It is a great experience to be at the 2016 Womens World Cup. I arrived on Friday and watched a few group matches. Here are a few things that I learned from watching the group matches. 
 
 
 
 
1. Most of the players's serves are half long and short.
 
2. Most of the players used their surprise serve at key points. Their surpise serves were often long and fast with some variation of spin.
 
3. Most of the players played close to the table and quick off the bounce unlike men, except Sabine Winter from Germeny who played more mens style.
 
4. All of the players were able to sustain the rally while using skills like blocking, looping, pushing, counter looping, and lobbing.
 
5. One surprising thing that I noticed is that not all of the players were fighting for the first attack. They were letting their opponent attack and then countering or blocking. When they did push long though, it did have a big variety of spin.
 
6. Most of the players were taking their time between points and strategizing. They were also very focussed. 
 
7. A lot of the points the playeres were winning was when they were disguising and faking their strokes by going down the line while their body position and action looked like they were going cross court. Or the other way around.
 
8. All the players had a very good feel for the ball and could vary the speed and the spin easily.
 
9. Most of the players turn their waist really quick when they wanted to rip the ball on the forehand.
 
10. Last but most importantly, all the players except a couple were extremely fit and in good shape. The didn't get fatigue easily and were like that the whole match.
 
11. The best match I watched on Friday is when Sabine Winter came back from being down 3 games and won the match. I liked her energy and focus to come back and win the match.
 
 
 
 
On Saturday, I watched round 32 and round16 matches. 
 
1. It was pretty much the same except the matches were more intense.
 
2. Most top players closed the games out whan playing lower ranked players by not giving them even one game.
 
 
 
 
On Sunday, I watched the two semifinals. 
 
1. My favorite match was the second semi final match between Hirano and Feng Tianwei. After a extremely horrible first game for Hirano, the rest of the match was full of incredible backhand battles between the opponents. They also targetted each others middles.
 
2. They stayed away from each others forehand because that was both of their strenghths. 
 
3. I think Feng lost because she was not as consistent as her opponent in the longer rallies and she did'nt change her strategy.
 
 
 
 
 
 
THINGS I DID NOT LIKE AT THE TOURNAMENT
 
1. There is only one re-entry to go back into the arena for the whole day
 
2. On Sunday they didn't let me take my autograph paddle and my playing paddle. I'm not sure why.
 
3. It was a little hard for people to get autographs. Even for kids like me.
 
4. They did not let anyone watch the players practice in the practice arena. I would have learned a lot watching the players practice just like i learned  from the match.