Youthful ambition

Belied by a baby-faced demeanor still full of dewy-eyed charm, budding table-tennis star Masataka Morizono has an intensity and focus beyond his years. This 13-year-old Japanese wants to be absolutely clear on two points: he loves table tennis, and he plays to win.

For Morizono, the most important thing is to "completely immerse myself in the game". When it comes to questions of whether he is more of an "attacker" or a "defender" though, Morizono does not bother with such categories. "As long as I win ... the form doesn't matter so much."

As for personal style, he talks about having to restrain his tendency to yell when making shots. Unfortunately for Morizono, making such sounds is against international table-tennis rules, so "I just call out silently to myself while I play".