks to table tennis friend Chi-Hwan Liu’s kind help (no relation), I connected with Taiwan’s (or Chinese Taipei) rising star 20-year-old world #13 Chuan Chih-Yuan. Some U.S. players might find him familiar because he pulled off a spectacular upset against then World #4 Chiang Peng-Lung at the 2001 U.S. Open. Relatively small and looking much younger than his age, Chuan is a shakehander known for his flashy footwork and smooth 2-winged attacking style.

In the phone conversation, I found him a rather humble person with an unbelievably strong motivation for reaching the world’s table tennis elite group. I also had a chance to speak with his mom, Mrs. Chuan, who is also his coach. (She used to represent Taiwan in international competitions as well.) Like most moms in the world, Mrs. Chuan is providing everything she can to help Chih-Yuan reach for his dream. In the meantime, she is thankful her son has already outperformed her expectations but does not want him to push himself past his limits. This interview with Chih-Yuan will give you a closer look of this talented rising star.

Could you tell us your age, your table tennis equipment, and your club?
I was born on April 2, 1981. I am using a Donic blade with J.O. Waldner rubber on both sides. I am currently playing for the Pluderhausen club in Germany.

How old were you when you started to play, and how did you start?
Roughly at the age of 8. My mom was coaching for a living at the time, so I simply picked up table tennis at home.

Who are your main sponsors/supporters?
My mom provides the mental support and most of the financial resources. When playing in Germany, my equipment supplier DONIC also sponsors the travel expenses for those ITTF Pro Tours held in Europe.

Who is your current coach? Practice partner? How often do you practice?
My mom is my coach. I don’t actually have a practice partner in Taiwan. While in Germany, there are two practice sessions a day. One is in the morning and the other is in the afternoon. Each session lasts an hour and a half.

What are your best and worst matches you can remember? How did these matches make an impact on you later on?
My best match was probably in 1998 when I won my first major international match, 2-1 over 1988 Olympic Champion Yoo Nam Kyu of South Korea, in the Asian Championships Team Competition. I gained a lot of confidence from that match. My worst match was in 1999 when I lost a decisive match 2-1 to Tasaki Toshio of Japan in the team competition at the World Championships. The team score was tied at 2 apiece. The match cost us the opportunity of advancing to World’s Elite 4 and also a great deal of prize money, so I owed my teammates an apology for that matter. :-) In fact, I only see positive impacts from those matches (good or bad) as long as I can keep improving from those experiences.

Are you a full-time player now?
No, I am currently enrolled at a college in Taiwan. At the same time, I play professionally in Europe.

What are the strengths and weaknesses in your playing style? How do you improve your game?
Speed is my major weapon. My footwork is better than most players. One of my most noticeable weaknesses is my defense. I practice more to improve my game.

Have the new rules (40mm ball, 11-point, no hidden serves) had an effect on your games?
Not really. To me, it is just a matter of mentally adjusting myself to the new rules.

Other than Taiwan, what countries have you trained in?
I was in China for some short-term training between 1993 and 1998. At present, I train and play in the professional league in Europe.

What do you think the best training environment for table tennis would be like?
You certainly need to have good practice partners, good coaches, and good doctors to help you both physically and mentally for big matches. A great example would be the training environment of the national team in China.

Do you have any short-term or long-term goals in table tennis?
My long-term goals are primarily based on my short-term goals. I hope to make the 2004 Olympics and possibly win a medal. At the same time, I want to push my world ranking into the top 10.

What are your non-table tennis goals?
Haven’t thought about them really. I am mainly focusing on improving my game.

Outside table tennis, what other hobbies do you have?
I like to listen to music and watch movies.

Do you have any advice for those who are hoping to pursue a career in this sport?
This is a tough path but if you can endure and persevere, you will prevail eventually.

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