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Browsing: MLTT
October 26, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo MLTT)
The Fourth Major League Table Tennis (MLTT) event was played in Bensenville, Illinois this weekend. Four teams battled over three days: Chicago Wind, Portland Paddlers, Princeton Revolution, and the expansion New York Slice.
Friday: Slice vs. Revolution
The New York Slice entered the Golden Game with a 9-6 advantage that came from Koki Niwa winning 2 of 3 over Benedek Olah, Choi Haeeun saving one of three against Jiangshan Guo, Kaden Xu and Jishan Liang logging one of three against Koyo Kanamitsu and Jinxing Wang, Jishan Liang taking 2 of 3 against Mathieu De Saintilan, and Yiran Wu winning all three against Jinxin Wang. This same pattern largely repeated itself in the Golden Game with the Slice winning 21-14, giving them the overall match win with a 15-6 score.
Friday: Wind vs. Paddlers
Chicago Wind opened their weekend with a nail-biter against the Portland Paddlers. The two squads split singles with the Wind taking the first two Gardos and Mo Zhang each won 2 of 3) and the Paddlers winning the last two (Kumar took 2 of 3 and Nordberg won 3-0). Nikhil Kumar and Sid Naresh won Doubles 3-0 as well, so the Paddlers were up 10-5 going into the 6-point Golden Game. The Golden Game was tight 21-19 in Portlandâ€s favor, so the Paddlers logged what looked like a dominant 16-5 win, even though they could have easily lost the Golden Game (and the match) with just 2 points turning out differently.
Saturday: Slice vs. Paddlers
The Slice continued their great run with a 15-6 win over the Paddlers. The Slice won three of the four singles matches (and lost one singles match and doubles). They took a 9-6 lead into the Golden Game, and dominated 21-15.
Saturday: Wind vs. Revolution
Saturday night saw Chicago bounce back against the Princeton Revolution. The two squads split the first two singles (Gardos won 3-0 for the Wind, then Jianshan Guo won 3-0 for the Revolution). The Revolution won 2 of 3 in Doubles. Zhang then won 3-0 for the Wind to put them up two, and then Olah took 2 of 3 making the score 8-7 (advantage Wind) going in to the Golden Game. The Wind dominated in the final exchange (21-15) giving them a 14-7 win.
Sunday: Revolution v. Paddlers
The matchup between the Paddlers and the Revolution was all-Portland on Sunday. Portland swept the singles, and salvaged 1 of 3 in Doubles. This gave them an 11-4 advantage – with the victory already decided before the Golden Game. The final exchange was just as dominant for the Paddlers, winning 21-9. The final score was a 17-4 statement win for Portland.
Sunday: Slice vs. Wind
The weekend finale featured the 2-0 New York Slice against the hosts. The Slice won four of the five initial matches, with Emmanuel Lebesson the only Chicago Wind player to log a win. However, in MLTT, the Golden Game keeps each team alive so long as they can stay within 6 points – and that was the case here as the Wind managed to preserve a 6-9 deficit to give them a chance. The Wind began strong with Mo Zhang, extended their lead with Sean Zhang, saw a dominant performance by Emmanuel Lebesson, and then sealed the victory with Gardos and Cazacu. The Wind win 21-13, and manage a tight, come-from-behind win 12-9.
MLTT fans will next turn their attention towards Pleasantville, New York where the Week 5 event will take place November 7-9. Tickets are on sale to see the Princeton Revolution, Los Angeles Spinners, Texas Smash, and New York Slice.
Visit Butterflyonline.com for the latest table tennis news and results.
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October 16, 2025
(by: Major League Table Tennis)
MLTT WEEK 3 PLAYER POWER RANKINGS
Major League Table Tennis†top Season 3 players arenâ€t the names you would expect. Some are rookies, others are improved players, and a few crack the top ten due to a few things they do very well. But these players have shaped not just their teams, but MLTT as a whole so far. Here are the 10 top players so far in Season 3.
1.ÂKang Dong-Soo: Portland Paddlers
Singles: 14-4 (77.8%)
Golden Game: 18-18
Power Rating: 784.1
The Portland Paddlers made a massive investment in Kang Dong-Soo, drafting the Korean doubles champion in the second round of the 2025 MLTT Draft. Itâ€s hard to imagine that Christian Lillieroos expected his rookie to contribute like this. When matches seemed lost — especially against the Los Angeles Spinners on Friday — Kang would come in, decimate his opponent, and turn the momentum. His 8-1 singles record in Week 3, as well as his Player of the Week honors for Week 3, further cement him as the best player in MLTT at this moment.
2.ÂKoki Niwa: New York Slice
Singles: 6-3 (66.7%)
Doubles: 4-2 (66.7%)
Golden Game: 12-10
Power Rating: 772.2
Koki Niwa is not a mere rookie. Heâ€s one of the most decorated table tennis players in Japanese history. Heâ€s a two-time Olympic medalist. He retired from international competition because he wanted to “pass the torch†to younger Japanese players, many of whom looked up to him. Now, heâ€s in MLTT. And he willed the Slice to a 2-1 record in Week 2, using the quickness and intensity that make him one of the best chop blockers in the world. Singles? Doubles? Heâ€s dominated both events at the MLTT level, and he did so with style.
🎤 MLTT Coach Interview: Romain Lorentz – Los Angeles Spinners
New Episode of Around The Net with Kanak Jha
Robert Gardos vs. Player of The Week
Kang Dong-Soo | MLTT Week 3 (Portland, OR)
Enzo Angles vs Kou Lei | MLTT Week 3
(Portland, OR)
Chicago Wind To Host Next Weekend
Major League Table Tennis hits Bensenville Oct 24–26 at Energy VBC. The home team Chicago Wind (Robert Gardos, Emmanuel Lebesson, Alex Cazacu, Sean Zhang, Daniel Tran, and Mo Zhang), led by coach Eric Owens, defend home court against the Portland Paddlers, Princeton Revolution, Chicago Wind, and one of the new expansion teams New York Slice.
Be sure to visit Tickets.MLTT.com to secure your seats.
All matches will be streamed exclusively on TableTennis.TV.
Subscribe to TableTennis.TV to take advantage of your first 30 days on us with the code: MLTT30
Chicago Wind Track Suit Jacket
The new seasonâ€s here – and so is the gear. Jerseys, tees, and more, built for whoever you rep.
Check the selection of the Chicago Wind!
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October 5, 2025
(By Steve Hopkins, photo MLTT)
Major League Table Tennis brought its high-octane format to the Pacific Northwest this weekend, with Week 3 action at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. The hometown Portland Paddlers hosted three other teams – the Los Angeles Spinners, Chicago Wind, and defending champion Carolina Gold Rush. The weekend was packed with action, with the Golden Game deciding all but one of the matches.
Friday Afternoon – Carolina Gold Rush vs. Chicago Wind:
The early match on Friday saw a dominant 18-3 win by the Chicago Wind. Jeongwoo Park logged the first 3, blanking Enzo Angles. Mo Zhang kept things rolling for the Wind winning 2 of 3 against Chen Sun. Doubles went to the Gold Rush with Enzo Angles and Kai Zhang taking 2 of 3 over Jeongwoo Park and Sean Zhang. Then Robert Gardos won 3 straight over Eugene Want to extend the Windâ€s lead to 9-3, and Emmanuel Lebesson effectively closed the door with another 3-0 sweep over Mohamed Shouman. They entered the Golden game up 12-3, and dominated the Golden Game for a final victory of 18-3.
Friday Evening – Portland vs. Los Angeles Spinners:
The first day closed with a primetime clash between host Portland Paddlers and the Los Angeles Spinners. LA took the early lead with Lubomir Pistej taking 2 of 3 over Hampus Nordberg.  The Paddlers†Kotomi Omoda then evened the score by winning 2 against Matilda Ekholm. LA dominated doubles winning all three to take the 6-3 lead. However, the Paddlers ralled to win all 6 in the final two matches with Kan Dong-Soo and Min Hyeok Kim each maximizing the score for the home team. This gave Portland a 9-6 advantage heading to the final sprint to 21. Portland won the Golden Game 21-12 extending their win to 15-6.
Saturday Afternoon – Carolina Gold Rush vs. Los Angeles Spinners:
In one of the tightest matches of Week 3, the Carolina Gold Rush defeated Los Angeles 12-9. Carolina only bested their opponents in 2 of the 6 matchups. Enzo Angles beat Kou Lei 2-1, and Eugene Wang defeated Lubomir Pistej 2-1. Each of the other matches went to the Spinners with Matilda Ekholm taking 2 of 3 over Chen Sun, and Pistej/Sareen taking 2 of 3 in Doubles, and Alexandre Robinot winning all 3 in his match against Mohamed Shouman. The result was a 9-6 advantage for the Spinners. However, with the final phase counting for 6 points, this was tight enough to be decided in the Golden game. That game went 21-14 in favor of the Gold Rush – giving them the 12-9 win.
Saturday Evening – Portland vs. Chicago Wind:
Portland was featured again in the late match on Saturday – this time against Chicago Wind. This match was a one-sided win, with the Paddlers leading 10-5 going in to the Golden Game. The Windâ€s lone win was Jeongwoo 2-1 over Min Hyeok Kim. All of the other matches went to Portlant with Kotomi Omoda winning 3-0, Kumar/Nordberg winning 2-1, Kang Dong-Soo winning 2-1, and Hampus Nordberg winning 2-1. In the Golden Game, Portland won 21-12 for a cumulative points total of 16-5.
Sunday Morning – Chicago Wind vs. Los Angeles Spinners:
The early match on Sunday was between the Wind and Spinners, the two losers from the Saturday matches. This was another tight match with the two squads nearly tied entering the Golden Game (Chicago 8 – Los Angeles 7). The Wind won the first two matches with Jeongwoo Park taking 2 of 3 over Kou Lei and Mo Zhang sweeping all three against Matilda Ekholm. The Spinners first win came in doubles with Pistej and Sareen winning all three over Gardos and Tran. The final two matches were split with Windâ€s Robert Gardos taking 2 of 3 over Robinot, and then Spinners Lubomir Pistej took 2 of 3 over Lebesson. With the Wind up 8-7, they entered the Golden Game which ended in a very close 21-19 score (with Matilda Ekholm closing the door by winning the final two points). Spinners win 13-8.
Final Sunday Match – Portland vs. Carolina Gold Rush:
Sundayâ€s marquee matchup pitted host Portland against the reigning MLTT champion Gold Rush. Despite how well Carolina had been playing, this match was not close. The Paddlers dominated from the start when Kang Dong-Soo won all three against Wei Wang. Kotomi Omoda kept the momentum by winning 2 of 3 against Chen Sun. Sid Naresh and Nikhil Kumar then extended the lead by taking 2 of 3 over Angles and Kai Zhang. And Portland won both of the last matches as well with Min Hyeok Kim winning all three over Eugene Wang, and Hampus Nordberg taking 2 of 3 over Enzo Angles. After this total dominance, Portland was up 12-3 and had already won. But they did not let up in the Golden Game, winning 21-15 and extending their final score to 18-3.
See You In Illinois:
Portland Paddlers went 3–0 at home, giving them a total of 5-1 for the season – first place in the MLTT standings.  The next MLTT event is in Bensenville, Illinois.
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October 2, 2025
(by: Major League Table Tennis)
WEEK 3 PREVIEW OF MLTT IN PORTLAND
MLTT returns this weekend to Portland, Ore., with six matches that promise tight scorelines, momentum swings, and moments of brilliance from some of the best players in the world. With roster rules ensuring every player has a role and a format that rewards both depth and chemistry, fans can expect battles that go down to the very last game.
The hometown Portland Paddlers (Nikhil Kumar, Sid Naresh, Hampus Nordberg, Min Heyok Kim, Dongsoo Kang, and Kotomi Omoda), led by coach Christian Lillieroos, defend home court against the Los Angeles Spinners, Chicago Wind, and defending champion Carolina Gold Rush.
How Karen Scott became MLTT’s first fan of the year
A brutal loss couldn’t stop 15-year-old Tashiya Piyadasa
New on TableTennis.TV
Lily Zhang’s table tennis story didn’t begin in a single moment. It began with friends, loved ones, and years around the sport. See the full conversation in the latest episode of Around The Net Podcast exclusively on Table Tennis TV.
The official rating system of MLTT – SPINDEX
SPINDEX is a table tennis rating system (0–3000 ELO) that updates as you play. Whether youâ€re a basement player or a future pro, SPINDEX lets you measure your skills, compete meaningfully, and join a global community of table tennis players.
The best part is you can sign up for free to start tracking your official rating!
The Best of MLTT Week 2: Koki Niwa
15-year-old Piyadasa (2407) takes down the No. 42 woman in the world
Mohamed Shouman (2714)Ânamed Male Player of the Week for Week 2
MLTT in Portland This Weekend
The hometown Portland Paddlers defend their court against the LA Spinners, Chicago Wind, and defending champs Carolina Gold Rush this weekend!
Headliners include Spinners vs. Paddlers (Fri, Oct 3, 7:30 pm), Wind vs. Paddlers (Sat, Oct 4, 7:30 pm), and Gold Rush vs. Paddlers (Sun, Oct 5, 2:30 pm). Expect fast rallies, Golden Game drama, and championship-level action.
Be sure to visit Tickets.MLTT.com to secure your seats.
All matches will be streamed exclusively on TableTennis.TV.
Subscribe to TableTennis.TV to take advantage of your first 30 days on us with the code: MLTT30
Portland Paddlers T-Shirt
The new seasonâ€s here – and so is the gear. Jerseys, tees, and more, built for whoever you rep.
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September 21, 2025
(By Steve Hopkins, photo MLTT)
The second weekend of Major League Table Tennis featured six matches at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The first two matches were played on Friday – the New York Slice and the Florida Crocs kicked off at 4pm. The Slice won a tight 13-8 match that needed a strong finish in the Golden Game. Koki Niwa started the Slice off with a 2-1 lead – after three tight games with Asuka Sakai. Tiffany Ke then extended the Slice’s lead with a 2-1 score over Tashiya Piyadasa. The Croc’s double team tightened the score by winning 2 of 3 (Chihwei Yeh and Angel Naranjo over Slice’s Wenzhang tao and Jishan Liang). Croc’s Daniel Gorak won his match 2-1 over the Slice’s Hoacheng Wang to even the score and then the Croc’s Marc Duran finished off the individual matches with a 2-1 win over Yiran Wu giving the Crocs the 8-7 lead going into the Golden Game. However, the Golden Game is worth 6 points, and the Slice won 21-19 to add the 6 additional points – securing a final victory 13-8.
The second Friday match was the Atlanta Blazers and the Carolina Gold Rush. This followed the same script as the earlier match with the Blazers winning the individual matches 8-7, but then the Gold Rush taking the win on the strength of their Golden Game. Early on, the two teams were even with Blazers Yuya Oshima winning 2-1 over Enzo Angles, and then Gold Rush’s Chen Sun winning 2-1 over Minhyung Jee. In Doubles, the Blazer’s team of Kayama Yu and Tom Feng logged a narrow 2-1 win over Enzo Angles and Eugene Wang. And then the final two singles matches ended even – with Gold Rush’s Mohamed Shouman defeating Jeet Chandra 3-0 and then Blazers’ Kayama Yu winning 3-0 over Wei Wang. The end result was an 8-7 advantage going in to the Golden Game. At that point, the Gold Rush pulled ahead and won the Golden Game 21-17, securing the 13-8 win.
On Saturday, Koki Niwa logged three wins for the Slice, topping Kayama Yu of the Blazers. Minhyung Jee evened the score, winning all three of her games for the Blazers over the Slice’s Tiffany Ke. Niwa then teamed up with Yiran Wu to take 2 of 3 over the Blazers’ Tom Feng and Kayama Yu. Wenzhang Tao extended the Slice’s lead by taking 2 of 3 over Jeet Chandra. The Blazers’ Yuya Oshima won all three of the games against Slice’s Haocheng Wang to give the Blazers a one point advantages (8-7) entering the Golden Game. Again, the team with the lower points won the Golden Game – and the 21-19 victory gave them the 6 additional points and the overall 13-8 victory.
The second Saturday match was the Florida Crocs against the Carolina Gold Rush. The Gold Rush logged a dominant performance winning the first phase 9-6 and then winning the Golden Game. Mohamed Shouman topped Daniel Gorak 2-1 to give the Gold Rush the early lead. Chen Sun then swept Tashiya Piyadasa 3-0 to extend the lead to 5-1. And the doubles team of Kai Zhang and Enzo Angles managed a tight 2-1 win over Chihwei Yeh and Angel Naranjo to extend the lead even further to 7-2. At that point, the Crocs mounted a small comeback, winning the next two matches 2-1 to narrow the lead – Marc Duran over Enzo Angles, and Asuka Sakai over Eugene Wang. At that point, the match score was 9-6 with a solid advantage for the Gold Rush and they managed to win the Golden Game 21-20 to secure an overall score of 15-6.
On Sunday, the Crocs and Blazers played in the first matchup followed by the Slice and the Gold Rush. In the early match, the Crocs established a 10-5 lead into the Golden Game. Asuka Sakai gave the Crocs an early 2-1 lead with his match over Kayama Yu. Tashiya Piyadasa then extended that lead with her 3-0 win over Minhyung Jee. The Blazers won the doubles with Tom Feng and Kayama Yu winning 2 of 3 over Chihwei Yeh and Angel Naranjo. Croc’s Marc Duran then logged 3 wins over Jiwei Xia before the Blazer’s Yuya Oshima narrowed the lead a little with a 2-1 win over Daniel Gorak. With the score 10-5 in favor of the Crocs, they had a large advantage entering the Golden Game and held on 21-18 for the win. The final score was 16-5.
The final match of the weekend was between the two undefeated teams – the New York Slice and the Carolina Gold Rush. It was the hometown Gold Rush that won. The Gold Rush’s Enzo Angles topped Koki Niwa 2-1 to give them an early advantage. Chen Sun extended the Gold Rush lead with a 3-0 win over Tiffany Ke. The Slice’s doubles team of Koki Niwa and Yiran Wu won 2-1 over Enzo Angles and Kai Zhang by the narrowest of margins (11-10, 10-11, 11-9). After the final two matches split – with Eugene Wang winning 2-1 for the Gold Rush, and then Jishan Liang winning 2-1 for the Slice, it was a 9-6 advantage for the Gold Rush going in to the final Golden Game. In that Game, the Gold Rush pressed their advantage and won 21-14 – giving them an overall score of 15-6.
The week 2 results were Gold Rush 3-0, Slice 2-1, Crocs 1-2, Blazers 0-3.  And the cumulative season totals now show the Gold Rush leading the East and the Texas Smash leading in the West. Its early, and the young season has yet to begin for three of the ten teams. Lots of action on tap with 15 match weekends (12 more) before the end of March.
Visit ButterflyOnline.com for the latest in table tennis news and results.
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The Paddle Palace Club is proud to host the 2025 Fall Open, a USATT 1-Star Sanctioned Tournament, on Saturday, September…
September 15, 2025
(by: Major League Table Tennis)
See the Carolina Gold Rush Next Weekend
Get ready for an action-packed three days as we kick off the debut of two fantastic new teams—the New York Slice and the Atlanta Blazers—joining the ranks of MLTTâ€s expanding national league! The atmosphere will be electric as the defending champions, the Carolina Gold Rush, take on their opponents in front of their enthusiastic home crowd.
Get 15% off all single-match tickets. Just use code ‘MLTT15’ at checkout when you tap the link below, lock in your seats, and enjoy!
We’ll see you at the table.
Full Weekend of MLTT
With six thrilling matches scheduled at the Charlotte Convention Center, this weekend promises an unforgettable experience for fans of all ages.
Don’t wait for the highlights!
Â
 Stay “In The Loop†with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.
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September 10, 2025 (by: Major League Table Tennis) Opening weekend on TableTennis.TV What a weekend in Pleasanton! Six matches in…
September 7, 2025 (By Steve Hopkins) The opening weekend of Major League Table Tennis featured six matches at Alameda County Fairgrounds…
September 2, 2025 (by: Major League Table Tennis) Opening Week Is Around the Corner — Sep 5–7 It’s been months in…