In school, Louis enjoys sports, maths, German and physics. But above all, he loves playing table tennis. He trains for several hours every day, almost always with his mother or father, both of whom have competed in the Olympic Games multiple times.

Welcome to compass, Louis Fegerl!

It seems there has been a plan for Louis in the Fegerl household from the very beginning.

“I started regular table tennis training when I was four years old,” Louis says. “By the time I was seven or eight, I was training for two to three hours a day. From the age of nine or ten, I trained for at least three hours every day, and even longer on weekends.”

What does he enjoy most about the game?

“I enjoy keeping the ball in play and rallying for as long as possible. I also love the sound of the ball bouncing on the table. And, of course, I like to win.”

Louis is a member of the club TTV Wr. Neudorf, where he trains mainly with his parents and joins a group practice once a week. In league competition, he represents KSV Kapfenberg in the Austrian Bundesliga.

On most other occasions, Louis trains with either his father, Stefan Fegerl, or his mother, Li Qiangbing. Unlike most parents who play table tennis with their children, both are former world-class players. Stefan reached a career-high world ranking of No. 19, while “Bing” climbed to No. 37.

Stefan is a two-time European champion and a 13-time Austrian champion. He has won the German Bundesliga with his team three times, the German Cup three times and the Champions League once. He also represented Austria at two Olympic Games.

Li Qiangbing left China for Austria after her father became head coach of the Chinese women’s national team. Representing Austria, she won the silver medal in the team event at the 2014 European Championships and competed in three Olympic Games.

Despite his parents’ remarkable achievements, Louis does not think much about their careers. He trains with one of them almost every day, and they are both his best sparring partners and coaches. Table tennis is at the heart of family life—much like the Lebrun family in France, the Möregårdh family in Sweden, or the Harimoto and Matsushima families in Japan. Louis’ younger brother, Lias, born in 2017, is also an enthusiastic player and is following in his older brother’s footsteps.

Louis’ greatest strengths are his fast-paced game, his strong serves and his powerful forehand.

“I’m working on moving my feet faster, developing a more dangerous forehand flick and adding more power to my forehand,” he says. “Right now, building a stronger forehand is challenging because I’m still growing and don’t have as much muscle yet. My goal is to improve my overall level step by step.”

So what does a typical day look like for you?

“I wake up at 7 a.m., start school at 8, and train in the afternoon or evening after school. Then I go home, have dinner, do my homework and go to bed. Sometimes it’s a tough schedule, but it’s okay.”

And what do you do when you’re not playing table tennis?

“Right now, I’m watching the FIFA Club World Cup! Austria beat Jordan 3:1 in the first match, and I hope they make it to the playoffs. I also play playstation games like FIFA and I love watching Novak Djokovic play tennis.”

compass Managing Director Daniel Zwickl is delighted to welcome Louis Fegerl to the company’s team of young talents.

“We are very happy to welcome Louis to our group of supported players. He is one of the most talented players of his generation. We have known him for a long time, followed his development closely and believe he has a very bright future in professional table tennis.

We have great confidence in the family’s long-term plan and development strategy, and we are excited to work closely with them. We look forward to supporting Louis and his family in the best possible way as he continues his journey.

So once again: Welcome to compass, Louis!”