So far, in the history of national table tennis, a total of nine people have completed the great cause of the Grand Slam, namely: Liu Guoliang, Kong Linghui, Zhang Jike, Ma Long, Deng Yaping, Wang Nan, Zhang Yining, Li Xiaoxia and Ding Ning.
Among them, Zhang Yining and Ma Long have both completed double-lap Grand Slams, which can be said to be the most successful athletes in the history of table tennis.
In addition to these Grand Slam athletes, in fact, there are many excellent players in the history of national table tennis, who have also won a lot of world championships, but they lack a champion and have no chance to achieve a Grand Slam.
Let's take stock of the quasi-Grand Slams who lack a champion in the three major competitions and have no chance to achieve a Grand Slam.
First, Marlene.
Marlene's career can be said to be very successful, he has won four World Cup singles titles, and won the men's singles title at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, just one World Table Tennis Singles Title away from the Grand Slam.
But unfortunately, Marlene has participated in 9 world table tennis singles competitions, three times to reach the final, but did not win a championship, Marlene last participated in the world table tennis, in 2013 world table tennis, but Marlene was out early, leaving a lifelong regret.
Second, Wang Hao.
When many people mention Wang Hao, they will first think of Wang Hao's three Olympic runners-up, but in fact, Wang Hao has won many championships, he has won the World Cup singles championship three times, in addition to defeating Wang Liqin in the 2009 World Table Tennis Championships and winning the singles championship of the World Table Tennis Championships.
Wang Hao is only one Olympic singles champion away from a Grand Slam.
But unfortunately, Wang Hao participated in three Olympic Games and reached the final three times, but he lost to Liu Chengmin, Ma Lin and Zhang Jike respectively, and he was never able to win the Olympic singles championship he longed for.
Wang Hao's last world championship was at the 2013 World Table Tennis Championships, when Wang Hao was still able to reach the final! It can be seen from this that Wang Hao's strength is still very strong.
Third, Liu Shiwen.
When many fans mention Liu Shiwen, they always like to use the queen of sorrow to describe her. Because Liu Shiwen has been the absolute main force in the Chinese women's table tennis team for more than ten years, but she has never been able to qualify for the Olympic Games!
Liu Shiwen has won five World Cup singles titles and one World Table Tennis Singles title in her career, but she was 28 years old when she won the World Table Tennis Singles Title.
Perhaps at that time, Liu Shiwen realized that although she won the singles championship of the World Table Tennis Championships, she would most likely still miss the Olympic singles, so Liu Shiwen would sigh: I think I deserve this championship, although it came a little late.
Yes, with the increase of age, Liu Shiwen's state has inevitably declined, coupled with the impact of injuries, Liu Shiwen finally rubbed shoulders with the Olympic singles!
Liu Shiwen is only one Olympic singles champion away from the Grand Slam, but unfortunately, Liu Shiwen has not been able to get a chance to participate in the Olympic singles after all!
Fourth: Chen Meng.
In fact, three years ago, no one was optimistic that Chen Meng had the opportunity to complete the dream of a Grand Slam, after all, before 2019, Chen Meng was not in the top three absolute main forces in the Chinese women's table tennis team, but more in the role of the fringe main force.
But as Ding Ning Liu Shiwen gradually grew older, and the contemporary Zhu Yuling also fell into a downturn, coupled with the rise of Japan's Ito Mimachi, Chen Meng ushered in his own excellent opportunity.
Fortunately, Chen Meng seized these opportunities and, at the age of 26, won the first chance to participate in the World Cup, defeating Sun Yingsha in the final and winning the Women's Singles Championship of the World Cup.
In the Tokyo Olympic Games, Chen Meng once again defeated Sun Yingsha in the final and won the Women's Singles Championship of the Olympic Games, and at this time, Chen Meng also domineeringly announced that the era of Chen Meng had arrived.
Chen Meng did not hide his desire for a Grand Slam, and Chen Meng said that he still had a Grand Slam dream that had not been realized!
Originally, the 2021 World Table Tennis Championships was Chen Meng's best chance to achieve a Grand Slam, but in the semi-finals, Chen Meng was tragically reversed by Wang Manyu! He was not able to surpass Zhang Jike and become the fastest Grand Slam in history!
Today, Chen Meng, like his mentor Marlene, is only one World Table Tennis Singles Champion away from the Grand Slam.
But in fact, this world table tennis singles champion, Chen Meng, after missing last year's opportunity, wants to win the championship again, I am afraid it is more difficult.
After all, Chen Meng is now 28 years old, for female athletes, it already belongs to the old athletes, and as they grow older, the state will inevitably decline.
For Chen Meng, there is still a chance to complete the Grand Slam, that is, next year's World Table Tennis Championships, when the 29-year-old Chen Meng can still beat wang Manyu Sun Yingsha and other younger teammates?