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Debating the NBA's most overrated and underrated teams

Published in Basketball
Wednesday, 21 August 2019 05:50

The 2019-20 NBA summer forecast debuted Wednesday with our experts' predictions for the standings in each conference and records for all 30 teams.

Which teams are most underrated and overrated in the forecast? What were the most surprising results?

After an offseason full of player movement, the Milwaukee Bucks (57 wins) and Philadelphia 76ers (55 wins) led the way in these projections. Get the full projections here, with more picks coming over the course of the next week.

Five of our NBA experts break down the results.


1. What is your biggest takeaway from the results?

Chris Herring, FiveThirtyEight: That the outlook for each conference has seemingly reversed in the past few months. It had felt as if Golden State and Houston were the only two clubs that had a solid chance of reaching the NBA Finals for a while in the West, whereas the East had four or so contenders to reach that stage. Now the East has a pair of teams that look much further along than the others, while the West has at least six teams that can all credibly say they have a decent chance of reaching the Finals.

Jorge Sedano, ESPN: We haven't really seen multiple teams truly be championship worthy out of the East since LeBron, Wade and Bosh had their battles versus Chicago, Boston and Indiana. Since they don't have to go through the gauntlet out West, Milwaukee and Philadelphia clearly qualify as teams that can win the title this season.

Bobby Marks, ESPN: It's interesting how much Milwaukee and Philly have benefited from Kawhi Leonard's move. And on the other side, the West has 14 teams (sorry, Phoenix) that can compete for a playoff spot.

Marc Spears, The Undefeated: Boy, the East isn't respected much -- there are only three East teams in the top 10 here.

Kevin Pelton, ESPN: That people are accounting for the gap between the East and West. I don't think people would say the two best teams in the league are in the East, but the top two projections come from there. That's partially because of the difference between regular-season and playoff performance, but also seems to reflect the way the West will beat up on itself.


2. Which East team is most underrated?

Marks: Brooklyn (45 wins, No. 5 in the East). Yes, Kevin Durant will probably be out, but Brooklyn did add All-Star Kyrie Irving, Taurean Prince, DeAndre Jordan, Garrett Temple and Wilson Chandler to a team that returns many of the same faces from that 42-win team: Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert, Joe Harris, Rodions Kurucs and Jarrett Allen. Expect Brooklyn to be closer to 50 wins this season and compete for a top-four seed in the East.

Pelton: Chicago (32 wins, No. 11). Statistical projections are largely unanimous that the Bulls should be near .500 this season after adding a number of quality role players (including Otto Porter Jr. at the 2019 trade deadline) to go with the young core that struggled to win games last season.

Sedano: Miami (43 wins, No. 7). You give Erik Spoelstra a top-15 player in Jimmy Butler and the Heat are going to win a lot of games. The last time he had a player of that caliber on a non-LeBron team, Miami won 48 games (2015-16). People don't realize how poorly constructed Miami's roster has been the past two seasons. I'm betting big on Spo.

Spears: After they added Malcolm Brogdon, Jeremy Lamb and T.J. Warren, I'll take the Indiana Pacers (46 wins, No. 4).

Herring: I wasn't in love with some of the Hawks' summer moves (the Jabari Parker signing doesn't strike me as a great fit), but I wouldn't be surprised if they make a slightly bigger jump than what's projected here (34 wins, No. 10). We all know about Trae Young, but if other youngsters like John Collins and Kevin Huerter show linear growth -- and the team can actually learn to make stops -- I think Atlanta could get closer to the high 30s. After a 21-41 start, the Hawks came to life and played nearly .500 basketball in March. They seem another year or two away from doing real damage, but I wouldn't be surprised if they give chase for that last spot in the East.

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3. Which West team is most underrated?

Herring: Oklahoma City (33 wins, No. 13 in the West) is the most underrated team by far on this list. I'm not even sure it's debatable whether the Thunder would be a playoff team if they played in the East. (We wrote at FiveThirtyEight that they barely fall outside playoff range in the stronger West.) The real question here is when and whether Sam Presti will find a way to deal off the team's remaining veteran assets, who could surely help other clubs while further enriching OKC's rebuild. If that happens, it's fair to think little of the Thunder's chances. But I feel the current roster -- with a healthy Chris Paul, Steven Adams, Danilo Gallinari and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander -- is pretty decent, and would pretty easily win more games than projected.

Spears: The San Antonio Spurs as a borderline playoff team at 43 wins and No. 8 in the West.

Marks: Sacramento (37 wins, No. 12). The team that won 39 games a season ago is penalized by a deep Western Conference. The Kings bolstered their depth with the free-agent signings of Cory Joseph, Trevor Ariza and Dewayne Dedmon, return their starting five and are still projected to drop two games in the win column for 2019-20. If the Kings can get an All-Star-type season from De'Aaron Fox, the same consistency from Buddy Hield and continued development by Marvin Bagley III, they should win 45-46 games and compete for one of the final playoff spots this season.

Pelton: Dallas (41 wins, No. 9). The Mavericks underperformed their point differential last season, which typically would have translated into 38 wins instead of the 33 games they actually won. If Dallas was starting at 38 wins, the addition of Kristaps Porzingis and improved depth would surely translate into expectations higher than 41 wins.

Sedano: Sacramento. I thought hard about OKC at 33 wins but decided on the Kings. While I don't expect them to make the playoffs, I do believe they'll improve upon last season's win total, even after a big jump last season. Fox is arguably the best young point guard in the NBA, and new coach Luke Walton wants the Kings to play a fast-paced style that fits their personnel perfectly.


4. Which East team is most overrated?

Sedano: Brooklyn. Let me start by saying that I love the Nets' front office and coach. Obviously, the Durant signing was incredible for their franchise. However, he's not playing this season and they're no longer surprising anyone. Irving has an injury history that is concerning and I (like many others) wonder about him being the top option on a team. Also, I don't love the potential fit of DeAndre Jordan playing over Jarrett Allen.

Pelton: Philadelphia (55 wins, No. 2 in the East). I'd be surprised if the Sixers had the second-best record in the NBA given Joel Embiid's limited availability. Yes, Philly added Al Horford and will now have an All-Star center when Embiid sits. But somebody's going to have to play power forward when Horford slides to the 5, and I think those options are a substantial downgrade.

Spears: None of East teams look overrated here.

Herring: It seems ambitious to expect Boston (48 wins, No. 3) to win at basically the same rate as last year. We can certainly debate the switch from Kyrie to Kemba Walker (especially if there was a growing rift between Irving and his teammates last season), but losing Horford's perimeter shooting and defensive versatility, even at his age, will be challenging. The latter is something Enes Kanter will be tested on repeatedly come April. Aside from the new players, though, it's also fair to wonder whether one of last season's issues -- the glut of talented wings who all need shots playing alongside a high-usage point guard -- will be any less a problem this season.

Marks: Washington (28 wins, No. 12). That starts with the Wizards making it well known that the development of Rui Hachimura, Troy Brown Jr. and Thomas Bryant will take precedence this season. Yes, Washington returns All-Star Bradley Beal, but the season-long absence of John Wall, replaced by committee (Ish Smith and Isaiah Thomas), could bring the win total of the Wizards down into the teens.


5. Which West team is most overrated?

Marks: Golden State (49 wins, No. 6 in the West). The Warriors would not be in this category with a healthy Klay Thompson in the lineup to start the season. But 49 wins sounds like a reach for a team that has lost Durant, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston as well as Thompson for at least half the season. I am not convinced the rest of the roster after Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and D'Angelo Russell can play at a playoff level before Thompson returns. The bench is largely made up of unproven players, including Jacob Evans, Jordan Poole, Omari Spellman, Eric Paschall and Alen Smailagic.

Herring: Add me to the list of folks who see a ton of upside for the Mavs going forward. I liked both the Delon Wright and Seth Curry signings quite a bit. But marking Dallas down for more than 40 wins in the stronger of the two conferences strikes me as a small reach, if only because of how long it may take Porzingis to regain a rhythm after sitting out a season to rehab following his ACL tear.

Sedano: I don't think any of the West teams are overrated. Maybe Portland wins fewer than 47 -- I don't love the Hassan Whiteside fit. But Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum are so terrific -- not to mention how good a coach Terry Stotts is -- that I think they can overcome any pitfalls.

Spears: The Houston Rockets at 53 wins, behind just four other teams in the league.

Pelton: Speaking strictly in the context of the regular season, the Clippers (54 wins, No. 2). Statistical projections generally have them in the high 40s or low 50s, which makes sense given a likely load management program for Kawhi Leonard and the possibility that Paul George misses the start of the regular season after shoulder surgery. The Clippers probably won't be at their best until May, which is when they'd want to peak.

NBA preseason predictions: Our experts' picks for 2019-20

Published in Basketball
Wednesday, 21 August 2019 05:49

The 2019-20 edition of ESPN's NBA summer forecast is here.

Which will be the best and worst teams this season? Which superstar players will win the major awards? What surprises are on the way?

We polled ESPN's panel of basketball experts for their predictions heading into the season. Over the next week, we'll roll out the results right here.

First up: predicted standings and records for all 30 teams, along with the most overrated and underrated teams.

Plus, vote on tomorrow's topic: most likely title teams.


Eastern Conference standings

The Bucks and Sixers are the clear leaders in the East, and they came out with the top projections in either conference.

Will a third team break out as a contender to crash the NBA Finals? And can an up-and-coming team such as the Bulls or Hawks break into the playoff picture?

1. Milwaukee Bucks: 57-25

2. Philadelphia 76ers: 55-27

3. Boston Celtics: 48-34

4. Indiana Pacers: 46-36

5. Brooklyn Nets: 45-37

6. Toronto Raptors: 45-37

7. Miami Heat: 43-39

8. Orlando Magic: 41-41

9. Detroit Pistons: 38-44

10. Atlanta Hawks: 34-48

11. Chicago Bulls: 32-50

12. Washington Wizards: 28-54

13. New York Knicks: 26-56

14. Charlotte Hornets: 23-59

15. Cleveland Cavaliers: 22-60

MORE: 5-on-5: The most overrated and underrated NBA teams

Teams with the same projected record had ties broken before rounding.

Western Conference standings

Continuity wins in the West, as the Nuggets retained their core while adding a nice piece in Jerami Grant, though they held off the Clippers by only a fraction of a win. Then it's a tight playoff race all the way down to Sacramento at No. 12. Even if teams take time working in new additions, the Western Conference will be loaded.

1. Denver Nuggets: 54-28

2. LA Clippers: 54-28

3. Houston Rockets: 53-29

4. Utah Jazz: 52-30

5. Los Angeles Lakers: 51-31

6. Golden State Warriors: 49-33

7. Portland Trail Blazers: 47-35

8. San Antonio Spurs: 43-39

9. Dallas Mavericks: 41-41

10. New Orleans Pelicans: 40-42

11. Minnesota Timberwolves: 38-44

12. Sacramento Kings: 37-45

13. Oklahoma City Thunder: 33-49

14. Phoenix Suns: 28-54

15. Memphis Grizzlies: 27-55

MORE: Projected records, standings for every NBA team

Teams with the same projected record had ties broken before rounding.

Vote now: Who will win the NBA title?

Our experts have made their picks. Now it's your turn to weigh in before tomorrow's reveal: Which team has the best chance to win the 2020 NBA title?

Image credits: David Zalubowski/AP Photo; Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images; AP Photo/Matt Slocum

Some players -- like the now-immortal Keith Comstock -- pose for them on purpose. Some are semi-tragic mistakes. Others, well, we just don't know.

What we do know: From bat-handle obscenities to boa constrictors and mascot photo bombs, these are 10 of the funniest and most memorable baseball cards ever.

Billy Ripken 1989 Fleer

With perhaps the most famous error card ever produced, Billy Ripken is known to this day as much for the bat handle pictured in his 1989 Fleer card as he is for his career with the Baltimore Orioles or his famous sibling. The words F--- Face were inscribed on Ripken's bat, a mistake that the former infielder has said stems from that being what he wrote on his practice bats to easily distinguish them from his game bats. Fleer issued corrections of the card without the explicit word, including a highly popular white-out edition.


Cal Ripken 1994 Upper Deck

While his brother Billy's card claim to fame came courtesy of a Magic Marker and a bat handle, Cal's came via the telephone. While the 1990s Zack Morris-era cell phone looks hilarious today, it was the cool new technology of the time -- and Ripken appears to grasp the importance of taking a mobile call from whomever it is he is talking to when his Upper Deck card was snapped.


Mickey Hatcher 1986 Fleer

There was no question that a Mickey Hatcher giant glove card would make this list, with the tougher choice being which Mickey Hatcher giant glove card deserved a spot here. In addition to the 1986 Fleer version pictured, Upper Deck released a 1991 version with Hatcher toting a giant glove over his shoulder.


Jay Johnstone 1984 Fleer

Harry Caray was known for being both a Cub Fan and Bud Man, but it was journeyman backstop Jay Johnstone who had the sense of style to rock a Budweiser umbrella for his 1984 Fleer card. It turns out that the umbrella was actually a form of a hat called a "Brockabrella," with Lou Brock as a spokesman, to keep someone dry while still having their hands free.


Glenn Hubbard 1984 Fleer

Ignore for a moment the giant snake draped over Glenn Hubbard's shoulders in his 1984 Fleer card and you still have a pretty amazing shot featuring a Phillie Phanatic photobomb and some other 1980s mascots appearing in the background. Now, back to that giant snake over Hubbard's shoulders. Yes, that is a boa constrictor -- and a reptile that became part of a card famous enough to have its own bobblehead.


Bip Roberts 1996 Score

The beauty of the Bip Roberts sombrero card comes in the mystery of the Bip Roberts sombrero card. Most players in a card on this list at least give a tell that they know they are in on a joke of some kind, but not Bip. Yes, he is sporting the sombrero -- but that look in his eyes is all serious game day.


Oscar Gamble 1976 Topps traded

A card made to commemorate Oscar Gamble's trade from the Cleveland Indians to the New York Yankees became an iconic symbol of the baseball era that encompassed the outfielder's career. Sporting a large Afro that his hat simply couldn't contain and an elite mustache and announced by the headline "Yankees take Gamble on Oscar" (get it, Gamble ... ), he became a cult baseball hero because of this card alone.


Oscar Azocar 1993 Topps

Oscar Azocar hit only .226 with five home runs over three major league seasons with the Yankees and San Diego Padres, but take one look at this card and there's no doubt that love for his bat was not the reason. In fact, he managed to produce multiple entertaining baseball cards during his short big league career.


Chuck Finley 1994 Upper Deck

During his 17-year major league career, Chuck Finley made five All-Star teams, won 200 games and rocked out guitar-style on a baseball bat at least once.


Rex Hudler 1996 Upper Deck

Rex Hudler is another one of those players with multiple cards that could have earned a spot on this list. But we're giving extra credit for his 1996 Upper Deck issue being one of the rare cards with an entertaining picture on the back -- as evidenced by this shot of him milking a cow in full Angels uniform.

Keith Comstock played on four major league clubs as a journeyman reliever, but his professional career is most often remembered for one thing: a ball to the crotch. Thirty years ago -- in what otherwise would have been a forgotten minor league set -- Comstock appeared on one of the most memorable baseball cards ever made. Here's the story of how it came together, in his words.

When I was a kid, being on a major league baseball card was a top-of-the-checklist kind of thing. It was like a life's dream. You'd keep the superstars, and you'd put the other guys in your bicycle spokes. With the career I had, I was the guy you put in the spokes.

I was drafted in 1976, and it took me eight years to reach the majors. I was traded or released so many times, it was hard to keep count. In 1983, the Oakland A's sold me to the Detroit Tigers for $100 and a bag of balls. I had to deliver the balls. For much of my career, I'd get moved to another team and my wife would pack up the Chevy Vega with our kids and they'd follow me. One time, it took my wife three days to reach my next assignment. On the day she arrived, I found out I'd been demoted.

By the late 1980s, I'd been up and down a few times -- with Minnesota, San Francisco and San Diego. I never had a major league baseball card of myself, until 1988. That's when the Topps card company produced my first real card, like the ones I collected when I was a boy. I'm throwing a pitch in the photo. I was so happy when I saw the card, really humbled. When I got that first card, I didn't keep it. I sent it to my mom. It was like validation for everything that I'd gone through, like here was proof I was a major leaguer. The cool part of that 1988 card is it became a sought-after error card within the Topps set. There was something wrong with the coloring of the "Padres," so I got a little notoriety for that. I couldn't wait to show up in another set.

***

I was demoted again. The same year I got my first Topps card, I was sent to Triple-A Las Vegas, playing for the Stars. I was 32 years old and it was sometime in the late spring when the minor league card photographer showed up. By then, I was just barely hanging onto the game.

I had so many minor league cards of myself that I was getting bored with them. Plus, it was kind of a downer. You didn't want to be in a minor league set. You wanted to have a big league card. And, honestly, another minor league card was a reminder of how my career was going.

There was absolutely zero creativity with minor league cards. You should see my old ones. There was the balance position, where the photographer tells you to raise your leg, like you're ready to throw. There was the one where you extend your throwing hand, like you've just released a pitch. There's the one where you're standing with a ball and glove, doing nothing. Like I said, zero creativity. I'd done so many of those that I was sick of it. So was everyone else.

The photographer who showed up that day was shooting for the 1989 ProCards set, so we were doing this for next year's cards. He had his hat backward, like you might expect from a photographer. While that guy was setting up for the shoot, my teammates started talking about how they wanted to sabotage their own cards.

One by one, they stepped up and posed. Right-handed batters tried to hold the bat like a lefty; left-handed pitchers wore right-handed gloves. They tried everything. The photographer caught every one of them. He had a sheet, or something, that had our numbers and lefty-righty stuff on it. He was really, really strict. He wasn't having any of it.

Finally, it was my turn. The photographer asked me what I wanted to do, expecting I'd do one of the basic poses. I thought about it for a second, and then it came to me: "I want it to look like a comebacker hit me in the nuts," I said. The photographer didn't like that. "Sorry, man," the guy said to me. "I'm under strict rules. I can't take that picture." I pleaded with him, but the photographer wouldn't budge.

***

I was a veteran on the Stars. Because I'd been to the majors, even for a little while, that was a big thing in the clubhouse. Guys looked up to me because I'd made it, even if it was just for a little while. I did what they dreamed of doing, and that earned me respect.

We had a deep team in Vegas, and we ripped through just about everyone in the Pacific Coast League that year. Sandy Alomar was a kid on the team. I think his brother, Roberto Alomar, was there when we did the shoot. There was Jerald Clark, Joey Cora, Bip Roberts and Shane Mack. Bruce Bochy was our backup catcher. My buddy Kevin Towers was there. There was this guy on the team, another pitcher. His name was Todd Simmons. He was the prankster. He heard my rejected plan for my baseball card, but he loved the idea. He knew it had to be done, and he started egging me on.

"Todd told me, 'You're the veteran,' and said I needed to tell the guys in the clubhouse that they shouldn't sign their card contracts unless this photographer allowed me to get a ball to the crotch." Keith Comstock on the conversation that helped make his baseball card a reality

Understand this: When I got my card idea rejected, not everyone had taken their photos. The photographer got all the regular guys done first, and the potential stars would be shot last. No idea who came up with that, but it worked to my advantage. All those guys were still in the clubhouse, 30 minutes from heading to the field.

Todd said I needed to tell the young guys what I wanted to do. You had to sign a contract to do the baseball card, which covered a bunch of stuff and said you agreed that your photo would show up in the set. Todd told me, "You're the veteran," and said I needed to tell the guys in the clubhouse that they shouldn't sign their card contracts unless this photographer allowed me to get a ball to the crotch. So many of those guys were future major leaguers, and it was pretty obvious the card company needed them in the set.

So I did it. I went to the clubhouse, told the guys my idea about the ball and said they shouldn't sign their contracts unless I got this picture taken. They didn't hesitate. It wasn't like some movie moment, though. I didn't mandate anything from them. I wasn't Mel Gibson in "Braveheart." There was no chanting or cheering. Like I said, these guys were 30 minutes from leaving the clubhouse. They were like, "Go ahead." I'm sure they didn't really care.

***

I went to the dugout, got some really sticky baseball tape and tried to stick it to the ball and then to my pants' crotch. The ball was too heavy. It kept falling off. I tried to circle the tape around my quad, but the tape blocked out the ball's seams. I went up and down the dugout, looking for anything that was strong enough to hold a ball.

Then I found the Super Glue. Back in the day, we pitchers used it to cover our blisters. The trainer had the glue in his little kit, so I grabbed it. I didn't want to ruin my game pants, so Todd ran to the clubhouse and got a pair of old ones. I squeezed the Super Glue tube over half the ball. I doused it. I put on the pants, pressed the glued-up ball to them, then tried to let go.

The ball was stuck to my hand. I tried to pull it off, but the ball was about to peel off my pants. I moved my hand and the pants moved. I thought, I am not taking this photo with my hand on my crotch. Someone grabbed a tongue depressor from the trainer's kit and slowly started to pry my fingers off the ball. It took a while, but my hand finally got free. Now I just had to get the photographer.

I walked up with the ball stuck to my pants, and the guy was like, "No-no-no." I was expecting that. I told him that I had a clubhouse full of players who weren't going to sign their card contracts unless I got a ball in the nuts. I looked as serious as possible. The photographer stared at me for a second, trying to figure out if I really meant it. "Son of a bitch," he finally said. "Go ahead."

He gave me one shot. I could feel the ball starting to fall off. "Take the picture! Take the picture!" I yelled. I threw up my hands and closed my eyes. That was it.

***

The guys couldn't believe I pulled it off. I had no idea what the card was going to look like. We won the Pacific Coast League championship that year, then we went into the offseason. I forgot about the card for a bit, but then 1989 rolled around. I couldn't wait to see what the card company did with that photo.

We got the little set of team cards delivered to the clubhouse one day, and we opened them. Sure enough, there I was, taking one to the nuts. The guys thought it was hilarious. I signed the card for any teammate who wanted it. I even signed one for Steve Smith, our manager. That was a great day.

When I finally got a chance to show the card to my wife, I was pretty pleased with myself. I pulled it out. You know what she said? "Why are your eyes closed? That's the best you could do?" She didn't even notice the baseball glued to my crotch. I pointed the ball out to her, thinking it was super funny. She just rolled her eyes. That's all I got, an eye roll.

ProCards must not have been too upset about what I did. Sometime after the set's release, I got an 8-by-10 in the mail from the company. There I am: pinstripe Stars jersey, hat on, eyes closed, mouth open. I framed the photo and for years it hung at my house in Arizona, in a place that I call my Wall of Shame.

I played parts of six seasons in the major leagues, for four teams. I threw my last major league pitch in 1991. I was 35. I got right into coaching, and today I'm the rehab pitching coordinator for the Texas Rangers. I've got three kids and six grandkids. They've all seen that baseball card. Two of my grandsons are 10 and 12. Their mom showed them the card awhile back, and they loved it. Thirty years later and there's Grandpa, getting hit in the nuts.

I love this game, and I have fun with it. It's hard not to when people recognize me from that card. I've had so many conversations with people about it. You're the guy with the ball to the crotch. Fans bring the card to the field and want me to sign it. We have a laugh and then talk baseball. At the end of the day, to a lot of people, this is how I'm remembered as a player. At least I'm remembered.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson set for CityGames double

Published in Athletics
Wednesday, 21 August 2019 04:56

Heptathlete announced for the long jump and 150m at the street athletics meet in Stockton-on-Tees

Katarina Johnson-Thompson is set to compete at the Great North CityGames in Stockton-on-Tees on September 7 as she continues her preparations for the IAAF World Championships in Doha.

The heptathlete has been announced for both the long jump and 150m at the street athletics meet, which takes place in Tees Valley for the first time after having spent a decade on the NewcastleGateshead Quayside.

“I can’t wait to compete at Great North CityGames next month,” said Johnson-Thompson who impressed at the recent Müller Grand Prix with her best long jump mark since 2015 as she soared out to 6.85m in Birmingham. Four years ago was also the last time the Commonwealth heptathlon champion competed at a CityGames event, when she raced in the 200m hurdles in Manchester.

“I love street athletics meetings and especially when it’s in a location we’ve never been to before.

“Hopefully there’ll be a big crowd there and we can maybe inspire some future Olympians.”

Cllr Bob Cook, leader of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, said: “Our High Street will be transformed for the Great North CityGames and I’m delighted Katarina will be joining us for the celebrations.

“This will be an unmissable event, showcasing the best local, national and international athletes and drawing huge crowds to our town centre.”

With a range of events on offer, from 100m sprints to the one-mile distance, and including pole-vault and long jump in a specially-constructed multi sports arena on Stockton-on-Tees High Street, the Great North CityGames kicks off a weekend of first-class sporting action which includes the Simplyhealth Junior and Mini Great North Run, the Simplyhealth Great North 5k, the Simplyhealth Great Tees 10K and finishes with the world-famous Simplyhealth Great North Run on Sunday.

The athletics action starts at 1pm, and is free to spectate with no ticket required. For more information visit greatcitygames.org

Entries are still open for the Simplyhealth Great Tees 10K, which takes place before the Great North CityGames begin on Saturday September 7. To enter, visit greatrun.org/tees10k

Great Britain's Harriet Dart has moved into the second qualifying round at the US Open by beating American Jamie Loeb 6-2 7-6 (7-3).

Dart, 23, reached the third round of Wimbledon in July and needs to win two more matches to qualify for the main draw of the US Open for the first time.

She plays another American, Hailey Baptiste, 17, next at Flushing Meadows.

James Ward reached the second qualifying round in the men's event by defeating China's Zhe Li 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.

Ward, 32, now faces Argentine Marco Trungelliti in New York.

However, fellow Britons Heather Watson, Katie Swan and Jay Clarke lost in the first round of qualifying.

Watson, 27, had played in the first round proper every year since 2011, but will not be in the main draw this year after losing 6-4 6-2 to Georgia's Mariam Bolkvadze, a player 101 places below her in the world rankings.

Swan, 20, was beaten 6-3 6-3 by American Katrina Scott while Clarke lost in men's qualifying. He took the first set on a tie-break against another home player, Mitchell Krueger, before going down 6-7 (2-7) 6-4 6-4.

Anisimova withdraws from US Open after father's death

Published in Tennis
Tuesday, 20 August 2019 11:55

American Amanda Anisimova has withdrawn from the US Open after the death of her father and coach Konstantin.

Anisimova, 17, reached the semi-finals of the French Open in June.

The world number 24 was due to play at Flushing Meadows for a second time after losing in round one in 2018.

"The USTA [United States Tennis Association] and US Open send our deepest condolences to Amanada Anisimova on the passing of her father, Konstantin," said a statement.

Anisimova beat Wimbledon champion Simona Halep on her way to the last four of the French Open, before losing in three sets to eventual winner Ashleigh Barty.

The US Open, the final Grand Slam of the year, starts on Monday.

Shows of strength as Czech Open commences

Published in Table Tennis
Tuesday, 20 August 2019 15:13

Additionally, a mid-match injury to Kristian Karlsson of Sweden and the prowess of Hina Hayata had everyone talking. Here’s how it all happened.

Men’s Singles:

…Austrian standout Daniel Habesohn was the victor in his second round match with Liao Cheng-Ting of Chinese Taipei, the 33-year-old playing well throughout the 4-2 encounter (11-9, 11-2, 9-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-4).

…Romania’s Cristian Pletea emerged as the winner in a battle of the 2018 Youth Olympians with his friend and rival Kanak Jha of the USA. The hard-fought match ended with a narrow 4-3 victory for the Romanian (11-7, 11-9, 5-11, 9-11, 7-11, 11-6, 12-10) who said afterward that having fun was most important to him.

…The host country’s Tomas Tregler reigned victorious in a 4-3 dazzler against Japan’s Kenta Matsudaira, delighting the Czech fans. Tregler started slowly but gained the win by sweeping the final three games (9-11, 6-11, 12-10, 7-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-9). 

…Belgium’s Robin Devos, the older brother of Paralympic gold medalist Laurens Devos, will play on following a 4-3 victory against Feng Yi-Hsin of Chinese Taipei (11-7, 11-8, 11-3, 6-11, 8-11, 10-12, 11-7). 

…Slovakia’s Lubomir Pistej surprised his coach (and maybe himself) by defeating the Czech Republic’s Tomas Polansky, his late acceleration making the difference in the 4-2 outcome (6-11, 11-4, 2-11, 11-5, 11-6, 13-11).

…Russia’s Vladimir Sidorenko ejected Sweden’s Jon Persson in a classic youth versus experience pairing. Persson didn’t make it easy, but Sidorenko secured the win nonetheless, 4-3 (7-11, 11-4, 8-11, 6-11, 11-4, 12-10, 11-6).

…Portugal’s Marcos Freitas, on a roll lately, continued his success by defeating Croatia’s Wei Shihao 4-1 (11-8, 13-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-9).

…Swedish standout Kristian Karlsson was unable to finish his match against Korea’s Cho Daesong after stumbling and injuring himself during a rally mid-match. Karlsson forfeited the match down 4-2 and has been receiving medical attention

Women’s Singles:

…China was top of the table, with five competitors — Liu Weishan, Mu Zi, Liu Xi, Li Jiayi, Wu Yang and Yang Huijing all advancing in straight games against their opponents. The formidable Mu earned hers by eliminating Korea’s Lee Dasom (14-12, 11-5, 11-8, 11-7). 

…Liu Xi successfully performed the same operation against Mariia Tailakova in the second round (11-9, 11-9, 11-5, 11-7), while Wu needed only four games against Petra Petek (11-7, 11-3, 11-5, 11-6) and later on, against Belarus’s Daria Trigolos (11-6, 11-3, 11-4, 11-5). Liu Weishan capped off her day by winning over the host nation’s Karin Adamkova 4-0 (11-7, 11-7, 11-3, 11-1).

…Safely through day one are the host country’s Tamara Tomanova and Nikita Petrovova. They beat Slovakia’s Eva Jurkova and Anelia Lupulesku of Serbia, respectively, each by a score of 4-2. Tomanova’s early lead endured against Jurkova (11-2, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 12-14, 11-2), while Petrovova seesawed awhile with Lupulesku (7-11, 11-5, 11-4, 5-11, 11-7, 11-4).

…Tomanova returned in the afternoon to account for Italy’s Giorgia Piccolin 4-3 (11-9, 11-8, 7-11, 4-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9) in preliminary round two. Likewise, Petroviva defeated the Netherlands’ Kim Vermaas 4-0 (12-10, 11-8, 11-5, 12-10). 

…The Czechs’ high hopes for Anna Matejovska and Katerina Tomanovska were dashed by India’s Sutirtha Mukherjee, who ejected Matejovska 4-2 (11-7, 4-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-4, 11-4) and Japan’s Yurika Taira, who dispatched Tomanovska in straight games (11-7, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7). Mukherjee went on to defeat Belgium’s Lisa Lung in straight games (12-10, 11-2, 11-8, 11-7).

…Rising Japanese star Hina Hayata had a good day at the office, accounting for Belarusian Katsiaryna Baravok in straight games to move on as well (11-6, 11-5, 11-3, 11-4).

Mounir Bessah – Reinforcing Member Relations

Currently the only sports organisation in the world boasting a maximum 226 Members, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) will be setting up a new department within its ever-growing professional staff structure, dedicated towards supporting all affiliated National Associations and Continental Federations.

The Member Relations Department will be active from 1st September 2019 and will focus on ensuring that all financial support provided through various ITTF initiatives is implemented in the best interests of table tennis. The department will work closely with the National Associations and Continental Federations, as the ITTF continues to take the sport to new heights professionally across the globe.

Following a recent recruitment drive, which included a search for the position of Member Relations Director, the ITTF is pleased to announce the appointment of Mounir Bessah to lead the new department. Enjoying a proven track record within the ITTF Competition Department for many years, Bessah recently oversaw the highly successful Liebherr 2019 ITTF World Table Tennis Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

“I am very honoured and excited to take the lead of the new Member Relations Department and I shall do my best to fulfil this new challenge. My door is open to all National Associations and Continental Federations in order to assist and support their projects to implement their own goals and to further deliver the ITTF Strategic Plan.” – Mounir Bessah, ITTF Member Relations Director

Gabor Felegyi – Focus on future World Table Tennis Championships

Following a series of reforms, which first commenced in 2016 and have been reinforced by the extensive work of the Future Events Working Group, the ITTF is pleased to announce the hiring of Gabor Felegyi into the role of World Table Tennis Championships Project Manager.

Previously as Secretary General of the Hungarian Table Tennis Association (HTTA), Felegyi helped to oversee the successful running of the Liebherr 2019 ITTF World Table Tennis Championships in Budapest. He will start his ITTF career on 16th September 2019.

The new position of World Table Tennis Championships Project Manager has been designed to focus fully on the future growth of the World Championships, the most prestigious event in table tennis, which first started in 1926 and keeps going from strength to strength.

In 2021, the ITTF will enter new ground when USA stages the event for the first time in history in what will also be the debut year of the expanded and improved World Table Tennis Championships Finals.

“It is a great honour for me that after the World Table Tennis Championships in Budapest, I have this opportunity to take part in another priority project of the ITTF. This position entails huge responsibility since future World Championships will pave the way for the modernisation of our sport, and I look forward to playing a key role in the growth and expansion of this great event.” – Gabor Felegyi, ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Project Manager

ITTF recruitment drive hits new heights

In recent months, the ITTF has hired into a number of key positions:

Zhou Dao has joined as Head of Media (Asia). A former employee of China Central Television (CCTV) and boasting extensive experience at World Table Tennis Championships over the past 15 years, she has recently relocated to the ITTF Singapore Office, where she will work directly with the rest of the ITTF Marketing Department to help drive promotion of the sport and its stars across the Asian continent and indeed the world.

Last week, the first ever ITTF World Veterans Tour event took place in Shenzhen, China, in which Veterans Manager, Jose Bentes, was on site to manage the competition. Bentes is working closely with Managing Director of Product Innovation, Gordon Kaye, to run the unprecedented professional event series for the growing international veteran table tennis community.

Following the restructuring of the ITTF World Rankings at the beginning of 2018, and in light of further revisions taking place, the arrival of World Ranking Manager, Javier Angulo, will be important to ensure that the integrity of the World Rankings is maintained on a monthly basis, and the ITTF looks forward to providing weekly World Rankings in the near future.

“Over the past 18 months, the ITTF has more than doubled in terms of the total number of professional staff employed, which demonstrates the enormous growth of the federation in recent times. The investment in Human Resources, which has seen a complete restructuring of the High Performance & Development Department over the past two years, as well as additional hires in both Marketing and Competition Departments, has brought about an increase in terms of the overall activities implemented under the 2018-2024 ITTF Strategic Plan.” – Michael Brown, ITTF Chief Financial Officer

If you are interested in joining the team at the ITTF and keen to play a part in the exciting rise of table tennis across the world, there are further job opportunities available.

Click here to keep an eye out for all advertised vacancies.

Day Two Qualification: 2019 ITTF World Tour Czech Open

Published in Table Tennis
Wednesday, 21 August 2019 00:30
Polish and Indian players share the spoils

Poland’s Natalia Partyka is through to the fourth preliminary round of the women’s singles event following a solid display against Indian opponent Sutirtha Mukherjee: with the score all-square at one game apiece, Partyka took her performance up a gear to claim the next three consecutive games (11-2, 8-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-8).

However, Partyka’s fellow compatriot Natalia Bajor is out of the running after she ended up on the wrong side of a seven-game match with another Indian player in the form of Sreeja Akula (8-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9).

Hina Hayata too strong for up-and-coming talent

Experiencing an early scare in her preliminary round three meeting with Korea Republic’s Shin Yubin, but Japan’s Hina Hayata is now just one win away from the main draw in Olomouc after posting a 4-2 victory over the 15-year-old star (7-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-4, 12-10).

The other Japanese player to prevail in the 10.20am session was Yurika Taira, who also required six games as she came out on top against Monaco’s Yang Xiaoxin (11-7, 9-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-7).

Czech pair narrowly miss out

A brave effort but it was an opening round defeat nonetheless for the host nation’s Tomas Tregler and Dana Cechova, who managed to fight back from two games down to draw level. But, it wasn’t enough as Brazil’s Gustavo Tsuboi and Bruna Takahashi squeezed over the line by a 3-2 score-line (11-6, 11-5, 10-12, 7-11, 11-4).

Play underway

Here’s the schedule for day two of the qualification tournament in Olomouc:

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