appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Andrew Cesare Richardson

In 2022, Hugo Calderano vowed he would be “better than the Chinese” table tennis players – and, on Sunday, he was true to his word.
Victory over world No 1 Lin Shidong in the World Cup final in Macau may have sent Chinese fans into a period of reflection, but for 28-year-old Calderano it was just his latest achievement as he continued to break new ground for South American table tennis.
Ranked at world No 5 going into the tournament, Calderano won it the hard way as he overcame third-ranked Tomokazu Harimoto in the last eight and No 2 Wang Chuqin in the semis before beating Lin in the final.
Victory saw Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva extend his congratulations.
“Very pleased with the unprecedented feat achieved by Hugo Calderano in Macau, at the table tennis World Cup,” Lula wrote on social media. “In a tournament between 48 of the world’s best international players, the Brazilian became the first player from the Americas to reach the final and win the tournament by beating China’s Lin Shidong, the world No 1, this Easter Sunday.












View this post on Instagram























A post shared by Hugo Calderano (@hugocalderano)



“Fantastic work by a top-five-in-the-world athlete who, for almost 15 years, has been supported by the federal government’s athlete grant. Congratulations, Hugo Calderano. Immensely proud.”
The Brazilian’s achievement also impressed fans in China, despite Lin being on the losing side.
“Congratulations Hugo, solid efforts will eventually lead to great results,” one comment on Weibo read. “The only man in the top 20 of the world rankings to win a singles gold medal in the three major tournaments.”
Another user added: “Hugo totally deserves to win, he’s really amazing. His achievements are entirely due to his own hard work. Self-discipline and persistence are really crucial.”
Victory was the culmination of years of hard work for Calderano.
“Certainly the Chinese domination is huge,” Calderano said ahead of the 2022 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in Chengdu. “The most important thing is to start believing it’s possible to beat them, to be better than them and to compete against them.
“For so many years they have been the best, so it’s very hard to compete and to keep believing. I mean, I’ve always believed I can do it, I can be the No 1. I can be better than the Chinese. That’s why I wake up every day and practise hard.”
Perhaps Calderano was always destined for greatness. Born in Rio de Janeiro, his mother, father and grandfather were PE teachers. He left his hometown at 14 to train in Sao Paulo and became South American children’s champion.












View this post on Instagram























A post shared by CazéTV (@cazetv)



In 2013, aged 17, he was the youngest player to win a stage of the World Tour.
Calderano later became the first player from Latin America to break into the top 10 of the ITTF rankings.
He also set and beat new benchmarks at the Olympic Games. In 2016, the hometown star reached the round of 16 in Rio, matching his country’s best-ever finish.
Five years later, in Tokyo, he set a new Brazilian standard with a quarter-final elimination. He went one stage better in Paris last year by reaching the semi-finals, eventually losing the bronze-medal match.
Eight months on from that, he explained in an interview this week with Brazilian media how he overcame possibly the most painful defeat of his career.
“I had the wisdom to see what was happening from a certain distance, I could feel it, but I never thought I would stop or give up, I always knew this moment would pass,” he said. “I always truly believe that time is a healer.
“I knew I needed to keep working hard. I was suffering. Not like a deep depression. I felt really bad, but it was a fluctuation. I would find the strength to prepare for the next competition.”
Just before this month’s World Cup, Calderano ended his partnership with coach Jean-Renne Mounier, whom he had worked with for more than a decade. Ex-player Thiago Monteiro was in his corner for the World Cup, and they enjoyed instant success together.
“Having someone who knows me and understands table tennis makes a difference,” he said.


Accepting failure key to success for perfectionist Pedrey Ng as Asian Games debut looms

Fan Zhedong falls flat after cinemas sell out; China’s big 5 to skip Asian Championships

Live broadcast of Fan Zhendong’s German Cup clash sells out Chinese cinemas in minutes

Fan Zhendong enjoys ‘fitting, warm welcome’ in home debut for Borussia Dusseldorf

ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation)

Who is Hugo Calderano, Brazilian table tennis star who finally beat the Chinese?

Brazil’s Hugo Calderano is all smiles after beating Lin Shidong in the ITTF World Cup final in Macau. Photo: Xinhua

Chinese table tennis chief Liu Guoliang quits, Wang Liqin, Ma Long to head Olympic charge

Liu Guoliang has stepped down as president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association. Photo: Xinhua

Sun Yingsha in action in the women’s World Cup final against Kuai Man in Macau on Sunday. Photo: Xinhua

Wang Chuqin will lead China’s charge at the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals. Photo: Xinhua

Bring back Fan Zhendong, Ma Long? Chinese table tennis fans rue Lin’s Macau loss

China’s Lin Shidong on his way to defeat in his final against Hugo Calderano at the ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup. Photo: Xinhua

Brazil’s Hugo Calderano poses with his trophy after beating Lin Shidong in the final. Photo: Xinhua

Hong Kong to host table tennis’ WTT Finals, city’s ‘global reputation’ hailed

Wang Chuqin is expected to be among the players heading to Hong Kong in December. Photo: Xinhua

Hong Kong Coliseum in Hung Hom will be the venue for the year-ending event. Photo: Edmond So

Sport

Other Sport

He left home at 14, won on World Tour at 17 and has been a pioneer for South America, winning Brazil President Lula’s praise


He left home at 14, won on World Tour at 17 and has been a pioneer for South America, winning Brazil President Lula’s praise.


Provide background, description and detail of a specific individual or entity, helping the reader understand more about their life, work and interests.


Profile

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}He left home at 14, won on World Tour at 17 and has been a pioneer for South America, winning Brazil President Lula’s praise

He left home at 14, won on World Tour at 17 and has been a pioneer for South America, winning Brazil President Lula’s praise