Hands shaking from high pressure, sophomore Justin Liu raises the white ball to serve to the best player in the 15 and Under Boys’ Singles event at the 2024 United States Open Table Tennis Championship. Eyes locked directly with his opponent’s, Liu remembers his coach’s words: Just play your shots. Have confidence. Whatever happens, happens. Still shaking, but with a renewed sense of resolve, he tosses the ball in the air, ready for the match against his opponent, Charles Shen. 

Since June 2017, table tennis has been an integral part of Liu’s life. What started off as a curious interest in his family’s table tennis table grew into a passion and commitment that surpassed Liu’s initial expectations. Before he began playing table tennis, Liu competed in multiple sports such as club soccer, gymnastics and swimming. His diverse athletic background helped him efficiently pick up table tennis during a summer camp hosted by the World Champions Table Tennis Academy.

“It’s a fast sport,” Liu said. “There are many small details to pay attention to such as the spin, speed and arc trajectory of the ball. It’s challenging, but it’s also fun.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Liu took a break from training, yet his passion spurred him to fully commit to the sport soon after. Two years behind his peers who had spent the pandemic training, Liu’s comparatively stagnant progress led him to slightly regret his choice of committing. Regardless, for the next eight months after August 2021, Liu pushed through, determined to improve as much as possible. 

“Every single day of training, I always see him working hard,” 888 Table Tennis player Kef Noorani said. “He’s very serious, and I think that pushes me to be even better and try to beat him every time.”

To further develop his skills, Liu went through the two-week 2024 China-U.S. Youth Table Tennis Invitational and Training Camp in Beijing. Staying at the Nord Anglia School Beijing Shunyi dorm, Liu spent two weeks balancing sightseeing and fun with hardcore training. From receiving feedback bequeathed upon him by experienced coaches to making friends with Beijing’s A team table tennis players, this rigorous exchange program marked a highlight in Liu’s entire experience. 

“I was so happy to do what I loved nearly every single day,” Liu said. “I was exposed to a new training environment and worked with so many talented athletes and coaches who graced me with invaluable knowledge.”

One aspect of table tennis that drew Liu in was the opportunity to compete individually. This gave him the freedom to focus on refining his own performance, rather than worrying about his teammates. Although Liu does not have teammates playing alongside him directly, he has a community of coaches and friends he practiced with at the 888 Table Tennis Center who provide Liu immense support.

“Having people on the sidelines cheering and coaching you emphasizes that strong community aspect,” Liu said. “Also, trying to be at the same level, or even better, than my friends is a big motivator for me to be the best player possible.”

In addition to support from his table tennis community, Liu’s parents have also played a significant role in supporting his passion. The countless hours of accompanying Liu to his various tournaments and their focus on his enjoyment of the sport instead of his results provides a supportive and low-pressure environment for Liu to thrive.

“My parents never discouraged me,” Liu said. “Even if I don’t perform well or if I’m frustrated, they don’t get upset because they know that I really enjoy the sport.”

Table tennis has not always come easy for Liu. He grappled with keeping his emotions in check during and after matches. To combat this, he focused on what he could do in the future instead of dwelling on prior mistakes. Over many years of practice and discipline, Liu has improved in this aspect of emotional control, contributing to his own overall maturation as a person. 

“The greatest growth that I’ve seen from Liu really is his psychology: handling and understanding of his own emotions,” 888 Table Tennis coach Sean Lee said. “You can only handle your emotions if you understand why you have them, how you feel in those moments and what the best path forward is when you feel those feelings.”

Liu applied these very same lessons as he battled Shen in the U.S. Open match. Despite injuring his sacroiliac joint just days before and losing to Shen in previous matches, Liu’s confidence and observations of Shen’s prior matches gave him an advantage in the game. Staying calm, playing his shots and sticking with his strategy, Liu emerged victorious in a close game. Cheers erupted from the audience, his dad, friends and coaches, all there to see his victory. 

“I felt like I was dreaming,” Liu said. “It’s kind of crazy. All our previous encounters were entirely one-sided, so beating him was a sign that I was getting closer to being on pace with the other kids in my age group.”

Aspiring to eventually make the U19 Pan American table tennis team, Liu continues to train for future tournaments and competitions. With a National Junior Ranking tournament coming up on the weekend of President’s Day, he is working harder than ever to be as prepared as possible.

“This tournament is important for the national team qualification system,” Liu said. “I’m looking forward to going there to compete and see what I can do.” 

This story was originally published on The Epic on February 3, 2025.