Max Radiven was born into sport. With parents who competed at the Maccabiah Games and a brother who represented Great Britain in tennis, competitive ambition was never far away. But it’s table tennis – not football or dance – where the Edgware teenager is now making history. After starting out at Elstree & Borehamwood Table Tennis Club,
Max’s rise accelerated rapidly. A former national-level dancer, he now trains daily at eBaTT under coach Eli Baraty, honing every aspect of his game on and off the table. The results speak for themselves. In 2024, Max became the first English player to win a WTT Under-15 Boys’ Singles title, beating the top two seeds on his way to gold in Georgia, before adding two more international titles in Kosovo. With European Youth Championships experience already under his belt, his trajectory is unmistakably upward.
EARLY YEARS
Tell us about your first success in your sport?
Getting a silver medal in the under-10 National Championships.
What was the name of your first sports club?
It was Elstree & Borehamwood Table Tennis Club.
GRASSROOTS
What would you say to someone thinking about trying your sport?
It’s really fun and anyone can do it of any age and it’s amazing.
What do you wish you’d known when you first started out?
That losing is actually a positive and is not something to get upset over but something to learn from.
HEROES
Which sportspeople do you admire now, and why?
I admire the Lebrun brothers, Felix and Alexis from France, because their rise has been extremely fast and they’re amazing at table tennis. From another sport, Kobe Bryant was an amazing role medal.
TRAINING
How often do you train?
I train five times a week and I focus on all aspects, so I do off-table training and on-table training and practise every single shot in detail
What is your favourite training session/exercise/drill?
Definitely ‘serve-free’, which is two serves each with your partner, any type of serve and then you play the rally out. I like it because it’s most like match-play and I can have fun and do what I want.
Best piece of advice from your coach?
To always turn a challenging situation into a positive learning curve.
Which part of your body suffers the most in your sport?
My back suffers the most because I’m always leaning forwards.
What’s the toughest thing about being an athlete?
To have the discipline to turn up to training every day.
What’s the hardest part/skill in your sport to master?
Open up, which is when a person gives you a long, backspin ball and you have to counteract the spin and put topspin on it and play a good, deep shot.
MOTIVATION
What’s your training mantra?
I just tell myself that everything’s going to be alright and try to make the best out of situation
Do you have a mental exercise you complete or something/someone you think about?
Before every match I try to sit alone, contain my thoughts and focus on the match and not let anything distract me.
What’s been your greatest sporting moment so far?
Going to Brazil to play in the schools international.
NUTRITION
What performance foods do you enjoy most and why?
Strawberries – lots of energy and very tasty.
How does nutrition improve your performance?
It makes my body feel fresh and ready for the day in training and tournaments.
Max Radiven
Still only in his mid-teens, Max’s already setting the standard for the next generation of English table tennis.
