At the recent ITTF Coaches Conference in London, Danish table tennis legend Michael Maze captivated the room with his mix of humour, honesty and deep insight into modern table tennis.

The former European champion in both singles and team event, Maze shared how his daily training routines blended structure and spontaneity from classic backhand/forehand drills to free-play match simulations that tested decision-making under pressure. He highlighted how today’s young players often focus heavily on speed and intensity, sometimes overlooking the art of rhythm change using variation to create mistakes rather than just overpowering their opponents.

What Maze focused on and really tried to get the audience to resonate with, was his message on creativity. He encouraged coaches to let young players experiment to “play with fantasy” – which includes trying new shots, ideas and game situations without fear of failure, especially in practice.

“It’s not about being a machine, you have to play for fun, to develop crazy things, that’s where the magic comes from, he said.” It was a brilliant reminder that technical discipline and creative freedom don’t compete, they complete each other.

Practical top tip from the conference – “When returning serve keep back, stay low and relaxed and have a loose grip, always keeping an open mind.”