The Recovery Zone: The Footwork of Hao Shuai

By Wei Wang

It’s not often that a player becomes famous not for winning a match, but for losing one in spectacular fashion. Even those rooting for Michael Maze in the quarterfinals of Men’s Singles a the World Championships last year could feel Hao Shuai’s pain when he lost the match from up 3-0, with three match points – one of them with Maze slipping, falling and returning the ball lying on the floor – and then Hao went on to lose four consecutive games.

But he’s a talented, skilled young player, and his mental outlook after that devastating loss was more positive than many had feared. Although he recognized the magnitude of the event, he said: “I’m young. I have time to get over it.”

Hao Shuai’s game seems effortless and his movements are as smooth as can be. The lefty has extraordinary touch, and his nimble footwork easily gets him in position for his power shots. That footwork centers on an optimized recovery and anticipation of the next move.

From a certain level on, most missed shots are not a result of an incorrect stroke, but of a footwork failure. The player just didn’t manage to get himself into the correct position by the time the ball arrived on his side.

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