When most Americans hear the words “table tennis,” memories of casually playing pingpong at family reunions and in friends’ garages spring to mind. For an extremely small minority, however, table tennis is the focus of years of hard work and determination.
“Top Spin” follows three teenage American athletes – Ariel Hsing, Michael Landers and Lily Zhang – as they fight to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games. Passionate about their sport, they sacrifice years of their young lives for little more than bragging rights. As one competitor points out, professional American table tennis players make less than “professional” beer pong champions. Even among their peers, the accomplishments of these three athletes – some of the best players in the nation – go mostly unnoticed.
Should the teens succeed at the Olympic Trials and finally get the chance compete on the world stage, their struggles would only intensify. Americans, the film points out, have never been great at table tennis. When Landers, who became the youngest U.S. Men’s Table Tennis Champion at age 15, travels to China to train, his Chinese coach regards him as just an amateur. Despite their intensity, all three teens manage to both win and lose with grace and poise.
In addition to its surprisingly compelling narrative, “Top Spin” features beautiful slow-motion footage that illustrates just how much skill goes into professional-level table tennis. The players dance around the table and apply almost imperceptible spins with techniques that rival those of actual tennis champions. Suffice to say, this documentary ought to instill a newfound appreciation for pingpong in viewers.
While the film presents the lead-up to the London Olympics, it is particularly relevant now as one of its stars, Zhang, is headed to Rio on the U.S. National Team. “Top Spin” shows what it takes for athletes to qualify for one of the most-dismissed Olympic teams and is sure to change quite a few people’s opinions of the sport.
[email protected]. Nick Gonzales is one of The Durango Herald newsroom’s resident film buffs. He welcomes movie recommendations. Follow him on Twitter @lackingzones.
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