Butterfly har genomfört en intervju med Hampus. Jag lägger här upp den i sin helhet.
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2010/09/01 10:12
Interview with Hampus Söderlund
It is this very special table tennis feeling
Hampus Soederlund is only 16 years old and the big hope of Swedish table tennis. He plays regularly on the Swedish first division team Mariela IK. Even if his results at the European Junior Championships were below the expectations, the offensive Swedish player has a very clear idea about his future. He wants to become a professional and concentrate only on table tennis. At the moment the Butterfly player is ranked 339 on the senior world ranking list and number 31 on the U 18. Four months ago he was ranked 271 and 19. The pleasant Swede definitely has got potential.
Hampus, you are one of the promising European youngsters. At the age of 16 all doors are open for you. Where is your journey going?
Last year at the European Cadet Championships I became second. It became clear to me where my journey was going. But that is very demanding and takes a lot of training and many competitions and with that experience.
Do you play a lot of tournaments?
Indeed, as much as possible. The ITTF Junior Circuit is very helpful but also other international tournaments.
When did you start playing table tennis and how did you get there?
I was seven years old, when I started. There was a big tournament in my home town and I could watch the former stars like Jan-Ove Waldner, Joergen Person and Peter Karlsson to name only the most important ones. I was fascinated and wished that I could also play like that. That was the starting point. I have to add though that I come from a table tennis family. My parents and all my brothers and sisters are also playing.
It is not rare that the table tennis germ is inherited. Were you top sport orientated right from the start?
Yes, I wanted to be like one of the best right from the start and I did everything for it.
Did your attitude change?
Of course not, I strongly believe in it. Naturally I am not a dreamer and know that it can only go forward step by step but eventually I think that I can make it to the top of the world.
At the moment your life is school and table tennis. Are you a semi-professional or a full-professional?
Difficult to say, rather semi-professional. But next year I will finish school and then I will fully concentrate on table tennis. That means full-professional.
What does your every day training look like?
On some days I train before school from 8 to 10a.m., then school until 3p.m., a little rest at home and then training again in the evening. Quite a full programme.
You play in the first Swedish League with Mariela IK. How strong is the league?
By reducing the number of players from 4 to 3 the level clearly increased. Apart from that there are a few foreign players, especially Chinese, so that the level is higher in Sweden than a lot of people think.
Your game is very offensive and includes all modern attacking strokes. How do you have to improve your game that it becomes more powerful?
On nearly everything, it would be arrogant to maintain at my age that I didn’t need to optimize certain things. My service game has to become more consistent and dangerous. I need to work on more variety but also consistency in my game. Last but not least I must work especially on my speed in the physical area.
What Butterfly material do you use?
I play with Petr Korbel SK 7, Tenergy 64 on the forehand and Tenergy 05 on the backhand. I am very satisfied with that.
What is so fascinating about table tennis that you like it so much and will soon pick it as a profession?
That is difficult to describe. It is this very special table tennis feeling. I also like other sports but I never get this feeling anywhere else. It is not connected to the ball or the movement but more to matches which go well or matches, where you start poorly and you have to fight your way through to win in the end.
Do you need emotions in your game?
Yes, definitely, that is a part of me.
What don’t you like about table tennis and what would you change if you were ITTF president?
The ban of the boosters was not correct, because they don’t harm your health and they can’t be controlled. So many players kept on boosting, others didn’t, a very unpleasant situation for the players.
Etiketter: Intervju
god englelska dis person pratar dont u alla think det ?
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