Why does China forever dominate table tennis?

Tennis player Lam Thi Dong - Photo: ITTF

China's shocking defeat in table tennis

It's an understandable sentiment when you see spectacular upsets in sports . The Chinese dominate table tennis just as much as the Americans dominate basketball, if not more.

At the Olympics, World Championships, or World Cup, the men's and women's singles table tennis finals are often "civil wars" between Chinese players.

For example, at the Olympics, in the last 5 men's singles finals, there has only been one appearance of a player from outside China. That was Felix LeBrun (France) at the 2024 Olympics. And he had no chance against a completely superior Fan Zhendong.

In the men's singles table tennis World Cup, China has only lost the championship in 1 tournament in the last 12, when Ovtcharov and Timo Boll reached the final in 2017 (Ovtcharov won).

It was a sensitive period for Chinese table tennis, when their legends like Ma Long and Xu Xin had declined, and the new generation of Fan Zhendong was not yet mature enough.

That said, Calderano's recent victory deserves to be considered a miracle. Before defeating Lin Shidong - a Chinese table tennis genius who climbed to the world's number 1 position at the age of 20, Calderano defeated Wang Chuqin - a former world number 1, who was only 24 years old.

At this year's World Cup, China also has Liang Jingkun - who is currently ranked 4th in the world. Of the current top 4 in the world, 3 are from China, the remaining one is from Brazil, a country with no table tennis tradition. And then that player won.

Chinese people play table tennis all the time in the park - Photo: AFP

The joy of the table tennis community was even greater when just 2 days after this shocking defeat, the president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA), Mr. Liu Guoliang, resigned.

But it was also the moment fans realized China would again dominate this technical sport, because of the spirit and pride of its leaders.

China is too determined with table tennis

Chinese table tennis has a foundation for training, inheriting and elevating perfect athletes.

At the grassroots level, China has long since succeeded in turning table tennis into a school sport. Even the most accessible sport possible.

If you walk around parks in China, you will easily see ping pong tables everywhere. Chinese people play ping pong as easily as walking or jogging. It is the foundation of development.

And at the top, CTTA maintains a very effective policy of using talent. Liu Guoliang was the world's number one tennis player in the 1990s. He retired at the age of 25, too young.

Mr. Liu Guoliang (second from left) is considered the most successful coach in Chinese table tennis history - Photo: ITG

The reason is the continuity of Chinese table tennis. In 2001, Liu retired. In 2003, he was appointed head coach of the Chinese men's table tennis team, with the goal of reaching the 2008 Olympics on home soil.

And Liu did so well, winning the double gold medal in men's singles and men's team (at that time table tennis did not have doubles events in the Olympics). Even the three gold, silver and bronze medals were all won by Chinese players.

Who are they? There is Ma Lin, who is only 4 years younger than Liu. There is Wang Hao, who is 7 years younger than Liu. And Wang Liqin, who is 2 years younger than Liu. In Beijing 2008, Liu Guoliang looked more like a "big brother" than a head coach, because all those new students were not long ago his juniors.

Liu Guoliang's talent is undeniable, but it is necessary to acknowledge the system that helped him to excel.

In 2018, Luu Quoc Luong ended his 17-year coaching career to step into a new role - CTTA president.

He was re-elected for a second term in 2023 without any controversy. From the position of athlete, coach to president, Liu has always done his job very well. Chinese table tennis has maintained its monopoly at all times.

And then just one defeat, in a tournament that was not very prestigious (the World Cup in table tennis is generally not comparable to the Olympics and the World Championship), Liu Guoliang immediately had to resign.

His successor is none other than Vuong Le Can, from comrade, student, to colleague. And now he is the one inheriting the highest responsibility.

Hugo Caldenaro's victory sent the entire table tennis world into a frenzy. No one wanted to see one of the most exciting sports under such absolute domination.

But seeing how the Chinese react, believe that they will soon be winning every tournament again.

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HUY DANG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/vi-sao-trung-quoc-mai-mai-thong-tri-mon-bong-ban-20250423162833888.htm