Major League Table Tennis isn’t only about the players lighting up the court. Behind every team is a coach shaping strategies, instilling discipline, and guiding athletes through the league’s unique challenges. From Golden Points to the Golden Game, these coaches carry the pressure, passion, and pride of their teams into every match.

Season 3 introduces new faces alongside returning leaders, each with their own philosophy and story. Some bring decades of international experience, others are taking on the role for the first time. Together, they represent the evolving heartbeat of MLTT and the spirit of innovation that makes the league unlike anything else in the table tennis world.

Romain Lorentz - Los Angeles Spinners

Q1: Last season you clinched the final point for Carolina Gold Rush in the MLTT Championship. What emotions do you remember from that moment?

It was amazing to win the championship point last season, I didn’t expect to play that much during the championship weekend but coach Alex decided to give me his confidence so I felt I had a big responsibility. It was also probably my last very important match as a player so it was a lot of emotions especially in front of my girlfriend and my daughter. She will not remember that moment but I will!!

Q2: You’ve now shifted from player to head coach of the Los Angeles Spinners. How different does it feel being on the bench instead of the court?

It’s a different feeling of course when you are playing you kind of control what will happen and what you are going to do as a coach you try to help the player to feel confident and make the right choice at the right moment. The pressure is different but I enjoy both sides!!

Q3: As a player, you thrived in pressure situations like the Golden Game. How does your personal experience influence how you prepare your team for those moments?

Every player in my team already has a big experience and played many importants games in their career so I will not explain to them how to prepare for those situations. My goal will be to give them confidence so they can play the best table tennis as possible.

Q4: What excites you most about leading a new team in MLTT, and what culture are you hoping to establish with the Spinners?

I am really excited about this new challenge as a coach. It will be my first experience as a coach as well at this level so I will learn a lot from my players. I know what I need from a coach to play my best table tennis as possible so I will try to help every player of the team personally so they feel confident with me on the bench. I want to establish a lot of confidence between all the players and me. Players need to feel good outside of the table to perform well at the table so we will need to share good moments outside of the table and to support each other all the time at the table.

Q5: You’ve played in European leagues as well as MLTT. What do you think MLTT is doing right to make the league exciting for both fans and players?

Yes I played in many different leagues in Europe but MLTT is really different. Every set counts, every point counts so it makes it very exciting for the players and for the spectators. Playing the golden game is also something very special. You can really feel the pressure and everyone is waiting for that moment. In Europe you don’t have that.

Q6: What are your thoughts on the open serve rule, and how do you think it changes the game strategically?

The open serve double is something totally new in table tennis history so I think everyone is really curious about it and no one  really knows what to expect. It will be very interesting to see how it goes and what kind of players will be good at that. It will take time to get used to it so we will have to practice and be patient. It will change the strategy on the first 3 shots ( service receive and first ball)

Q7: Looking back on your journey from player to coach, what lessons do you want to pass down to the Spinners this season?

For me the MlTT is consistent because every point counts so I will try to explain that to all my players. The level of focus and intensity is really important and every player has to be fully ready to focus for 3 sets and the golden game. Even if you lost the first 2 sets 11/5 11/5 you still get the chance to win one set and very important points in the golden game so it’s really important to keep your focus really high during 2 and half hours. Basically everything is possible with this system.

Rapid Fire:

Best moment of your playing career (so far)? Second place at the French championships in Single in 2016. Wins against Marcos Freitas in the French league who was number 9 in the world at that time.

Golden Game—scarier to play or to coach? Probably scarier to coach because you don’t control anything.

Favorite Los Angeles food? I’ve never been to LA yet so I will let you know in December after our home week end but I love food in general!!

Player you’d most like to coach against in MLTT? It will be fun to coach against the French players that I know really well ( Enzo and Manu Lebesson).

One word that describes the Spinners? Fighters

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