In the history of national table tennis, there have been many excellent athletes, including Grand Slam athletes like Ma Long, and more athletes who can only silently serve as sparring partners!
Not long ago, Fang Bo, who announced his retirement after the National Games, was one of the sparring partners.
Born in 1992, Fang Bo is 4 years younger than Grand Slam winner Malone, but unlike Malone, Fang Bo has not played in the main layer of men's table tennis until he retired.
Why can't Fang Bo become the main player of Chinese men's table tennis? Is it because of Fang Bo's poor level?
Not really!
In 2015, Fang Bo, who was only 23 years old at the time, qualified for the world table tennis championships for the first time in his career, but Fang Bo's performance in the first competition was very amazing.
In the quarter-finals, Fang Bo played against Xu Xin, before the game, many fans were more optimistic that Xu Xin could win, after all, Xu Xin was already known as the three main players of Chinese men's table tennis with Ma Long Zhang Jike.
However, Fang Bo was not timid in facing Xu Xin, and after a fierce competition between the two, Fang Bo finally pulled two consecutive sets in the case of falling behind 0-2 in the big score, and tied the big score.
Although Xu Xin won another big game and led 3-0, Fang Bo was not soft at that time, and once again won two consecutive sets, and finally defeated Xu Xin with a 4-3 score reversal.
In the semi-finals, Fang Bo faced a grand slam advocate Jike, Zhang Jike had previously won the World Table Tennis Championships singles championship twice in 2011 and 2013, and at the Suzhou World Table Tennis Championships, Zhang Jike was aiming for three consecutive championships.
You know, Fang Bo has been Zhang Jike's sparring partner before, in the eyes of many fans, Fang Bo will not be Zhang Jike's opponent anyway, however, in this game, Fang Bo fought more fiercely, and finally eliminated Zhang Jike with a 4-1 score!
In this way, Fang Bo participated in the World Table Tennis Championships for the first time in his career and reached the men's singles final of the World Table Tennis Championships, and in the final, Fang Bo faced Ma Long.
For Malone, this is also the first time in his career to reach the men's singles final of the World Table Tennis Championships, and it is also imperative for this World Table Tennis Championships singles champion.
After a fierce battle between the two, in the end, Malone defeated Fang Bo by a score of 4-2, and after winning, Ma Long excitedly jumped onto the table and stood on the table to shake hands with Fang Bo!
For Fang Bo, who was only 23 years old at the time, it was already very good to be able to reach the men's singles final of the World Table Tennis Championships. This would have been a good opportunity to become the main force of Chinese men's table tennis.
However, unfortunately, Fang Bo did not follow the trend to become the absolute main force of Chinese men's table tennis, and still can only act as a sparring partner for the main team members in the team.
After all, although he has reached the singles final of the World Table Tennis Championships, in ordinary competitions, Fang Bo has not achieved too dazzling results, and even the opportunities to participate in the International Open are very few.
As more young athletes emerged, Fang Bo's position in the team gradually became awkward.
In October of this year, Fang Bo announced his retirement after playing in the Full Games and the Table Tennis Super League!
Fang Bo said:
"Sooner or later there will be such a day, nearly 16 years of national team career, to be able to wear the national uniform to fight for the country is the greatest honor of my life, there are too many people to thank, to be recognized by all coaches and athletes can be hugged enough, this big family will always open the door to me, enough."
Although Fang Bo did not become a Grand Slam athlete like Ma Long Zhang Jike, Fang Bo still made outstanding contributions to national table tennis, and in this year's Olympic Games, Fang Bo still went to Tokyo as a sparring partner to accompany Ma Long Fan Zhendong and other practices.
It can be said that the national table tennis can achieve such brilliant results today, which is also inseparable from this batch of sparring partners like Fang Bo!
I hope that FangBo can work and live in the future everything is smooth, getting better and better, come on!