Story of Annett Kaufmann: Inner circle collaboration is the key to success
German singles champion.
Olympic success just over a month after a brilliant high school graduation.
World junior singles champion in November.
What Annett Kaufmann achieved in the summer of 2024 was extraordinary.
But how did it happen?
none
The Olympics. 'Those who have played the Olympics have told me that it surpasses everything. It really was. The atmosphere, the joy, meeting athletes from other sports, the atmosphere in the hall, in the Olympic Village and all over Paris was something I couldn't have imagined until I experienced it first hand.' said Annett Kaufmann. Photo: ITTF
Nothing happens in a table tennis hall by chance. What happens there is the sum of development work over a long period of time, plus the influence of the people around the player who matter most. As far as the Olympics are concerned, Annett was originally supposed to be a learner. She was selected as a reserve in the German team, ready to step in if something unexpected happened. And it did. Han Ying, Germany’s number two, injured her Achilles tendon and had to withdraw already before the Olympics. Nina Mittelham, Germany’s number one, injured her back during the tournament. She also had to withdraw.
none
Chole! Annett did sensational well in Paris, including beating top ten ranked Miwa Harimoto in straight games as Germany lost to Japan in the semi-finals. Photo: WTT
Suddenly Annett was no longer a support player on the bench, but the number one player in the team, the one who would bear the main responsibility for whether there would be a medal match or not. Against the USA, she won both her singles matches, the second of which decided the match at 2:2. Against India in the quarter-finals, she won both her singles again, the second of which made it 3:1 for Germany. On top, in the semi-final against Japan, Annett defeated Miwa Harimoto, a child prodigy and top 10 player in the world – 3:0!
However, Germany lost the semi-final against Japan and the bronze medal match against South Korea where Annett suffered her only defeat in the team competition against Eunhye Lee. Germany finished 4th in the team competition with a huge contribution from Annett, a result which nobody thought of before under circumstances.
Loved every second in Paris
“My goal was to participate in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles,” says Annett. “But now I have had an absolutely amazing experience already in 2024. The atmosphere was amazing! 6,000 enthusiastic spectators clapping and screaming after every ball! And I wasn’t nervous at all. I felt relaxed and enjoyed every second.”
The Olympics are the Olympics and the impact back home in Germany was monumental. Suddenly Annett had 40,000 new followers on her Instagram account, an increase of 400 percent. Back home, strangers stopped her on the street to take selfies. She was invited to all sorts of TV appearances.
It is no exaggeration to say that Annett Kaufmann has created a table tennis boom in Germany.
A good team around her from the start
The first time I saw her playing was in Kienbaum, a few kilometer east of Berlin. The German Table Tennis Association (DTTB) had gathered the country’s youngest talents for a scouting camp. The compass foundation had just started, and we were looking for future great players to help them reach their potential. There were about twenty ten-year-olds there, and it didn’t take us long to decide which of them compass should invest in.
Annett lived in Baden Württemberg, a state whose table tennis was led by Sönke Geil. He and his team had recognised Annett’s talent long before, and for a few years Evelyn Simon was responsible for training Annett on behalf of the regional association. The training took place at the centre in Böblingen, where Annett was given all the support she needed, including sparring partners such as Florian Bluhm and Dauud Cheaib. From an early age she worked with the fitness coach Melanie Heilemann. Evelyn was the one who coached Annett when she won the Euro Mini Champs in Schiltigheim 2018, during the German Championships and occasionally at international events. Also, Evelyn was the one who trained with her more or less every day and kept in touch with her family.
Her local club, SV Böblingen, was also very supportive, allowing Annett to play in the Bundesliga from the age of 13. So did also the Regional Sport Federation in Baden-Württemberg (LSV) and the Olympic Sport Support Centre (OSP) in Stuttgart, both regional organisations that supported Annett with various opportunities from an early age.
“We had a fantastic team of coaches in Baden-Württemberg,” says Evelyn, “but the most important thing for me personally was that I had Mario Amizic as a mentor. He had coached a world-class player like Zoran Primorac from an early age and had a huge influence on a young Jörg Rosskopf and a young Vladimir Samsonov. Above all, he emphasised the importance of working individually with the player as a coach and the need to follow a unique development path in order to bring out the full potential of the talent.”
When Evelyn became a full-time member of the compass team, the collaboration with Annett intensified.
none
Moment of happiness. In 2021 Annett won both the U15 and U21 European Singles Championships. Photo: ETTU
Result never the goal
With Amizic’s advice in mind, Evelyn discussed with DTTB the possibility of adapting their procedures and rules based on what was best for Annett’s development at the table. DTTB was open and cooperative. A cooperation with the youth national coach, Lara Broich and later with the women`s national coach, Tamara Boros grew. Annett’s competition results were striking and made it easier to justify a certain special treatment. Becoming U15 European Singles Champion in 2021 was one thing, becoming U21 European Singles Champion in the same year made her unique.
Annett was constantly developing in order to one day be ready to take the step into the world elite. But the results were never the goal. They came as a consequence of the process being the goal. For example, before a competition when Annett was younger, her former Trainer, Momcilo Bojic would say: “Today I want you to loop all the long chops that come to your backhand. Even if you lose the match.”
“When I was younger, I didn’t really understand that,” says Annett. “I wanted to win at all costs. But as time went by, I realised that development goals are more important. Sticking to a style of play that wins today but not tomorrow will bring short-term success. In the long run, it delays the development of being able to beat even better players.”
Studies also important
none
Graduation. Photo: private
Annett and her family didn’t just want her to be good at table tennis. They also wanted her to do well at school. She didn’t want to drop out like many other talented students. No, she was going to finish school and graduate, preferably with good grades. And she was going to do it in her home environment.
“Family is an incredibly important factor in the development of any talent,” says Daniel Zwickl, Managing Director of compass and also of ESN Sports ACE – an elite talent development programme that helps talents after the age of 16 to reach world-class level. “That’s why we always work closely with them to build mutual trust. Annett`s family understands elite sport and they understand their role. They offer security, love and acceptance. They are supportive.”
none
Annett and Evelyn Simon in the small hall specially built for Annett to prepare for her exams as well as preparing for the Olympics. Photo: private
Making her own way
As far as school is concerned, it is unusual for players of Annett’s level to finish high school and stay at home. In order to train during Covid and prepare for the Olympics at the same time, she had to make the most of her time.
Evelyn moved close to Annett’s hometown of Bietigheim-Bissingen and found a place with a potential hall for Annett, which ESN Sports ACE helped to rebuild, in addition, Evelyn had a small apartment in the same building. Annett`s sparring partner Krisztian Nagy could stay there. Annett’s table tennis sponsor, Tibhar, who has been with her from the start, provided the floor, tables, nets, balls and barriers. Spinsight – a digital training tool that measures spin, speed, placement and ball trajectory over the net – installed its Elite system in the small hall. Then it was just a matter of going for it. And the result was better than good. Annett had her best season ever and was at her best when it mattered most – at the Olympics. At the same time, she passed her exams with flying colours.
“The cooperation within the close inner circle is absolutely crucial,” Daniel Zwickl sums up. “Providing Annett with the right conditions to meet her needs was always a clear focus. Even if it meant major investments and unusual ideas, if you believe in a talent, you have to dare to think outside the box. That is what we have always tried to do for Annett.”
none
Personal coach Krisztian Nagy, Annett and Daniel Zwickl, Managing Director of compass and ACE. Photo: private
New challenges
And now comes the next phase of her career: turning professional. As written, Krisztian Nagy, a former Hungarian national team player, has been part of Annett’s inner circle as a sparring partner. Some time ago he took over the personal coach role from Evelyn Simon.
“Evelyn is still involved and we are talking a lot about the vision for Annett and how Annett should play,” he says. “Turning professional is a big change for Annett. She will be training more and harder than she is used to. She will have to adapt her physique to the increased training, tougher competition and travelling according to the demands of World Table Tennis (WTT).”
none
Spinsight. Annett is a fast learner. This is one of her superpowers. “Spinsight is very important for me. By measuring the spin, speed, placement and trajectory of the ball, Spinsight helps me understand how to improve the quality of all my shots. I use it especially when I practice multi-ball and for serving and receiving. Spinsight sees what the eye cannot. For example, it knows exactly where the second bounce of my half-long serves ends up, whereas my eyes are wrong. They think the ball bounces shorter on the opponent's side than it actually does.” Photo: private
Step by step to the top
Annett won a WTT Feeder, tournament in February 2023, did well internationally at senior level and by the age of 16-17 and ended up in the top 50 in the world. But it turned out that she was not quite ready to play at that level all the time.
It showed in the period that followed, which was difficult for her. She learned from it.
At the end of 2023, after a tough 9 months, she played a great U19 World Championships and finished 3rd in singles. In 2024 she started well at the WTT series. Even though she was concentrating on her studies, she became also German National Champion in singles in June 2024. In October 2024, she won also bronze medal in mixed doubles with Patrick Franziska at the European Championships in Linz. Then came the Olympic success and the breakthrough as a star sportswoman – and finally the World Youth Championships, where she defeated China’s Zong Geman in the final to become the first ever female non-Asian Junior World Singles Champion.
none
Moment of victory. Annett has just made China's Zong Geman miss a backhand, which means that Annett is the first ever non-Asian female to become U19 World Youth Champion. Photo: WTT/ITTF
At the Olympics she beat a top ten player and several top 30 players. Yet, compared to where she is now, the highest level is yet to be seen. Getting all the pieces in place will take as long as it takes. There is a steady plan for Annett to challenge the very best and become one of them herself. Annett has achieved everything she could at European and World youth level. Throughout her career Annett has shown her great talent for table tennis, her ability to learn quickly, her ability to cope with different situations and her fighting spirit.
Exciting years lie ahead for Annett Kaufmann. Together with her team, her partners and her family she can continue to develop and rise in the world of senior table tennis as she did in her youth.
none
Meet and Greet at ESN. In November, table tennis rubber manufacturer ESN invited Annett to a Meet and Greet with their employees. She was interviewed, played with them and bonded with them. And, of course, it was a success from start to finish. 'It was a great opportunity for us to energy together in a relaxed way,' was how the visit was summarised in the internal newsletter ‘ESN News’. Photo: private
none
Annett gives Patrick Franziska a hug after beating the Walsh/English team of Anna Hursey and Liam Pitchford at the 2024 European Championships in Linz, Austria. The victory secured a medal in the mixed doubles event and the Kaufmann/Franziska team now have their sights set on the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Photo: Manfred Schillings
—
Stay in touch with Annett – follow her on Instagram: @annett_kaufmann_tt
Links & stories:
https://www.tischtennis.de/news/die-hochbegabte-auf-der-grossen-buehne.html
Story of Annett Kaufmann: Inner circle collaboration is the key to success
Story of Annett Kaufmann: Inner circle collaboration is the key to success
German singles champion.
Olympic success just over a month after a brilliant high school graduation.
World junior singles champion in November.
What Annett Kaufmann achieved in the summer of 2024 was extraordinary.
But how did it happen?
none
The Olympics. 'Those who have played the Olympics have told me that it surpasses everything. It really was. The atmosphere, the joy, meeting athletes from other sports, the atmosphere in the hall, in the Olympic Village and all over Paris was something I couldn't have imagined until I experienced it first hand.' said Annett Kaufmann. Photo: ITTF
Nothing happens in a table tennis hall by chance. What happens there is the sum of development work over a long period of time, plus the influence of the people around the player who matter most. As far as the Olympics are concerned, Annett was originally supposed to be a learner. She was selected as a reserve in the German team, ready to step in if something unexpected happened. And it did. Han Ying, Germany’s number two, injured her Achilles tendon and had to withdraw already before the Olympics. Nina Mittelham, Germany’s number one, injured her back during the tournament. She also had to withdraw.
none
Chole! Annett did sensational well in Paris, including beating top ten ranked Miwa Harimoto in straight games as Germany lost to Japan in the semi-finals. Photo: WTT
Suddenly Annett was no longer a support player on the bench, but the number one player in the team, the one who would bear the main responsibility for whether there would be a medal match or not. Against the USA, she won both her singles matches, the second of which decided the match at 2:2. Against India in the quarter-finals, she won both her singles again, the second of which made it 3:1 for Germany. On top, in the semi-final against Japan, Annett defeated Miwa Harimoto, a child prodigy and top 10 player in the world – 3:0!
However, Germany lost the semi-final against Japan and the bronze medal match against South Korea where Annett suffered her only defeat in the team competition against Eunhye Lee. Germany finished 4th in the team competition with a huge contribution from Annett, a result which nobody thought of before under circumstances.
Loved every second in Paris
“My goal was to participate in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles,” says Annett. “But now I have had an absolutely amazing experience already in 2024. The atmosphere was amazing! 6,000 enthusiastic spectators clapping and screaming after every ball! And I wasn’t nervous at all. I felt relaxed and enjoyed every second.”
The Olympics are the Olympics and the impact back home in Germany was monumental. Suddenly Annett had 40,000 new followers on her Instagram account, an increase of 400 percent. Back home, strangers stopped her on the street to take selfies. She was invited to all sorts of TV appearances.
It is no exaggeration to say that Annett Kaufmann has created a table tennis boom in Germany.
A good team around her from the start
The first time I saw her playing was in Kienbaum, a few kilometer east of Berlin. The German Table Tennis Association (DTTB) had gathered the country’s youngest talents for a scouting camp. The compass foundation had just started, and we were looking for future great players to help them reach their potential. There were about twenty ten-year-olds there, and it didn’t take us long to decide which of them compass should invest in.
Annett lived in Baden Württemberg, a state whose table tennis was led by Sönke Geil. He and his team had recognised Annett’s talent long before, and for a few years Evelyn Simon was responsible for training Annett on behalf of the regional association. The training took place at the centre in Böblingen, where Annett was given all the support she needed, including sparring partners such as Florian Bluhm and Dauud Cheaib. From an early age she worked with the fitness coach Melanie Heilemann. Evelyn was the one who coached Annett when she won the Euro Mini Champs in Schiltigheim 2018, during the German Championships and occasionally at international events. Also, Evelyn was the one who trained with her more or less every day and kept in touch with her family.
Her local club, SV Böblingen, was also very supportive, allowing Annett to play in the Bundesliga from the age of 13. So did also the Regional Sport Federation in Baden-Württemberg (LSV) and the Olympic Sport Support Centre (OSP) in Stuttgart, both regional organisations that supported Annett with various opportunities from an early age.
“We had a fantastic team of coaches in Baden-Württemberg,” says Evelyn, “but the most important thing for me personally was that I had Mario Amizic as a mentor. He had coached a world-class player like Zoran Primorac from an early age and had a huge influence on a young Jörg Rosskopf and a young Vladimir Samsonov. Above all, he emphasised the importance of working individually with the player as a coach and the need to follow a unique development path in order to bring out the full potential of the talent.”
When Evelyn became a full-time member of the compass team, the collaboration with Annett intensified.
none
Moment of happiness. In 2021 Annett won both the U15 and U21 European Singles Championships. Photo: ETTU
Result never the goal
With Amizic’s advice in mind, Evelyn discussed with DTTB the possibility of adapting their procedures and rules based on what was best for Annett’s development at the table. DTTB was open and cooperative. A cooperation with the youth national coach, Lara Broich and later with the women`s national coach, Tamara Boros grew. Annett’s competition results were striking and made it easier to justify a certain special treatment. Becoming U15 European Singles Champion in 2021 was one thing, becoming U21 European Singles Champion in the same year made her unique.
Annett was constantly developing in order to one day be ready to take the step into the world elite. But the results were never the goal. They came as a consequence of the process being the goal. For example, before a competition when Annett was younger, her former Trainer, Momcilo Bojic would say: “Today I want you to loop all the long chops that come to your backhand. Even if you lose the match.”
“When I was younger, I didn’t really understand that,” says Annett. “I wanted to win at all costs. But as time went by, I realised that development goals are more important. Sticking to a style of play that wins today but not tomorrow will bring short-term success. In the long run, it delays the development of being able to beat even better players.”
Studies also important
none
Graduation. Photo: private
Annett and her family didn’t just want her to be good at table tennis. They also wanted her to do well at school. She didn’t want to drop out like many other talented students. No, she was going to finish school and graduate, preferably with good grades. And she was going to do it in her home environment.
“Family is an incredibly important factor in the development of any talent,” says Daniel Zwickl, Managing Director of compass and also of ESN Sports ACE – an elite talent development programme that helps talents after the age of 16 to reach world-class level. “That’s why we always work closely with them to build mutual trust. Annett`s family understands elite sport and they understand their role. They offer security, love and acceptance. They are supportive.”
none
Annett and Evelyn Simon in the small hall specially built for Annett to prepare for her exams as well as preparing for the Olympics. Photo: private
Making her own way
As far as school is concerned, it is unusual for players of Annett’s level to finish high school and stay at home. In order to train during Covid and prepare for the Olympics at the same time, she had to make the most of her time.
Evelyn moved close to Annett’s hometown of Bietigheim-Bissingen and found a place with a potential hall for Annett, which ESN Sports ACE helped to rebuild, in addition, Evelyn had a small apartment in the same building. Annett`s sparring partner Krisztian Nagy could stay there. Annett’s table tennis sponsor, Tibhar, who has been with her from the start, provided the floor, tables, nets, balls and barriers. Spinsight – a digital training tool that measures spin, speed, placement and ball trajectory over the net – installed its Elite system in the small hall. Then it was just a matter of going for it. And the result was better than good. Annett had her best season ever and was at her best when it mattered most – at the Olympics. At the same time, she passed her exams with flying colours.
“The cooperation within the close inner circle is absolutely crucial,” Daniel Zwickl sums up. “Providing Annett with the right conditions to meet her needs was always a clear focus. Even if it meant major investments and unusual ideas, if you believe in a talent, you have to dare to think outside the box. That is what we have always tried to do for Annett.”
none
Personal coach Krisztian Nagy, Annett and Daniel Zwickl, Managing Director of compass and ACE. Photo: private
New challenges
And now comes the next phase of her career: turning professional. As written, Krisztian Nagy, a former Hungarian national team player, has been part of Annett’s inner circle as a sparring partner. Some time ago he took over the personal coach role from Evelyn Simon.
“Evelyn is still involved and we are talking a lot about the vision for Annett and how Annett should play,” he says. “Turning professional is a big change for Annett. She will be training more and harder than she is used to. She will have to adapt her physique to the increased training, tougher competition and travelling according to the demands of World Table Tennis (WTT).”
none
Spinsight. Annett is a fast learner. This is one of her superpowers. “Spinsight is very important for me. By measuring the spin, speed, placement and trajectory of the ball, Spinsight helps me understand how to improve the quality of all my shots. I use it especially when I practice multi-ball and for serving and receiving. Spinsight sees what the eye cannot. For example, it knows exactly where the second bounce of my half-long serves ends up, whereas my eyes are wrong. They think the ball bounces shorter on the opponent's side than it actually does.” Photo: private
Step by step to the top
Annett won a WTT Feeder, tournament in February 2023, did well internationally at senior level and by the age of 16-17 and ended up in the top 50 in the world. But it turned out that she was not quite ready to play at that level all the time.
It showed in the period that followed, which was difficult for her. She learned from it.
At the end of 2023, after a tough 9 months, she played a great U19 World Championships and finished 3rd in singles. In 2024 she started well at the WTT series. Even though she was concentrating on her studies, she became also German National Champion in singles in June 2024. In October 2024, she won also bronze medal in mixed doubles with Patrick Franziska at the European Championships in Linz. Then came the Olympic success and the breakthrough as a star sportswoman – and finally the World Youth Championships, where she defeated China’s Zong Geman in the final to become the first ever female non-Asian Junior World Singles Champion.
none
Moment of victory. Annett has just made China's Zong Geman miss a backhand, which means that Annett is the first ever non-Asian female to become U19 World Youth Champion. Photo: WTT/ITTF
At the Olympics she beat a top ten player and several top 30 players. Yet, compared to where she is now, the highest level is yet to be seen. Getting all the pieces in place will take as long as it takes. There is a steady plan for Annett to challenge the very best and become one of them herself. Annett has achieved everything she could at European and World youth level. Throughout her career Annett has shown her great talent for table tennis, her ability to learn quickly, her ability to cope with different situations and her fighting spirit.
Exciting years lie ahead for Annett Kaufmann. Together with her team, her partners and her family she can continue to develop and rise in the world of senior table tennis as she did in her youth.
none
Meet and Greet at ESN. In November, table tennis rubber manufacturer ESN invited Annett to a Meet and Greet with their employees. She was interviewed, played with them and bonded with them. And, of course, it was a success from start to finish. 'It was a great opportunity for us to energy together in a relaxed way,' was how the visit was summarised in the internal newsletter ‘ESN News’. Photo: private
none
Annett gives Patrick Franziska a hug after beating the Walsh/English team of Anna Hursey and Liam Pitchford at the 2024 European Championships in Linz, Austria. The victory secured a medal in the mixed doubles event and the Kaufmann/Franziska team now have their sights set on the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Photo: Manfred Schillings
—
Stay in touch with Annett – follow her on Instagram: @annett_kaufmann_tt
Links & stories:
https://www.tischtennis.de/news/die-hochbegabte-auf-der-grossen-buehne.html
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