Everywhere, all the TT final bosses don't exceed 172

Tall is difficult in competitive table tennis. Everywhere you go where there aren't Europeans with a pro background, 172 cm seems to be the highest they go. The final boss at every club is always around that height. 

Why? How do great players of this seemingly optimum height use it advantageously? The optimum height to play table tennis might not be as exact as 172, as the successes of 175 Ma Long or 182 Wang Chuqin prove otherwise. The natural advantage over much shorter players is obvious - fewer steps needed - so we needn't say why not shorter. But why not taller?

Because at 172 one has the advantage of being in the most comfortable zone vertically with respect to the 76 cm tall table. As long as a 172 or even 170 does the basic drill and vary their attacks to prevent initiative-taking by taller opponents, very wide ball angles can be prevented. Then they can move comfortably from side to side without too much danger even if their shorter arms aren't optimized for defensive counters. Another one of their secrets is that they often naturally excel at keeping the ball very low - which they do - so the opponent has to lift. That creates opportunities to attack an opponent's high balls. The more strongly and accurately they can attack, the more likely they're the unbeatable one at the club. Lastly, it's the backhand. Every final boss appreciates the importance of a good and sufficiently dangerous backhand in achieving a low-ball game and even win crucial points outright.