Major League Table Tennis heads to Hollywood, Florida, for a weekend that can reshape the playoff race. 

The Chicago Wind, Bay Area Blasters, Los Angeles Spinners, and the Florida Crocs will head to Broward Table Tennis Club and each play three matches, all of which end with the thrilling Golden Game. Every Golden Game to 21 is worth six team points, so one sharp rotation can turn an average night into a season-defining result.

Florida’s roster comes together at Broward only on MLTT weekends, yet the hall still feels familiar and friendly for them. With Liam Pitchford sidelined through injury after recent hip surgery, this stop carries a different tone for the Crocs and their supporters.

Event Snapshot

Venue: Broward Table Tennis Club, Hollywood, Florida

Match schedule
• Friday 4:00 pm – Chicago Wind vs Bay Area Blasters
• Friday 7:30 pm – LA Spinners vs Florida Crocs

• Saturday 4:00 pm – Chicago Wind vs LA Spinners
• Saturday 7:30 pm – Bay Area Blasters vs Florida Crocs

• Sunday 11:00 am – LA Spinners vs Bay Area Blasters
• Sunday 2:30 pm – Chicago Wind vs Florida Crocs

Streaming: Table Tennis TV: available online (tabletennis.tv), on iOS, Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV

Current records
• Chicago Wind: 5 - 4, 96 points, .536
• Bay Area Blasters: 2 - 4, 50 points, .397
• LA Spinners: 1 - 5, 50 points, .397
• Florida Crocs: 2 - 4, 56 points, .444

Which club will use Hollywood to create separation from their foes, and who will finish the weekend still seeking answers?

Chicago Wind – Depth And Discipline

Roster
Coach: Eric Owens
Players: Robert Gardos, Emmanuel Lebesson, Jeongwoo Park, Sean Zhang, Daniel Tran, Mo Zhang

Chicago went 2-1 in Atlanta. They beat Atlanta comfortably and edged Princeton 11-10, but fell to Bay Area when the Blasters grabbed the Golden Game.

Core pieces
• Robert Gardos sits near the top of the MLTT power rankings. His heavy topspin and serve quality give Chicago a reliable point engine.
• Jeongwoo Park and Emmanuel Lebesson bring strong middle-order stability and dangerous doubles pairings with Sean Zhang or Daniel Tran.
• Mo Zhang anchors the women’s singles position. She moved to Canada during her youth and became a five-time Canadian Olympian, with many of her biggest results in the ITTF Pan Am region.

In Hollywood, Mo faces Lily Zhang, Matilda Ekholm, and Angela Guan in three key women’s singles matches. Those results can tilt each tie before the Golden Game begins. Can Chicago turn its depth into comfortable margins so that the Golden Game becomes a closer, not a rescue operation?

Bay Area Blasters – High Ceiling, Hungry For Results

Roster
Coach: Tim Wang
Players: Taehyun Kim, Kwang-Il Baek, Senura Silva, Lily Zhang, Jinbao Ma, Elsayed Lashin

Bay Area left Atlanta 1-2, but they were only a few rallies from a solid weekend. Their SPINDEX ratings and power rankings show a roster that can score in bunches.

Key threats:
• Lily Zhang is one of the faces of American table tennis. She learned the game in the Bay Area, is a six-time U.S. Women’s Singles Champion, and a four-time U.S. Olympian.
• Elsayed Lashin ranks inside the top group of MLTT by power rating. His serve variation and legendary fight help him win close sets and steady the lineup.
• Jinbao Ma, Taehyun Kim, Kwang-Il Baek, and Senura Silva provide a deep mix of styles and left-right combinations for both singles and doubles.

Women’s singles will be a highlight every day.
• Lily vs Mo Zhang (Chicago) features nine Olympic appearances between them.
• Lily vs Angela Guan (Florida) pairs Lily’s early timing against Angela’s defensive reading and counter-attack.
• Lily vs Matilda Ekholm (LA) brings a classic U.S. versus Sweden feel to a league weekend.
Bay Area’s main task is to win the mental game. They already proved they can beat Chicago and push every other team. Can they protect leads and manage Golden Games with more control, or will volatility follow them into Florida?

LA Spinners – International Experience Looking For A Reset

Roster
Coach: Romain Lorentz
Players: Kou Lei, Lubomir Pistej, Alexandre Robinot, Marcos Madrid, Andrew Cao, Matilda Ekholm

Los Angeles did not play in Atlanta, so they arrived in Florida well-rested and eager to improve a 1-5 start.

Key leaders:
• Kou Lei learned table tennis in China, later represented Ukraine internationally, and now lives in the Bay Area. His mix of Chinese training and European league experience makes him one of the most dangerous openers in the competition.
• Ľubomír Pištej holds a strong singles record and sits high in the power rankings. He can handle early or late positions in the order.
• Alexandre Robinot and Marcos Madrid add two-wing offense and reliable doubles skills.
• Matilda Ekholm, a veteran left-handed attacker, anchors the women’s slot and brings decades of top-level international experience. She returns to Florida and faces the team she played for last season.

Matilda’s consistency will help drive LA’s success. She faces Angela Guan on Friday, Mo Zhang on Saturday, and Lily Zhang on Sunday. How many of those three can she convert into team points?  The golden game is where it matters most, can she score when it matters most?

If Kou Lei and Pištej start fast, do the Spinners finally look like the top-half team their ratings suggest?

Florida Crocs – “Home” Weekend Without Their Star

Roster
Coach: Frank Arias
Players: Daniel Gorak, Marc Duran, Angel Naranjo, Asuka Sakai, Chih Wei Yeh, Angela Guan

The Crocs see Broward TTC as their home stage when the full roster comes together. The bounce, lighting, and local support should favor them, even though they train in different locations during the year.

Important context:
Liam Pitchford, one of the league’s highest-rated players, will not appear as he continues recovery from hip surgery. That absence forces other Crocs to take on larger roles.

Key pieces:
• Marc Duran and Daniel Gorak bring long European league careers and high Spindex ratings. They form a strong top pair in singles and key options in doubles.
• Asuka Sakai ranks well in the power tables. His backhand speed and counter-attack ability make him a dangerous middle-order weapon.
• Angel Naranjo adds fearless counterplay and can serve as a Golden Game spark plug.
• Angela Guan, joining as a free agent, handles women’s singles and will face Ekholm, Lily Zhang, and Mo Zhang across the weekend.

Florida sits at 2-4. Can this deeper, more balanced lineup turn familiar surroundings into a winning record and close the gap on Princeton and Carolina?

Matchups To Watch

Chicago Wind vs Bay Area Blasters – Friday 4 pm
Immediate rematch of a tight tie from Atlanta. Chicago want payback, Bay Area want confirmation.

• Men: Gardos and Park against Ma, Lashin, and Kim.
• Women: Mo Zhang vs Lily Zhang, a showcase clash between a five-time Canadian Olympian and a four-time U.S. Olympian with six national women’s titles.

Do we see a statement from one side, or another last-ball Golden Game finish?

LA Spinners vs Florida Crocs – Friday 7:30 pm
A perfect opening test for both clubs.

• Top order: Kou Lei and Pištej versus Duran and Gorak delivers true European league tactics on U.S. soil.
• Women: Matilda Ekholm vs Angela Guan: veteran spinner vs. veteran defender.

Which coach leaves night one feeling in control of the weekend?

Bay Area Blasters vs Florida Crocs – Saturday 7:30 pm

By Saturday evening, standings pressure will rise.

• Lily Zhang vs Angela Guan highlights women’s singles.
• Duran, Gorak, and Sakai will try to slow Bay Area’s tempo and force longer rallies on a table they know well.

Does home comfort counter Bay Area’s firepower?

LA Spinners vs Bay Area Blasters – Sunday 11 am

Potential offensive showcase.

• Kou Lei and Pistej against Ma, Lashin, and Kim.
• Ekholm vs Lily Zhang, lefty European control against early-timing American aggression.

Which team manages energy best on the final day?

Chicago Wind vs Florida Crocs – Sunday 2:30 pm

Hollywood’s closing match may shape both conferences.

• Gardos and Park vs Duran and Sakai.
• Mo Zhang vs Angela Guan in women’s singles.

If both teams arrive with similar records, how will they handle the last Golden Game of the weekend?

Players To Watch

Using recent power and Spindex data, plus current form, these names stand out:

• Lily Zhang (Bay Area)
Six-time U.S. Women’s Singles Champion and four-time Olympian. A proven closer in singles and Golden Games.

• Mo Zhang (Chicago)
Five-time Canadian Olympian with a long history of success in the ITTF Pan Am region. Chicago’s anchor in women’s singles.

• Elsayed Lashin (Bay Area)
Veteran with a high power rating and steady results against top opposition.

• Robert Gardos and Jeongwoo Park (Chicago)
Core of Chicago’s singles and doubles strength. Their form often decides how much pressure Mo Zhang and Lebesson face late.

• Kou Lei and Lubomir Pistej (LA)
High-rated pair who can flip LA’s season with one strong weekend.

• Marc Duran and Asuka Sakai (Florida)
Florida’s control and pressure combination at the top and middle of the order.

• Angel Naranjo (Florida)
A potential Golden Game catalyst with fearless shot selection and crowd-friendly style.

Which of these players turns Broward TTC into a personal highlight reel, and who quietly wins the deuce points that swing six Golden Game team points?

Hollywood gives us four talented rosters in one hall, with every match carrying playoff weight. Coaches must balance lineups over three team matches, manage the women’s singles slot carefully, and pick the right five for that single sprint to 21.

For fans, it is a rare chance to see Olympic-level talent and deep league rosters in a club environment. I will be watching closely on TableTennis.TV to see which team walks out of Broward with the clearest path toward the MLTT postseason.

Tickets available at https://tickets.mltt.com/
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