No, he could never have. After this smash where he threw in his whole weight, the upper body rotation impulse made quick turning into the other direction impossible. Moreover, he didn't have his feet assembled. Not to mention the relatively little reaction time to see the ball was coming back in order to accomplish all of that.

There is no limit to throw the ball back beyond. The rules says only: flat hand when throwing, ball nearly going vertically upwards (i.e. not throwing it into the racket), ball must be behind the (extended) end line of the table at all times, at least going upwards 6" after leaving the hand, and the player must not hide the ball. Which serves do you think did not comply to that?

Lol, even Schlager would laugh at your theory...somehow all Schlager fanboys come across as stupid with their comments :(

+max sattern Schlager has never been European Champion in his career, and he had actually been World N°1 for only one month (the one after his 2003 victory), and there's no way you let go an European title when you worked so hard for reaching the final, so your theory is invalid, Maze's title was fully deserved that year (with all the respect that I have for Schlager)

Werner schlager could be maze's father... and speaking of my theory its entirly accurate, schlager gave that match to maze. Its the fact and it was seen. I know tthat you'r maze's fanboy and you like watching maze's success but maze is schlager's student and even maze respect that.

+max sattern Stop repeating your BS...Maze was never Schlager's student...It was an effing European Championship final, not an exhibition match that Schlager would give it to his opponent just like that!

Stop talking about table tennis dude, Schlager is only 9 years older than Maze, and have I to remind you that Maze beat Timo Boll 2 times in this tournament? 2009 was Maze's year, how can you prove that Schlager gave him this match?