Pitchford determined to build on stellar year

By any standards, itÔÇÖs fair to say Liam Pitchford has had a sensational year, starting with Team World Cup bronze and ending with smashing into the worldÔÇÖs top 20, via Commonwealth Games gold and a string of victories over the worldÔÇÖs best players.

But EnglandÔÇÖs No 1 ÔÇô at No 16 in the world, our highest-ranked player since 1980 ÔÇô is not planning to rest on any laurels and is focused on working hard to reach even more exalted heights.

He does allow a brief reflection on his work in 2018, though not surprisingly he struggles to pick out one particular highlight.

ÔÇťResults-wise and ranking-wise itÔÇÖs definitely the best year of my career,ÔÇŁ said the Chesterfield man.

ÔÇťThere have been ups and downs, but mainly ups and thatÔÇÖs very positive and gives me a lot to take into 2019.

ÔÇťItÔÇÖs difficult to choose one highlight. Beating Ma Long (at the Bulgaria Open) was massive ÔÇô he never really loses to European players, so that was a massive confidence boost.

ÔÇťAt Gold Coast (the Commonwealth Games), even though I didnÔÇÖt play to my best level, I came away with a gold medal, which is something IÔÇÖd dreamed of, so that was a big moment.

ÔÇťOn the World Tour, I was winning consistently and got to two semi-finals, just missing out on the Grand Finals.

ÔÇťAnd back in February the team World Cup was a good one to start the year and everything got better from that point. So they were all different but all good.ÔÇŁ

Dimitrij Ovtcharov, Timo Boll and World Tour Grand Finals champion Tomokazu Harimoto are on the list of players beaten by Pitchford this year, but it is not just the results but the manner of them which has caught the eye, with Pitchford able to impose his game on opponents for sustained periods.

It is something he puts down to a combination of mental, physical and technical work.

ÔÇťBeing a lot stronger mentally and having a lot more belief in myself, even when itÔÇÖs not going well, being able to turn things in my favour, has been important,ÔÇŁ he said.

ÔÇťPhysically, IÔÇÖve never had a problem with the running side of the game. IÔÇÖve not got the biggest muscles, but thatÔÇÖs my body type. But IÔÇÖve been working on that and I feel IÔÇÖm a lot stronger ÔÇô and that gives me confidence going on the table.

ÔÇťIÔÇÖve worked on a few small things on my technique too, so everything just kind of clicked together this year.

ÔÇťThereÔÇÖs a lot of things still to work on. You can never be perfect, but IÔÇÖll keep working and hopefully getting better.ÔÇŁ

After Christmas with family, itÔÇÖs back to his Copenhagen training base to prepare for the Hungarian Open, which starts on January 15, and after that the Europe Top 16 in Montreux on the first weekend in February ÔÇô the latter a new experience for Pitchford and for which he will be seeded fourth.

ÔÇťIÔÇÖm spending Christmas in England and then going back to Copenhagen and getting back to putting the work in,ÔÇŁ he said.

ÔÇťHopefully I can play well in Hungary and then itÔÇÖs the Europe Top 16. ItÔÇÖs the first time IÔÇÖve qualified ÔÇô I was first reserve once and went out there and got to practise with the guys and watch the tournament.

ÔÇťIÔÇÖll be going there as the No 4 seed. IÔÇÖm not putting expectations on myself. There will be 16 strong players there and thereÔÇÖs no easy matches. IÔÇÖm going to try and enjoy it and the opportunity is there to go on and qualify for the MenÔÇÖs World Cup. I just need to keep working hard.ÔÇŁ

Further confidence could be taken from the results at the World Tour Grand Finals, won by 15-year-old Tomokazu Harimoto of Japan and where Brazilian Hugo Calderano reached the semi-finals.

Pitchford has beaten both men on two occasions this year, in the case of champion Harimoto defeating him 3-0 at both the Team World Cup (11, 8, 5) and World Team Championships (5, 5, 3).

And Pitchford said: ÔÇťTable tennis is for the most part a game of styles, and some players you like playing against more than others.

ÔÇťHeÔÇÖs 15 years old and has won the World Tour finals. To beat him twice 3-0 definitely gives me confidence I can to what heÔÇÖs done.ÔÇŁ

English fans will have a chance to watch Pitchford at the PG Mutual National Championships in Nottingham from March 1-3, where he goes in as defending champion having last year picked up his fourth MenÔÇÖs Singles title at the Copper Box Arena.

And while the Nationals is understandably not the biggest tournament on his horizon, he still wants to win ÔÇô and he points out that the standard is the highest it has been for some time and spectators are in for a treat.

He is taking nothing for granted, with the rest of the England Team World Cup squad ÔÇô Paul Drinkhall, Sam Walker, David McBeath and Tom Jarvis ÔÇô all capable of turning it on in Nottingham.

ÔÇťIÔÇÖll go there and try to win ÔÇô IÔÇÖve got four, so five would be nice,ÔÇŁ said Pitchford. ÔÇťBut equally, the European Games are coming up and the Olympics next year and those are obviously bigger tournaments.

ÔÇťMe and Paul have won 10 of the last 11 Nationals ÔÇô heÔÇÖs one of the best English players ever, and hopefully people think of me that way too. It would be nice to go down in the record books with another title.

ÔÇťThereÔÇÖs definitely going to be some good matches. Paul wasnÔÇÖt in his best shape last year, but heÔÇÖll be back, and Sam is fighting for his first singles title and thatÔÇÖs quite important to him, so heÔÇÖll be hungry.

ÔÇťDavid got his first senior title in the doubles last year and obviously beat Paul in the singles and you wouldnÔÇÖt underestimate him. And Tom is improving and can surprise people, and heÔÇÖs got time on his side ÔÇô in fact, weÔÇÖre all still young.

ÔÇťItÔÇÖs definitely good for English table tennis and good for the spectators.ÔÇŁ