“The shock of becoming world No. 9 at 33” Winter revived by the magical force of Anti-spin rubber, Part 1

Sabine Winter

Sabine WINTER 　GERMANY

At 32, in November, Sabine Winter made a major decision. The hard-hitting player known for her signature “powerful Forehand powered by Footwork” made a drastic model change that essentially destroyed her own playing style by switching to Anti-spin rubber on her backhand side. For her, who had long been active at the top level as a member of the German national team, it was an incredibly bold challenge.

Now 33, she is drawing the hottest attention in the world. We get to the heart of Winter’s evolution. <April 2026>

PHOTO WTT

Sabine Winter
Born September 27, 1992, in Germany. She started playing Table Tennis at age 6, but did not begin training as a Player until around age 15 or 16. She placed 3rd at the 2007 European Youth Championships and represented Germany at the 2010 World Championships. She won the Belarus Open on the 2013 ITTF World Tour. Although she was a topspin-oriented player using inverted Rubber on both sides, she switched the back side to anti-spin Rubber. Three months later, she finished 3rd at the European Top 16. As of April 6, 2026, she was ranked world No. 9. She belongs to TSV Dachau 1865 in the Bundesliga 1st Division

I wasn’t from a family of professional athletes, so I never dreamed that I would become a professional Table Tennis player

●―Sabine, first let me ask about your background. When and what prompted you to start playing Table Tennis?

Winter (hereafter W)　I think I first picked up a Racket when I was 6 years old. It started because my father broke his leg while snowboarding. He couldn’t do anything except sit in a chair, so he was bored. So he took me down to the basement, where there was a Table Tennis Table. Since he had a broken leg, he sat in a chair, and I played Table Tennis against him. I enjoyed it, and I just got hooked from there.

●―Were your parents Table Tennis players?

W　They both played Table Tennis, but at a very low level (laughs). They played in the lower leagues in Germany, but they weren’t professionals; it was just a hobby.

●―So they were what you’d call hobby players.

W　Yes, hobby players.

●―Do you remember how it felt when you first hit the Ball at age 6?

W　I don’t really remember the moment I first hit the Ball anymore (laughs).

●―By that time, were you already playing at a club or somewhere similar?

W　I think I joined a club when I was around 7 or 8, but even then I only went once a week. Back then it was just play; I wasn’t focused on any one sport, and I enjoyed all kinds of sports.

●―What kinds of sports did you do specifically?

W　At the club I also played soccer. And my father and I would go to a sports field and play baseball and cricket with various people. There was also a game my father came up with called “Moon Ball.” You hit a tennis ball high into the air and catch it. I also played tennis and badminton from time to time, but only as recreation. The only things I really worked on seriously at my club were soccer and Table Tennis. Above all, I simply loved moving my body.