Krishnateja (Krish) Avvari (CA, USA)

What began as simply an introductory class at the India Community Center, Milpitas quickly became an intense passion for Krish Avvari. Inspired by his uncle who was a collegiate table tennis champion, Krish pursued the sport, favoring it over soccer and swimming. It is hard to believe that the calm and collected 16-year-old from Fremont, CA has already played table tennis for over a decade. And his dedication and hard work has paid off. Krish recently bagged two gold medals in Junior Boys' Singles and Junior Boys' Teams, a silver medal in Men's Doubles, and a bronze medal in the Men's Singles at the 2016 U.S. National Championships this summer.

I had the opportunity to ask Krish a few questions. I hope you enjoy getting to know him!

Quick facts about Krish:

Highest USATT rating 2637
Three-time U.S. National Junior Team Member (2014 - 2016)
2015 North American Junior Team Champion
2014 U.S. Youth Olympic Team Member
Two-time U.S. National Cadet Team Member (2012 - 2013)
2011 U.S. National Mini-Cadet Team Member
Sponsored by Butterfly

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Krish Avvari, 2016 U.S. Junior Boys' Champion

With Krish Avvari at the 2016 U.S. National Championships

1. Congratulations on making it to the 2016 U.S. Junior National Team! You also reached the semifinals of the Men's Singles at the National Championships. Are you happy with your overall performance at the tournament? 
I'm pretty happy with my performance, but I think in the semifinals, I could definitely have played better. I could have done better mental preparation before the match. I had some trouble with receiving Kanak's serves, and my attacks weren't as strong during this match compared to my other matches at Nationals. However, apart from this match, I am satisfied with my performance at the tournament.

2. Let's go back to when it all began ... Tell us about how you started with table tennis. 
My father and my uncle both introduced the sport to me when I was around 6. I started loving it on the first day, and I've loved it ever since then.

3. What equipment do you currently use?
Blade: Butterfly Viscaria
Forehand rubber: Butterfly Tenergy 05
Backhand rubber: Butterfly Tenergy 05

4. What are your short-term and long-term goals as far as table tennis goes?
I'm not sure actually because I still remember a long time ago when my long-term goal was to qualify for Rio, but now it's done. I think my short-term goal is to continue to play even after I go to college. Long term, I hope to qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

5. I believe Coach Costantini recently moved to India to coach. I know that you have worked with him over the years. How do you feel about his departure?  

Coach Costantini has guided me to become the player I am today. I am really saddened to see him leave; we developed a close relationship over the last 6 years that we worked together. 

6. Many kids start table tennis at an early age, just as you did. But not everyone becomes a "Krish." What do you think has made you the player that you are today? And, what advice do you have for rising junior players?

I would say that great coaching, hard work, and tremendous support from my family have made me the player that I am today. My advice to junior players is to explore their own capabilities and discover what new techniques they can utilize during games, instead of just practicing the same drills each day.

7. What do you think are some of the most important skills for a table tennis player to have in order to reach the highest level?
Great mental strength, high-quality serves, and being open-minded to using new tactics are some of the key skills to reach one's full potential.

8. What makes table tennis so attractive to you? 

I love table tennis because it not only requires immense strength, but every game is like a puzzle. The problem you have to solve is how to tackle your opponent's weakness using just your own strengths.

9. In order to reach the top, a player must deal with loss and frustration. How have you dealt with these feelings over the years?
Definitely! I still feel frustrated for losing some important matches in the past, but I feel like those matches have made me a stronger player. 

10. I have noticed that you are a relatively calm and quiet player. Do you think this beneficial to your game? Does it bother you when your opponent is very loud? 

Some people are loud because it helps them relieve stress, but I like to keep my composure and not get too excited too early. I like staying quiet because it helps me get ready for the next point. It used to bother me when my opponent was loud, but after a lot of experience, I got used to it.

11. I'm sure that your table tennis career has taken you far and wide across the world. Do you have any favorite places and/or international tournaments? Why?
The most professional tournament I've participated in was the 2014 Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China. It was really amazing because of the care I was given as an athlete. To this day, I also remember the 2013 ITTF Junior & Cadet Open held in New Caledonia, a small island near Australia. Not only was participating in this tournament exciting, but I also met many wonderful athletes there. 

12. Who is your favorite table tennis player? Why?
I really love Xu Xin because he is so much fun to watch. Apart from his flawless technique, he is  entertaining because of his crazy shots and exceptional feeling.

13. What you like to do when you are not playing table tennis?
I love to watch TV, sleep, eat, and just spend time with my friends (from both table tennis and school).

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Krish, thanks for your time, and good luck to you in all your table tennis endeavors!