JOOLA USA

Natalie Sun

Age/DOB: 12, Christmas Eve 1995

Home Club: Palo Alto Table Tennis Club

Equipment

Racket: JOOLA Stefan Feth Cross

Forehand sponge: JOOLA Mambo H   (high friction)

Backhand sponge: JOOLA Tango Ultra  short (pips)

Shoes: JOOLA Bend

What are your best titles or rankings?

I have had several interesting ones, but my most memorable one was when I was awarded a Certificate of Recognition by the mayor of Mountain View, my hometown. My latest one was finishing sixth at the US National Cadet Team Trials in December 2008.  I've also won a doubles title with Lily Zhang in 2006, where we each received a trophy and 40 dollars. That was a wonderful time.

When and how did you start playing?

I started playing seriously at 8 1/2. I remember my first table tennis game on a cruise ship in China when I was very young, about 4 years old. When I was eight, my father bought a table at home, and I started playing with him. Within one month of that, I started taking lessons.

Describe your playing style.

I'm an offensive player. I mostly loop on my forehand and can only hit with my backhand pips.

Who are your coaches?

My current coaches are Stefan Feth and Nan Li.

Who do you practice with?

I practiced weekly at the Palo Alto Table Tennis Club. I also participate in the Bay Area Table Tennis Federation league.

What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on my consistency, and strengthening my forehand loop.

What are your table tennis goals – short-, intermediate- and long-term?

For short term, I'd say to make the cadet team in 2008.

My intermediate goal is to make the US Junior Team when I grow a bit older.

In long term, my goal is to make the Olympic and National team to represent the US, and to win a medal in the Olympics. But there are other non-game winning goals. I want to take all the experiences in table tennis, and use them to become a decent and successful person with good personality.

What are your interests outside table tennis?

I enjoy reading, running, riding horses occasionally, rollerskating, biking, and spending time and playing with my siblings and parents.

Tell us something really interesting about yourself.

I used to ride horses when I was 7 to 8. Then I quit after a weird series of small mysterious bumps grew on my skin. As those bumps moved closer and closer to my heart, the family doctor suggested that I quit horseback riding for we were not sure what would happen if those bumps reached my heart. We couldn't take that risk. So I quit horseback riding, and soon enough, they figured out that I wasn't allergic to horses at all but to something else. Nevertheless,  it was too late for me to get back to riding. I was already well into table tennis.