Once upon a time a seasoned journalist asked of a world class athlete the key to beating his opponent. The response was breathtakingly simple: score more points. In table tennis that’s certainly true, but only tells part of the story. To be a winner at the game you must also take calculated risks and be decisive. In our sport there is nothing more decisive than ending the point with as few strokes as possible. It’s mano a mano, you vs the player across the table. Will you take a chance on your serve and force a return such that you end the point on the ‘Third Ball’? You sense that your opponent has a defensive posture and just wants to put the ball into play. Will you take matters into your own hands and end the rally abruptly with a crushing service return? Better yet, how about a one stroke rally? End it on your terms with an ace. Three, Two and One-Hit Wonders are the weapons of choice of the aggressor – and to the aggressor go the spoils.

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The 2015 Edmonton Open Table Tennis Championships took place September 5 and 6 at the Saville Community Sports Centre. The Edmonton Open is an annual tournament organized to Table Tennis Canada’s (TTCAN) 3-star standard and is hosted and run entirely by volunteers of the Edmonton Table Tennis Club (ETTC).