Today, the Chinese table tennis team officially announced the lineup of the 2021 Houston World Table Tennis Championships, and the men's singles defending champion Ma Long took the initiative to take a break and missed the single World Table Tennis Championships, which is also the first time he has not appeared on the world table tennis championships since 2006.
After the list was announced, Malone responded to the break at the first time.
This year is undoubtedly another "harvest year" for Ma Long, at the Tokyo Olympic Games, he has been 33 years old, he successfully defended his title in both men's singles and men's team events, not only achieving the feat of "double circle Grand Slam", but also becoming a veritable "first person in history" in the world table tennis world with 26 world championships. After the Olympic Games, Ma Long successively participated in the National Games and the Table Tennis Super League, which was a huge challenge for his energy and physical strength. This absence from the World Table Tennis Championships is also a good opportunity for Ma Long to rest and adjust.
Ma Long's absence also makes Chinese men's table tennis face a huge challenge. Qin Zhijian said frankly that at the beginning of the new cycle, facing such a major event as the World Table Tennis Championships, in the absence of the defending champion of the men's singles and the Olympic singles champion Ma Long, the pressure of the Chinese men's team to defend the title in the men's singles field increased sharply, and the team also made preparations for young athletes to "pay tuition". "But looking at the Paris Olympics, it is imperative to hone the ability and responsibility of young athletes to resist pressure in the competition." Qin Zhijian said so.