Qiu Jianxin’s “Pro’s Eye” Coach: Show Players the Numbers

Qiu Jianxin’s “Professional Eye” — Why Do Players Gather Around This Man? Part 2

Qiu Jianxin coached Olympic medalists Jun Mizutani and Kasumi Ishikawa. Today, top players and junior players come to his “QIU TAKKYU JYUKU” in Osaka, Japan. Why does this man attract players? What is his coaching philosophy?

Photo = Manabu Nakagawa Photographs by Manabu Nakagawa 

Qiu Jianxin
Born December 26, 1965, from Jiangsu Province, China. A former Chinese national team member. Became Chinese champion at 21, later excelled in the German Bundesliga, and also developed many players as a coach

Coaches need to show players numbers—such as how many balls they hit in multiball training, the techniques players are mistaken about, and their point-winning rate.

●—Do you ever tell players not just about tactics, but also about how to hit and how to use their bodies?

Qiu　Of course I do. For example, when the Opponent’s Drive has heavy Spin, it’s better to take the Ball thinly. If you hit it thickly, you’ll be affected by the Opponent’s Spin and hit long. When the Opponent comes at you with a powerful Ball, power alone won’t be enough to counter it. Miss once, miss twice, and I won’t say anything. But if they keep making the same mistake three or four times, then I’ll say something. Even then, the advice is brief. I boil it down to 30 or 40 seconds and focus on the key points.

●—Are there any characteristics that are unique to Japanese players?

Qiu　I think Japanese Players have very solid fundamentals. When Japan reaches 10–10 in a deciding game against another foreign player, the chance of winning is high. That’s because they practice a lot. Even in matches against China, once it becomes a close battle, there isn’t much difference. Kasumi Ishikawa often won in the closing stages of tight matches because she had the confidence from all the training she had done, and because her concentration was so high.

The downside of Japanese Players is that they’re a little too serious. They don’t have quite enough variation. Being serious isn’t a bad thing, so they keep getting stronger little by little. But among them are players with real flair, like Mima Ito and Hina Hayata.