Kanak Jha, the USA's top player, has long been in a class by himself. The Olympian concluded his illustrious junior career with the #1 world ranking in that category. Although still a teenager, he is the reigning three-time national champion. Not content to rule the country, he is also reigns over all of North and South America as the defending Pan Am Games champion. Of course, no one makes that kind of meteoric rise unassisted. Jha has flourished under the tutelage of his coaches Stefan Feth and Li Zhenshi at California's World Champions Table Tennis Academy. In order to stay sharp, Jha has spent the last few years playing in the top European leagues. Starting out in Sweden, he has since moved to the German Bundesliga. In a refreshing reminder that even top players have to pay their dues, Jha started out in the Bundesliga's third division, playing for the Herne club. Jha then worked his way up to the second division, playing even tougher competition in FSV Mainz 05. Now comes the announcement that Jha has graduated to the first division, having signed with TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau. There, Jha will hone his already remarkable skills against many of the best players in the world. At world #51, Jha has already proven that to be a member of that group. In addition to his family and friends, Jha's coaches assuredly feel pride in his ascent. For Jha's coach Stefan Feth, it must be particularly sweet, as Feth in his heyday also played for Grenzau's first division. For Jha, it is yet another bullet point on his already gaudy résumé. As he begins to build his C.V. in the world seniors circuit, he could hardly have a more auspicious beginning.

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