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[TOP 置顶】

One major contributor to this resurgence is the ITTF Hopes Program, which has identified and nurtured promising young Kiwi athletes. Leading the charge is 12-year-old Eli Ho, the winner of the 2024 ITTF World Hopes Week & Challenge in Paraguay. 

A Unique Playing Style: The Rise of the “Tiger Wing”

Eli Ho isn’t just making waves because of his talent—his playing style is unlike anything seen before. He uses the Tiger Wing grip, a hybrid between the traditional Japanese penhold and the shakehand grip. This unique technique allows him to attack and block with the same side of the racket while using long pimples on the reverse side for service returns and backhand pushes. The mastermind behind this innovative grip? His father, John Ho—a passionate table tennis enthusiast who has spent years analyzing playing styles. “When Eli started playing this way, people thought it was strange,” John recalls. “They questioned why he was using such an unconventional grip. But now, with his success, more and more coaches are paying attention. I’m excited to see if the Tiger Wing style can produce a truly world-class player.” 

～ Mikael Andersson

ITTF Sports Development Director

“The Garden of Eden” 發表於 2025年3月19日

[中文译文] 这种复苏的一个主要贡献者是国际乒联希望计划，该计划发现并培养了有前途的年轻新西兰运动员。领跑这一潮流的是 12 岁的 Eli Ho，他是 2024 年国际乒联巴拉圭世界希望周和挑战赛的冠军。

独特的打法：“虎翼”的崛起

Eli Ho 不仅因为天赋而引起轰动，他的打法也前所未见。他使用虎翼握法，这是传统日本直拍和横拍的混合体。这种独特的技术使他能够用球拍的同一侧进攻和阻挡，同时使用另一侧的长颗粒进行发球回击和反手推击。这种创新握法背后的策划者是谁？他的父亲 John Ho 是一位热情的乒乓球爱好者，多年来一直在分析打法。“当 Eli 开始这样打球时，人们认为这很奇怪，”John 回忆道。“他们质疑他为什么要使用这种非常规的握法。但现在，随着他的成功，越来越多的教练开始关注他。我很高兴看到虎翼风格能否培养出真正的世界级球员。”

~国际乒联体育发展总监Mikael Andersson, “The Garden of Eden “發表於 2025年3月19日

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25 Nov 2025

This is a first-ever, fantastic ITTF video introducing TigerWing style during the World Table Tennis Event.

Sincerely, thank you to ITTF.

Let’s see what the unique ‘Tiger Wing’ playing style is all about from Eli Ho of New Zealand at the ITTF World Youth Championships 2025.

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India – JAIPUR TABLE TENNIS ACADEMY @jaipur_table_tennis_academy

20? Oct 2025

Some players change the game… Ho Eli is one of them! With his unique grip, he plays long pips on the backhand and uses the forehand grip on the backhand without twiddling. Result? Effortless blocks against fast topspins & counters Not easy at all — it takes insane practice and dedication! — Ho Eli (New Zealand) is known for his rare grip and unique playing style in table tennis. Backhand with long pips + forehand grip used on backhand No need for twiddling Blocks fast topspin and counter-attacks with ease This “Grip Innovation” proves the saying: Necessity is the mother of invention.

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Herald on Sunday
28-09-2025

Thirteen-year-old Ho youngest NZ champ

Some of the best-known names in New Zealand table tennis continue to excel at the national championships but two teenagers claimed the main titles in Auckland this week.

Thirteen-year-old Eli Ho became the youngest men’s singles winner in the history of the New Zealand Open Championships, beating 17-year-old Timothy Choi 4-3 in a final that went the distance.

“It feels amazing to win my first New Zealand Open title,” said Ho.
“I knew it was going to be tough against some of the country’s best players and the final was one of the hardest matches I’ve ever played.
I just tried to stay focused on every point. To come through and make a bit of history at the same time is special.”

Ho has already experienced success at international level, last year winning the ITTF World Hopes Week Challenge boys’ singles title.

The men’s field included 32-year-old Teng Teng Liu, a seven-time champion who reached the semi-finals, and 61-year-old Barry Griffiths, an eight-time national singles title holder who contested the 1988 Seoul Olympics and reached the round of 16 this week.

The women’s singles was won by 19-year-old Hannah Li, who beat Gina Liu 4-0 in the final after beating 63-year-old Li Chunli in the semifinals.
Li competed at four Olympics, the first at Barcelona in 1992, and won four medals aged 40 when table tennis was introduced to the Commonwealth Games at Manchester in
2002. These remain the only table tennis medals New Zealand has won at the Commonwealth Games.

The New Zealand Open Championships featured 22 events across team, singles, doubles and mixed doubles categories, attracting more than 135 teams and 320 singles and doubles entries.

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Ho, 13, youngest in history to claim NZ open title

Otago Daily Times

Monday, 29 September 2025

Remember the name of this young fellow.

Eli Ho created history when he won the men’s singles title at the New Zealand open championships in Auckland last week.

At 13, Ho was the youngest winner in the history of the tournament.

The championships featured 22 events across team, singles, doubles and mixed doubles categories, attracting over 135 teams and more than 320 singles and doubles entries.

The men’s singles draw included some of New Zealand’s most decorated players.

Barry Griffiths, a former Olympian and eight-time champion, was aiming for a record ninth title before exiting in the round of 16, while Teng Teng Liu, a seven-time winner, reached the semifinals in pursuit of his eighth crown.

But youngster Ho quickly became the story.

He plays the unorthodox “tiger wing” style under the coaching of his father, John, while his sister is a former New Zealand No 1.

In the final, Ho showed remarkable composure and fight, edging out 17-year-old Timothy Choi in a thrilling seven-game battle.

The match went the distance, but Eli kept his cool to close it out 4-3 and claim the title.

He was marginally younger than Roger Rao, who won the national title in 2010.

Last year, Ho won the prestigious ITTF World Hopes Week Challenge boys singles title.

“It feels amazing to win my first New Zealand open title,” he said.

“I knew it was going to be tough against some of the country’s best players, and the final was one of the hardest matches I have ever played.

“I just tried to stay focused on every point. To come through and make a bit of history at the same time is special.”

The women’s singles was an exciting contest with Olympian Li Chunli, who first wore the silver fern at the 1992 Barcelona Games, chasing her 11th title.

She was beaten in the semifinals by 19-year-old Hannah Li, who overpowered Gina Liu in straight sets to claim the title. 

— Allied Media

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SCOOP

Saturday, 27 September 2025, 1:46 pm
Press Release: Table Tennis NZ

History Made At The New Zealand Open Championships: Youngest Men’s Singles Champion Crowned

The 2025 New Zealand Open Championships delivered a historic milestone as Eli Ho became the youngest ever winner of the Men’s Singles title on 24 September 2025. This year’s Championships, one of the pinnacle events on the Table Tennis New Zealand calendar, featured 22 events across team, singles, doubles and mixed doubles categories, attracting over 135 teams and more than 320 singles and doubles entries.

The Men’s Singles draw included some of New Zealand’s most decorated players. Barry Griffiths, a former Olympian and eight-time champion, was aiming for a record ninth title before exiting in the Round of 16. Teng Teng Liu, a seventh-time winner, reached the semi-finals in pursuit of his eighth crown.

In the final, Eli showed incredible composure and fight, edging out 17-year-old Timothy Choi in a thrilling seven-game battle. The match went the distance, but Eli kept his cool to close it out 4–3 and take the title. Just last year he won the prestigious ITTF World Hopes Week Challenge Boys’ singles title, and now he’s proving himself not only on the international stage but also against the very best in New Zealand.

Speaking after his victory, Ho said: “It feels amazing to win my first New Zealand Open title. I knew it was going to be tough against some of the country’s best players, and the final was one of the hardest matches I have ever played. I just tried to stay focused on every point. To come through and make a bit of history at the same time is special.”

Advertisement – scroll to continue reading

The Women’s Singles was an exciting contest, with Olympian Li Chunli, who first wore the silver fern at the 1992 Barcelona Games, chasing her 11th title. Unfortunately, she lost to 19-year-old Hannah Li in the semifinals round. Hannah then carried her momentum into the finals, overpowering Gina Liu in straight sets, 4–0, to claim the title.

The New Zealand Open Championships once again showcased the best table tennis talent across NZ, celebrating the legends of the game while also shining a light on the exciting new generation coming through.

© Scoop Media

John is a long time member of the waikato table tennis association
and is hugely respected both for his technical excellence and clever tactical play.
I feel sure that whatever style of play John comes up with will repay careful attention and I look forward to seeing it in action.

[中文译文] John是怀卡多乒乓球协会的資深成员，
因其卓越的打球技术和巧妙的战术发挥而备受尊敬。
我确信无论John提出什么样的新的比赛打法风格，都值得眾人认真关注，
我真心期待看到它的實際運作成功！

~ Mark Caunter – President of Waikato Table Tennis Association, 30/Nov/2018
马可 康特 – 怀卡托乒乓球协会主席，2018年11月30日

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Announced in March, Eli Ho, 13 years old …. included in the International Table Tennis Federation’s “With the Future in Mind” scholarship programme for 2025. 

Living in Auckland, although Eli Ho originates from Hamilton, where when only five years old, under the direction of his father, John Ho, he started to play table tennis in his garage. Each day he practises two hours, on average 14 hours per week.

In 2024, Eli dominated the New Zealand Junior Open Championships,… More significantly, he emerged successful at the New Zealand Hopes Week, followed by the ITTF-Oceania Hopes Challenge in Melbourne; thus, gaining a place in the ITTF World Hopes Challenge staged in Paraguay in November. Moreover, not only did he qualify; he won the boys’ singles event to become the first player from Oceania ever to achieve the feat!

Furthermore, earlier this year in April, he captured both the under-15 and under-13 boys’ singles titles at the WTT Youth Contender San Francisco Il tournament!

 ……employs the traditional shake hands grip. For Eli, it is very different.

“At the age of six and a half, I changed to the Tiger Wing style invented by my dad in August 2018”, explained Eli. “The grip is a hybrid between the traditional Japanese pen-hold and the shake-hand grips. It is unique and always gives the opponents surprise.”

Watching Eli Ho execute attacking strokes, using the same side of the racket when the ball is returned to either his forehand or backhand side, takes you back to a bygone era, the 1970s, in particular, Danny Seemiller of the United States, who owns the unique privilege of having the grip named after him. 

~ July 2025 edition of the ITTF’s Swaythling Magazine, (p35-37) an ITTF publication that highlights inspiring stories and achievements in table tennis. 

[中文译文] …三月宣布，Eli Ho，13 歲…被列入國際乒乓球聯合會2025年「著眼未來」獎學金計劃。

Eli Ho 現居奧克蘭，但出生於漢密爾頓。年僅五歲時，在父親 John Ho 的指導下，開始在自家車庫打乒乓球。他每天練習兩小時，平均每週練習14小時。

2024 年，何倚天 (Eli Ho) 在新西蘭青少年公開錦標賽上大獲全勝，更重要的是，他在新西蘭希望週以及隨後在墨爾本舉行的國際乒聯-大洋洲希望挑戰賽中取得成功；從而獲得了11月在巴拉圭舉行的國際乒聯世界希望挑戰賽的參賽資格。此外，他不僅獲得了資格；他贏得了男子單打比賽的冠軍，成為大洋洲第一位取得這一成就的選手！

此外，今年 4 月初，他在 WTT 青年挑戰賽舊金山錦標賽中贏得了 15 歲以下和 13 歲以下男子單打冠軍！ 

……採用傳統的握手方式。對何倚天 (Eli Ho) 來說，情況就完全不同了。

“我在六歲半的時候，於2018年8月改練了我爸爸發明的虎翼式”，Eli解釋道。這種握拍方式融合了日本傳統直拍和橫拍的握法。它非常獨特，總是能給對手帶來驚奇。

觀看 Eli Ho 執行進攻性擊球，當球回到他的正手或反手側時使用球拍的同一側，讓你回到過去的時代，特別是 20 世紀 70 年代，美國的 Danny Seemiller，他擁有以他的名字命名的握拍方式的獨特特權。

~ 國際乒聯《Swaythling 雜誌》2025 年 7 月版（第 35-37 頁），這是一份國際乒聯出版物，重點介紹乒乓球運動中鼓舞人心的故事和成就。

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Eli Ho is on The Waikato Local Newspaper 30/04/25.

Waikato teenager on top of the world

Eli Ho has won back-to-back titles at a world table tennis competition, an achievement that is a first for any Kiwi.

Table Tennis NZ has called him a “rising star” of the sport and said his double win at the WTT Youth Contender in San Francisco was a showcase of “outstanding skill and composure throughout”.

Eli, 13, clinched both the under-13 and
under-15 singles titles. “This double crown marks a milestone moment for New Zealand Table Tennis and a sign of more exciting things to come,” the national table tennis association said.

Eli is no stranger to breaking barriers.
Last year, at the age of 12, he made New Zealand table tennis history by becoming the first New Zealander to win the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Hopes Challenge.

He was a pupil at Hamilton’s Te Totara Primary School but shifted up to Auckland Grammar to better access to table tennis competition.
Dad and coach John Ho said: “We’re incredibly proud of Elii … hope that this is just the beginning, and we can’t wait to see where Eli’s journey takes him next.”

Ho said Eli went into the San Francisco competiton with confidence and a calm attitude: “He is regarded as a leader of the younger generation of national table tennis.

Part of his success is credited to a new style of holding the racket, developed by his dad.

He began playing at age 5, using a traditional grip on the racket called a “shake-hand” style. However, he switched to a grip his dad invented and called TigerWing. Since then there’s been no stopping him.

ITTF sports development director Mikael Andersson said: “Eli Ho isn’t just making waves because of his talent – his playing style is unlike anything seen before. He uses the TigerWing grip, a hybrid between the traditional Japanese penhold and the shakehand grip. This unique technique allows him to attack and block with the same side of the racket while using long pimples on the reverse side for service returns and backhand pushes.”

Eli started learning to play table tennis with his dad in the garage of their home. He faced a few health struggles and getting the right resources to progress his playing, but John Ho said “through unremitting team efforts, he gradually overcame these difficulties and showed strong mental quality and competitive state”.

Last year at the New Zealand Junior and Senior Open Championships, he won six gold medals in under-13 and under-15 singles, doubles, under-15 mixed doubles and under-13 team.
Earlier this year, he was given an ITTF scholarship for its athletes development programme, with the hopes of seeing him one day at the Olympics.

That’s definitely a goal Eli has set for himself, with the 2032 Brisbane Olympics a target.
The ultimate goal is to become the greatest star of world-class table tennis through TigerWing style at the highest level of competition in the world and making New Zealand shine in table tennis.

怀卡托青少年世界夺冠

何倚天 (Eli Ho) 在世界乒乓球锦标赛上连续夺冠，这对新西兰人来说尚属首次。

新西兰乒乓球协会称他为乒乓球界的“冉冉升起的新星”，并表示他在旧金山世界乒乓球职业大联盟青年挑战赛上连夺双冠，展现了“卓越的球技和始终保持的沉着冷静”。

13岁的何倚天同时斩获13岁以下和15岁以下单打冠军。“这对新西兰乒乓球来说是一个里程碑式的时刻，也预示着未来将有更多激动人心的时刻，”国家乒乓球协会表示。

伊莱对打破常规并不陌生。
去年，年仅12岁的他创造了新西兰乒乓球历史，成为首位赢得国际乒联世界希望挑战赛的新西兰人。

他曾就读于汉密尔顿的Te Totara小学，但为了更好地接触乒乓球比赛，他转学到了奥克兰文法学校。他的父亲兼教练John Ho说：“我们为Eli感到无比自豪……希望这只是一个开始，我们迫不及待地想看到Eli的旅程将带他走向何方。”
Ho表示，Eli带着自信和沉着的态度参加了旧金山的比赛：“他被认为是国家乒乓球年轻一代的领军人物。

他的成功部分归功于他父亲发明的一种新的握拍方式。

他从5岁开始打球，使用一种传统的“横握”式握拍方式。然而，他后来改用了父亲发明的、名为“虎翼”的握拍方式。从那以后，他就一路高歌猛进。

国际乒联体育发展总监Mikael Andersson表示：“Eli Ho的成名不仅仅是因为他的天赋——他的打球风格前所未有。”他采用虎翼式握拍，融合了传统的日式直握和横握。这种独特的握拍技术使他能够用球拍的同一侧进攻和防守，同时用另一侧的长胶进行接发球和反手推拱球。

Eli 开始在家里的车库里和父亲一起学习打乒乓球。他曾面临一些健康问题，也未能获得合适的资源来提高自己的球技，但 John Ho 表示：“通过团队的不懈努力，他逐渐克服了这些困难，展现出了强大的心理素质和竞技状态。”

去年，在新西兰青少年和成年公开赛上，他获得了13岁以下和15岁以下单打、双打、15岁以下混双和13岁以下团体赛的六枚金牌。
今年早些时候，他获得了国际乒联运动员发展项目奖学金，希望有一天能在奥运会上看到他的身影。这无疑是 Eli 为自己设定的目标，他的目标是2032年布里斯班奥运会。

最终目标是通过虎翼风格在世界最高水平的比赛中成为世界级乒乓球最伟大的明星，并让新西兰在乒乓球运动中大放异彩。

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Auckland Table Tennis
5月5日 2025
Eli Ho in the News!
A big congratulations to Eli Ho, a 13-year-old from Auckland Grammar School, who was featured in the Auckland Central Leader newspaper last week!
The story talks about Eli’s amazing wins overseas – but also something special: his TigerWing grip, a new way of holding the bat invented by his dad and coach, John
This unique grip mixes two styles and helps Eli play better. Experts say it’s something they’ve never seen before!
Eli is also part of a world athlete programme and hopes to play in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics one day. We’re proud to see him aiming high and representing New Zealand.

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新西兰汉密尔顿市,也有一位乒乓球行家达人。
他就是发明何氏魔幻横拍八面攻和何氏神鬼直拍八面攻先进技术的何宗阳先生。
多年来,何宗阳先生以及新西兰怀卡托乒协,一直致力于乒乓球运动的弘扬和推广,
作为一名身处异国他乡的华裔侨胞,何宗阳先生依然不遗余力地坚持研究乒乓技艺,
并取得可贵的研创成果,实属难能可贵。
~ 新西兰 博亚传媒 ·《中新时报》Oscar  2018年12月05日

[English Translation] There is also a table tennis expert in Hamilton, New Zealand.
He is Mr. Tsung-yang John Ho who invented the advanced technology of Ho’s magic Shakehand eight-winged attacking and Ho’s ghost Penholder eight-winged attacking .
Over the years, Mr. Tsung-yang John Ho and the New Zealand Waikato Table Tennis Association have been committed to the promotion of table tennis.
As an overseas ethnic Chinese(actually he came from Taiwan) living in a foreign country, Mr. Tsung-yang John Ho still spares no effort to persist in studying table tennis skills.
And to obtain valuable research and innovation results, it is commendable.

~ 新西兰 博亚传媒 ·《中新时报》Asia-Pacific Times , Oscar  2018年12月05日

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Eli 独特的 Tiger Wing 打法与他的快速决策相结合，造就了一名能够取得成功的球员.

Eli’s unique Tiger Wing style of play combined with his quick decision-making creates a player which is capable of success.

Dinyar Irani

New Zealand Men’s Team Player 2018 – 2020

Competed in the 2018 World Table Tennis Championships representing New Zealand

2023 0314

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这种打法(翼虎乒乓, 何氏魔幻横拍)比我预期的感觉好, 我以为这个比较难, 但是他可以, 他挺好。(13/09/20 当他在汉密尔顿实际测试Eli Ho过后)

My feeling of this style of play (Ho’s magical shake-hand grip) is better than I expected. I thought it was more difficult, but he can do it, he is quite good. (13/09/20 after he actually tested Eli Ho in Hamilton)

~ ALBERT CHENG – New Zealand NATIONAL SQUAD COACH. ITTF RECOGNISED COACH.

~ ALBERT CHENG – 新西兰国家队教练。 ITTF认可的教练。

[11/Nov/2024]

不被看好, 但在上周[7/Nov/2024] ITTF世界U12 希望杯的成功故事(TigerWing Eli is the winner) 是關於長膠Tigerwing 打法. 4 年前在一次比賽, Hamilton 的Mark Page教練問我關於這種打法的可行性. 2020十月全國賽後我从Auckland到Hamilton Eli 家，第一次接觸這種全球首創的打法. 去之前感覺不容易上手, 去到和Eli打的時候發現這種打法正反手轉換沒問題. 那時候很多老教練覺得這個打法不行，但我看法不一樣. 唯一有保留就是面對男子成人高質量的時候是未知數，但在女子專業要求打到世界前二十沒問題. 這種全球首創打法在世界U12成功得冠軍. 希望Eli 再突破更高水平, 球員勇於嘗試新技術, 教練多出世界看看提升教學水平。

Not favored, but last week [7/Nov/2024] the ITTF World U12 Hope Cup successful story (TigerWing Eli is the winner) is about the long rubber TigerWing style of play. In a tourament 4 years ago, Hamilton’s coach Mark Page asked me about the feasibility of this style of play. After the national competition in October 2020, I went to Hamilton Eli’s house from Auckland and was exposed to this world’s first style of play for the first time. I felt it was not easy to get started before going, but when I went to play with Eli at that time, I found that this style of play was no problem in switching between forehand and backhand. At that time, many old coaches thought that this style of play was not good, but I had a different view. The only reservation was that it was unknown when facing high-quality men’s adults, but in women’s professional requirements there is no problem in reaching the top twenty in the world. This world-first style of play successfully won the championship in the world U12. I hope Eli will break through to a higher level, players will be brave enough to try new technologies, and for coaches, hoping they will travel more around the world to improve their teaching standards.

~ ALBERT CHENG – New Zealand NATIONAL SQUAD COACH. ITTF RECOGNISED COACH.

[11/Nov/2024] ~ ALBERT CHENG – 新西兰国家队教练。 ITTF认可的教练。

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My name is Benoît Coquelet, from new Caledonia.

I discovered Eli Ho style in the NZ TT championship 2024 in Nelson

I visited your website. And I must say,

I do remember that a large part of beginners use a reverse forehand to play backhand

And it works.

I used to correct them, Now, I would like to help them with accepting that way of hitting the ball

If it’s efficient.

I would like to buy some bats

And perhaps, one day, you could visit us and we could learn from a professional showing us how it works.

I’m to old now, but if one day someone said to me you can have two backhands

One normal et one with LP, Surely I will try!

~    Benoit Coquelet (New Caledonia), member of ITTF-Oceania Management Committee

26 Oct 2024

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Actually Eli is a two-winged looping + long pips style player. He is good at RSB(Reverse Shakehand Backhand) technique by which he can attack with the inverted rubber in the backhand. He can use a mixture of the RSB and long pimple on the backhand side to give more variation, selecting inverted rubber and long pimple randomly, alternately and freely.

Child PRODIGY with Long Pips OX 🇳🇿 (Eli Ho)

This video features a young table tennis player Eli Ho from New Zealand who uses a unique grip style to play with both long pips and inverted rubber. The video analyzes the player’s technique and strategy, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of their approach.

~ DiegOX@diegox.longpips•3.09K subscribers. a Youtuber. Diego Sánchez, and since the age of eleven, I have been using Long Pips OX on my backhand. That’s why I am known as DiegOX in the table tennis community. Throughout my 20-year journey in table tennis, I’ve competed in regional leagues across Colombia, Spain, and most recently, Germany.

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crazy LP/inverted style – Eli Ho

Saw his name put out by Tony, I think this is a very promising style. Guy has a very fast harimoto esque close table inverted BH plus all the nasty LP shots (green side). He looks to have decent technique on the inverted wing too!

crazy LP/inverted style – Eli Ho

•  Thread starterblahness 
•  Start dateApr 15, 2024

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