Showing posts with label Table Tennis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Table Tennis. Show all posts
Monday, 17 August 2026
Monday, 11 May 2026
Sunday, 10 May 2026
Saturday, 9 May 2026
Wednesday, 6 May 2026
CHINA SWEEPS AUSTRALIA TO REACH ITTF WORLD TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS LAST 16
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| Wang Chuqin of China hits a shot in the match against Aditya Sareen of Australia at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals at OVO Arena Wembley in London, England, May 5, 2026. /VCG |
China booked their place in the men's round of 16 at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals with a commanding 3-0 victory over Australia on Tuesday.
Liang Jingkun set the tone in the opening match, rallying from a 9-6 deficit in the first game against Nicholas Lum by winning five straight points to snatch the initiative. He carried that momentum through the rest of the contest, closing out the next two games 11-5, 11-6 to give China an early lead.
"I tried to get into the match as soon as possible. My performance and feeling on the court was better than that in the past two days," Liang said.
World No. 1 Wang Chuqin extended China's advantage with a dominant display against Aditya Sareen. After edging a tight first game 11-9, Wang found his rhythm and powered through the next two 11-1, 11-2 as the defending champions moved within one win of progression.
"I was a bit tight in the first game, but overall, I took control of the rhythm throughout the match," Wang noted.
Watched courtside by Chinese table tennis icons Ma Long, Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen, Wang said the team drew confidence from the presence of their predecessors.
"With so many seasoned players supporting us, it serves as a testament to the Chinese table tennis team's legacy," he added.
Lin Shidong sealed the victory in the third match, overcoming Australia's Finn Luu 11-5, 11-4, 11-7. Although the scoreline suggested a straightforward win, Lin was tested late on as his opponent adjusted tactics.
"I haven't played him for a long time since the World Youth Championships [in 2021],” Lin said.“Actually it was not an easy match, especially in the third game, he made changes to his serves, which put me under pressure, but I held firm to win."
China will next face Romania, which edged Poland 3-2 on Monday, for a place in the quarterfinals.
Tuesday, 27 January 2026
MACAO TABLE TENNIS STAR ZHU YULING SAYS HER COMEBACK WAS 'DRIVEN BY LOVE AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS'
- Zhu Yuling speaks to Macao News on her comeback to table tennis after years away, her recent WTT Star Contender Doha 2026 win, and returning to world No. 5
- Yuling shares advice for young players in Macao and hopes to help athletes pursue professional pathways
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| Macao’s Zhu Yuling poses with her winner’s trophy after the women’s singles final match against Japan’s Sato Hitomi at the WTT Star Contender Doha 2026 – Photo by Nikku/Xinhua |
For several years, Zhu Yuling was absent from the international table tennis circuit – a quiet pause that followed one of the most decorated stretches of her career as a former world No. 1. The break came in the early 2020s, when health issues led her to step away from competition and temporarily put her playing career on hold.
During that time, Zhu returned to school to continue her studies and later transitioned into life as a professional teacher, gaining perspective beyond the demands of elite sport. Her return came in 2024, when she re-entered international competition representing Macao, starting again without a world ranking and gradually rebuilding her place among the sport’s elite.
That stunning resurgence has been underscored by a rapid rise back into the top tier, with Zhu climbing to world No. 5 and adding titles along the way. Most recently, she won the WTT Star Contender Doha 2026 crown, a victory that highlighted both her form and resilience at this stage of her career.
After flying back from Doha, Zhu Yuling took time out of her schedule for an interview with Macao News, reflecting on her journey into table tennis, her years away from the sport, and what continues to drive her today.
How did you first discover table tennis, and what drew you to the sport as a child?
When I was in primary school, I was quite weak and often fell ill, so my parents wanted me to take up a sport to improve my health. My school had a table tennis interest class, and I was instantly drawn to the sound of the ball being struck.
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| Zhu Yuling hits a return against Sato Hitomi at the WTT Star Contender Doha 2026 – Photo by Nikku/Xinhu |
At what point did table tennis stop being just a hobby and become something more serious?
After entering the national first team, table tennis shifted from being a hobby to becoming a responsibility and a mission.
Looking back, what helped you deal with the challenges you faced during your development as a player?
There were many difficulties, but I always treated each one as temporary. I would tell myself to think about how I might view today’s challenges ten years from now.
You stepped away from international table tennis for several years before returning. What was that period like, and what ultimately motivated your comeback?
During my time away from competition, I returned to school to continue my studies and later transitioned into a teaching role. Returning to the court wasn’t something I planned in advance. It came unexpectedly, driven by my love for the sport and the feeling that there were still things left unfinished.
How did it feel to win the WTT Star Contender Doha 2026 title?
It’s not the most significant title I’ve won in terms of weight, but it was the most surprising and meaningful gift for me in 2026.
The final in Doha was an intense battle. What stayed with you most from that match?
At a point when both my physical strength and mental energy were nearly exhausted, I managed to overcome myself. That experience is extremely valuable to me at this stage of my career.
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| Zhu Yuling (right) hugs Germany’s Han Ying after the women’s singles semifinal match at the WTT Champions Doha 2026 in Doha – Photo by Nikku/Xinhua |
You are now ranked world No. 5. How do you personally view rankings?
World rankings are just a form of statistics. I don’t pay too much attention to them.
What does it mean to represent Macao on the international stage?
Macao table tennis is relatively unknown internationally. I hope to let more people see and understand the broader possibilities of table tennis in Macao.
What advice would you give to young players in Macao who hope to follow a similar path?
You must dare to create dreams for yourself. If you believe in them, they can come true. I believe they will meet a better version of themselves along the path toward their dreams.
- Erico Dias
Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Sunday, 10 August 2025
Monday, 11 November 2024
Tuesday, 22 October 2024
HOCKEY, DIVING AND CRICKET AMONG SPORTS REMOVED AXED FOR 2026 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
Hockey, rugby sevens and diving are among the big-name Commonwealth Games casualties, axed from the pared-back Glasgow program in 2026.
The Games, relocated to Scotland after Victoria's withdrawal as host, will feature just 10 events, which is nine less than the previous edition held in 2022 in Birmingham.
Other sports to be left out include cricket, badminton, beach volleyball, mountain biking, rhythmic gymnastics, squash and table tennis.
Athletics and swimming were the only sports guaranteed a spot on the program, which also includes track cycling, weightlifting, 3x3 basketball and lawns bowls -- all of which include a para equivalent.
Netball, artistic gymnastics, judo and boxing round out the chosen 10.
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| Multiple sports including Hockey have been dropped from the Commonwealth games. Photo by Elsa/Getty Images |
As a cost-saving measure, the 10 sports will be spread across just four venues -- Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Emirates Arena and the Scottish Event Campus.
Athletes and support staff will stay in hotel accommodation rather than an athletes village.
The 2026 program will be officially released later on Wednesday.
The multi-sport event had been endangered since the government of Victoria pulled out as host last year, citing spiralling costs, which, it claimed, had blown the budget out to $6 billion.
Victoria paid $380 million in compensation to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), of which $200 million will be directed to Scotland to cover its hosting costs.
That figure will be topped up by $4.5 million from Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) to cover security, with neither the UK nor Scottish governments prepared to use public money -- though the former is said to be prepared to underwrite any additional security costs.
"This is a fantastic outcome for the Commonwealth sport movement," CGA president Ben Houston said last month.
"The Commonwealth Games are at the heart of Australia's performance pathway, often providing the launch pad for continued and ongoing success by Australian athletes.
"They are irreplaceable in terms of providing global competition and, in the absence of an Australian host, it was in the interests of Australian sport that we make an overseas Games a reality."
- AAP
Sunday, 13 October 2024
CHINESE PADDLERS WIN MIXED DOUBLES AT ASIAN TABLE TENNIS
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| Kuai Man (L) and Lin Shidong of China win the mixed doubles title at the Asian Table Tennis Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, October 12, 2024. /CFP |
Lin Shidong and Kuai Man of China battled from behind to defeat Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) 9-11, 12-10, 11-9, 15-13 in the mixed doubles final at the Asian Table Tennis Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Saturday, winning China's second title at the continental competition.
Ri and Kim made their impact felt by knocking out Japanese favorites Tomokazu Harimoto and Hina Hayata, and giving Chinese gold medalists Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha a tough battle at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics in August.
The DPRK duo beat Paris 2024 bronze medalists Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin of South Korea in the semifinals in Kazakhstan's capital.
Ri and Kim gave Lin and Kuai stymied in the first game, leading 10-6. Although the Chinese pair were resilient enough to cut the deficit to one point, they failed to reverse the momentum, and dropped the next game to trail 1-0 in the match.
The two sides continued to exchange leads in the second game, before Lin and Kuai tied things at 10-10 with a lucky bounce, and then converted back-to-back points to level the contest at 1-1.
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| Kuai Man (L) and Lin Shidong of China win the mixed doubles title at the Asian Table Tennis Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, October 12, 2024. /CFP |
After adjusting to the opposing duo's style of play, the Chinese pair tied the third game at 7-7, before surging into the lead. The DPRK side pushed back to level things at 9-9, but Lin and Kuai grabbed consecutive points to claim the game and seize a 2-1 lead.
China's paddlers earned two match points after jumping out to a 10-8 in the fourth game, but continued to miss out on the decisive play until the score reached 14-13, when Lin and Kuai refused to let the opportunity slip away again and secured the title.
- CGTN
Friday, 26 July 2024
JAPAN REMAIN GREATEST THREAT TO CHINA'S TABLE TENNIS DOMINANCE IN PARIS
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| Japan's rising star Tomokazu Harimoto and reigning world champion Fan Zhendong of China will both be expected to feature prominently in the men's singles of the upcoming Olympic table tennis tournament. VCG/VCG via Getty Images |
China's table tennis team head to the Paris Olympics on a mission to re-establish their complete dominance of the sport with a clean sweep of the gold medals on offer after their shock defeat by Japan in the mixed doubles event at the Tokyo Games.
Paris offers China's dream team a shot at redemption after Japan's Jun Mizutani and Mima Ito upset them in the first-ever mixed doubles final at the COVID-delayed Games three years ago.
The defeat marked the first time China had failed to win every table tennis title at an Olympics since South Korea's Ryu Seung-min claimed gold in the men's singles at the 2004 Athens Games.
It did not go down well back home.
"Team China puts in more effort than any team to be as prepared as possible, so failure is not an option," table tennis commentator Adam Bobrow told Reuters.
"If there's any final, men or women, in singles that is not two Chinese players, that will be massive news."
China have won 32 of the 37 golds and 60 of the 115 total medals since table tennis was introduced to the Summer Olympics in 1988.
The world's top four men and women's singles players are all from China, where the sport is a national obsession.
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| The extent of China's depth in talent has even allowed to leave Ma Long -- widely regarded as the greatest table tennis player of all time -- out of singles competition and reserve him solely for the team event. VCG/VCG via Getty Images |
Such is the Asian superpower's strength-in-depth that reigning men's Olympic singles champion Ma Long will not defend his title in Paris.
Instead, Ma, the most celebrated player of his generation, who also won gold in Rio in 2016, will take part in the team event, with China's hopes in the men's singles resting on world number one Wang Chuqin and reigning world champion Fan Zhendong.
Top-ranked Sun Yingsha is the favourite for the women's singles title, but the Chinese contingent will face new and old challengers from neighbouring Japan.
Tokyo mixed doubles gold medallist Ito, known for her unconventional style, returns to lead a strong Japanese squad, while rising star Tomokazu Harimoto will be gunning for the men's singles title.
Harimoto's younger sister, Miwa, will also make her Olympic debut in the team event, but the Japanese pair will not be the only table tennis siblings competing in Paris.
France, with home-court advantage, are a dark horse in the team event, with all eyes on brothers Felix and Alexis Lebrun, who are 17 and 20 respectively.
The duo's rapid ascent to the top of the sport has captivated the host nation, as well as Liu Guoliang, who now heads the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA).
Liu said the Lebrun brothers were a "prominent rival to China in the coming decade" in an interview with China's CCTV.
Alexis, who is ranked 16th in the world, 11 places below his younger brother, has one of the best records against Chinese players, said Bobrow, who described the older Lebrun as "creative and powerful".
"It's tough to have people on the other side of the table that play such an unpredictable style," Bobrow added.
The competition, which runs from July 27 to Aug. 10, sees 172 athletes battle across five events and will also mark the end of the storied international career of Timo Boll.
The 43-year-old German, a twice Olympic silver medallist in the team event, made his first Olympic appearance at Sydney in 2000 and will become only the sixth player to appear at seven different Games.
- Reuters
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