The Paper's reporter Ma Zuoyu and Pu Yaolei are from Tokyo
Malone kisses the gold medal.
Malone, destined to be one of the greatest athletes in the history of table tennis in the world. At least in terms of achievements, he has set up a milestone that is "unprecedented".
On the night of July 30, when Malone beat teammate Fan Zhendong 4-2 to win the gold medal in the men's singles event of table tennis at the Tokyo Olympics, he did not have too much emotional catharsis, but just touched his fingers, held his head, and compared a love to the surrounding area of the stadium.
But behind this calm and simple way of celebrating is a great achievement in Olympic history – the first athlete to win a consecutive championship in the men's table tennis event. You know, even if they are as strong as Liu Guoliang and Kong Linghui, they have never achieved this achievement.
Ma Long and Fan Zhendong displayed the national flag.
"I should be one of the best athletes in table tennis, and to be one of the best is a blessing." Domineering and aggressive on the pitch, humble and unfazed under the pitch, this is the strength of Malone.
But for the Olympic Games and table tennis, Malone's value is far more than technology and ability, as well as his persistence and persistence, "I think I can still insist, or I can try to compete with young players." 」 ”
Malone waved his fist in celebration.
"This is the highest level of competition in the world today"
In fact, the men's singles final of the Tokyo Olympic Games is the same as the women's singles final of the previous night, which is a "national table tennis civil war". However, the biggest difference is that before the final, which was supposed to be held in an "empty field", many "spectators" had already poured into the stadium.
On the one hand, IOC President Bach sat in the guest seat with a group of officials, on the other hand, Liu Guoliang, president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, led all the national table tennis team members, and the rest were the table tennis team coaches and some players from various countries.
Such a big-name lineup also shows the influence of this game.
From the beginning of the competition, 32-year-old Ma Long and Fan Zhendong, who is 8 years younger than him, also showed amazing levels of competition. From the third goal of the first set, the audience erupted into applause. When Malone took the lead in a steal and finished scoring, many players and coaches on the scene could not help but marvel.
IOC President Bach watched the battle.
Such a scene has not happened since the opening of the table tennis competition at the Tokyo Olympics. Even if it is a mixed doubles match that has attracted much attention, the liveliness of the scene is only from the cheers of the on-site spectators of China and Japan.
But this time, applause, amazement, sighing, or cheering, all because of Ma Long and Fan Zhendong's purest ping-pong ability.
"They represent the strongest level of men's table tennis today." After watching this game, Liu Guoliang also sighed like this, "This ball is actually very connotative, when to fight in the platform, when to fight strength, when to use the score to oppress, including through the game to understand how the other side is, winning or losing is only at several key turning points." ”
Being able to make a "fat man who doesn't understand the ball" say such a high review shows the high level of this "dragon fat war".
Liu Guoliang praised the disciples.
In the game, when the two sides did not have the assistance of coaches, they also controlled the rhythm almost perfectly, as Liu Guoliang said. Just when Fan Zhendong was forced to close to just one point in the third set, Malone decisively called out a timeout himself, adjusted his form, and then returned to the court to score two consecutive points and win a crucial set.
Witnessing the wonderful performance of the disciples, Liu Guoliang, who was in a good mood, did not forget to ridicule the president of the International Olympic Committee who kept applauding and marveling at the scene, "Bach came to see this game, indicating that he also understands the ball." ”
However, after the ridicule, Liu Guoliang immediately and seriously faced the camera and once again emphasized, "This is a game that represents the highest level in today's table tennis world, and this game will also go down in history." ”
Athens Olympic men's singles champion Yoo Seung-min watched the match live.
"Malone, he can't win you"
Indeed, when Malone won the moment Fan Zhendong, this match was enough to go down in history - it witnessed Ma Long become the first successful men's singles champion in Olympic history; not only that, it also witnessed Ma Long becoming the second player in the world table tennis world to achieve a "double slam" after the "big devil" Zhang Yining.
In the moment of victory, the light of these achievements shines so brightly, but behind the light is malone's ups and downs in this Tokyo Olympic Games and even in this five-year Olympic cycle.
Just before advancing to the final, Malone was cornered in the semi-finals by his "old rival" Ochalov from Germany. At that time, and at the moment when the one-point gap decided to win or lose, Liu Guoliang, who was sitting on the sidelines and could not resist, shouted at Ma Long, "Ma Long, he can't win you, believe in yourself."
Then, Malone completed the "fatal blow" - at that moment, he also released all his emotions, shouting, "He can't win me." ”
"Fan Zhendong and Ma Long both encountered the fierce impact of their opponents in the semi-finals, and that way to cheer him on is also to give them a firmer belief and hint." In an interview after the game, Liu Guoliang also talked about his own shout, "This is very important in the Olympic arena. ”
It was also the difficult victory in the semi-finals coupled with the encouragement of Liu Guoliang that allowed Ma Long to find a more stable and resolute mentality.
Malone "than heart".
At that time, I also heard Chairman Liu Guoliang's shouts, and I wasn't sure if it was useful, but I won later, so it was still useful. The reason why I can compete with Fan Zhendong today is that I have won him in the competition and have confidence. I mainly win in the mentality, including the determination of the opening to do a very good job. ”
Stepping off the table, even though the golden Olympic gold medal was hanging around his neck, Malone immediately put away the sharpness and domineering in the game and became subtle and low-key again.
"Fan Zhendong is now the most technical and tactical player in the world, not only do I think so, everyone will think so."
But in the end, it was Malone who won the game. From Rio 5 years ago to Tokyo today, the road to the men's singles championship twice was "very difficult" in Ma Long's mouth, but compared with his young and vigorous self at that time, the 32-year-old Ma Long told the surging news reporter that his mentality was completely different.
"I won a lot of goals and won a lot of championships. Since 2016, this cycle has lost a lot of goals, and it is also trying to learn from young players, including their own body and mentality, which are already different. ”
Recalling his two Olympic victory trips in the past few years, Ma Long still has a lot of feelings, "The changes and ups and downs encountered in these years are completely impossible for me to do alone." In addition to my own persistence and hard work, there is also the help of the team, the support and guidance of coaches and friends, which I feel is inseparable from my ability to win the championship. ”
Malone wore the men's singles gold medal for the second time.
"To be one of the best players is a blessing"
Creating history to win two Olympic table tennis men's singles championships and complete the table tennis "double slam", Malone won all the imaginable achievements at the age of 32, which is already a kind of "consummation".
In fact, before this Olympic Games, there was more and more discussion about "Ma Long's last Olympic Games", plus Coach Liu Guoliang once lamented in an interview with the media, "Ma Long's game is to see one less game." These stories have more or less made the fans a little sentimental.
However, in the field of the Tokyo Olympics, when Ma Long talked about the future, he did not have any feelings and reluctance when he said "the veteran parted", but focused on the next table tennis men's team competition.
"Now is not the time to celebrate passionately, because there is still a team competition to fight for the title. Not only Fan Zhendong, Xu Xin also has to twist a rope with everyone, and the team game is not the responsibility of one person, it is three people. ”
Speaking of the upcoming men's team match, Malone has become the "dragon team" in the mouth of the fans, analyzing the situation of the team in great detail, and hoping that both himself and his teammates can adjust their mentality.
In fact, this also reflects Malone's current state of mind - fully immersed in the Olympic games, without too many distractions.
Malone fights another Olympics? This is not good news for Fan Zhendong.
"With the emphasis on the body and the emphasis on injury recovery, our careers are getting longer and longer, and there are many athletes like tennis, basketball and football who are still at the peak of their 35-year-olds or 36 years old, and these are also examples for us to learn. In fact, if an athlete is self-disciplined, he can still persist for a long time, so we are also pursuing this goal. ”
Despite the test of knee surgery in 2018 and the suffering of recovery injuries in 2019, Malone, who is now standing on the court with a knee scar, does not want to stop.
"I feel that I can still play, I can still persevere, I can still try to compete with young players, this is the mental strength I need most when I play down."
When asked if he hopes to continue to win the Olympic championship in the next Olympic Games, Malone has a modest attitude but does not lose confidence, "Everything is not easy to say, first of all, I can maintain a desire to win, which is the most valuable." ”
"I should be one of the best athletes in table tennis, and to be one of the best is a blessing."
Editor-in-Charge: Ascendas