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Mike Chan

Stephy Zhang

China’s men and women continued their total dominance of the World Team Table Tennis Championships in London on Sunday, and the former’s easy win over Japan again raised questions about the future of star Fan Zhendong.
The Olympic champion has not played for his country since claiming gold in Paris two years ago, and quit the International Table Tennis Federation rankings just months later.
While he has kept busy playing in Germany and in some tournaments at home, there has been little sign of his return to the men’s national team and last month Fan said he was skipping the UK event “for personal reasons”.
In his absence, world No 1 Wang Chuqin guided teammates Liang Jingkun and Lin Shidong to a 3-0 win that secured a 12th consecutive title since 2001.
Liang and Lin struggled at times during the run to gold, and Wang felt compelled to defend them afterwards, suggesting competition among countries had become increasingly fierce.
“There is no one who can stand up and say with absolute confidence, ‘I am going to win this title’,” the 26-year-old Jilin native said. “Every player has the same chance, and everyone is working extremely hard to improve and fight for their best results.”

Fan though remains a shadow hanging over the team, and in a post-match press conference one reporter asked about his “possible return to the national team”. Officials stepped in before an answer could be given.
But the debate raged on social media, with supporters of Fan and Wang baiting each other over what came next.
“See, we won even without Fan Zhendong,” one fan said, while another noted that against South Korea in the semi-finals in 2024 a China side with Fan won 3-2, “now that he is gone, it was 3-0”.
Other supporters argued that Fan’s presence could have averted the team’s earlier 3-1 defeat to South Korea in the group stage.
“It went exactly as predicted,” one commenter wrote. “If they lost, they would say it was because Fan didn’t return; because they won, they claim we didn’t need him anyway. He was destined to take the blame regardless ... are you not happy the Chinese team won?”
Whether playing for the national team or not, Fan remains a big draw, and state broadcaster CCTV plans to show him and German club side 1. FC Saarbrücken TT in action in the closing stages of the European Table Tennis Champions League this week. It will be the first time CCTV has broadcast the competition.
China’s women had a far less fraught response to their victory, even if it needed Sun Yingsha to ride to their rescue in a narrow 3-2 win over Japan.
The world No 1 won both of her matches, pulling her team back to 2-2 after Wang Manyu and Kuai Man had lost their openers.
Wang Manyu, the world No 2, was able to redeem herself, beating Hina Hayata in the decider.

“We saw that [five matches] coming, but after I lost my first match, the pressure and anxiety ahead of the fifth one were still massive,” the 27-year-old Wang said. “It was not about how well you prepared or how many tactics you could execute in a match like this, but just a battle of thoughts and mindset.
“Sun stepped up to win a point both times we trailed by a match, and that reassured us. It also gave me a chance for redemption and to win the title for our team, so I was really thankful to her.”


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ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation)

No Fan, no problem for China’s men, but questions remain over Olympic champ’s future

China’s men continued their total dominance of the World Team Table Tennis Championships in London. Photo: Xinhua

Despite China’s men winning the final, the shadow of Fan Zhendong hangs over the team. Photo: Xinhua

Sun Yingsha was instrumental in her team beating Japan 3-2 in the final. Photo: Reuters

China tells fans: stop celebrating athletes’ birthdays, warns about wasting resources

A shopping centre displays photos of table tennis superstar Wang Chuqin to celebrate his birthday. Photo: Weibo

The International Table Tennis Federation presented Wang Chuqin with a birthday cake after China won the championship on Sunday. Photo: Handout

Snooker boom can raise sport to level of table tennis in China, end stench of match-fixing

China’s Wu Yize celebrates after winning the World Snooker Championship defeating England’s Shaun Murphy. Photo: AP

 Zhao Xintong (left) played Ding Junhui in the second round at the World Snooker Championship. Photo: Xinhua

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Gold medallist has not played for country since winning in Paris two years ago, but remains active with German club side 1. FC Saarbrücken TT


Gold medallist has not played for country since winning in Paris two years ago, but remains active with German club side 1. FC Saarbrücken TT.


No Fan, no problem for China’s men, but questions remain over Olympic champ’s future

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Gold medallist has not played for country since winning in Paris two years ago, but remains active with German club side 1. FC Saarbrücken TT

Gold medallist has not played for country since winning in Paris two years ago, but remains active with German club side 1. FC Saarbrücken TT