Winning the Asian Championship men's singles championship ten years later, the 35-year-old Ma Long is still playing the year, and he celebrates passionately after winning the championship
On the afternoon of September 10, the 26th Asian Table Tennis Championships ended at the Pyeongchang Dome Stadium in South Korea. In the final men's singles final, two top national table tennis players Fan Zhendong and Ma Long staged a wonderful peak showdown. After five rounds, Ma Long narrowly defeated teammate Fan Zhendong 3-2 and won the Asian Championship men's singles championship for the fourth time.
This Asian Championship is not only an important continental event in the Paris Olympic cycle, but also an advance preview of the Hangzhou Asian Games, and its gold content is self-evident. With the Paris Olympics approaching, the competition within the national table tennis team is becoming more and more fierce, and the national table tennis team members are making every effort to consolidate the world ranking and strive for a favorable position. In this Asian Championships, the Chinese men's table tennis maintained the championship lineup of the Chengdu World Table Tennis Championships, and sent the "Five Tiger Generals" Fan Zhendong, Wang Chuqin, Ma Long, Liang Jingkun and Lin Gaoyuan to train for the Asian Games in advance.
Looking at this Asian Championships, the Chinese men's table tennis that started from the team qualification tournament did not lose a set on the way to the top. In the men's singles, Ma Long, Fan Zhendong and Liang Jingkun advanced to the men's singles semifinals, highlighting the unshakable status of Chinese table tennis in the world. In the men's singles semifinals, Fan Zhendong defeated teammate Liang Jingkun 3-1; Ma Long swept Chinese Taipei's Lin Yunru in straight sets.
After the game, Ma Long also affirmed his performance, saying that against a player of Lin Yunru's level, he must go all out, so he is fully prepared. He said: "Last time I also lost, Lin Yunru is in good condition recently, and this game is executed according to the tactics arranged by the coach before the game from beginning to end, and the effect is very good. Today's handling of receiving serves is much better than before, and Lin Yunru's main feature is still in the first three boards, serving, receiving serves, and the quality of the first board is also very high. Today I did a little better than before in receiving the serve, and I was able to form a hold as much as possible. ”
In the men's singles final, the long-awaited "Dragon Fat Showdown" was staged as scheduled, and the game process could be described as ups and downs. Malone won the first game 11-7. Fan Zhendong gradually entered the state and appeared more passionate on the court, winning two consecutive games 11-5, 11-7 to overtake the score. With no way back, Ma Long regained control of the situation and won two consecutive sets 11-5, 11-6, narrowly defeating Fan Zhendong 3-2 on aggregate, and won the Asian Championship men's singles title for the first time in ten years.
Ma Long has previously achieved three consecutive Asian championships in 2009, 2012 and 2013, and with this Asian Championship men's singles title, he has equaled the record of four Asian Championship singles singles titles held by Ho Zhili, and is the only men's singles "quadruple champion" in the history of the Asian Championships.
Winning the men's singles title, Malone jumped up excitedly to celebrate. At the post-match award ceremony, fans shouted "see you in Paris", and Ma Long, the upcoming 35-year-old table tennis double-lap Grand Slam winner, is still the year of the fight. Ten years have changed, and what has not changed is Ma Long's desire to win and his persistent love for table tennis.
"This decade has passed quickly, ten years ago I also played the Asian Championships in South Korea, and the results are the same as ten years ago, sometimes history is such a coincidence. I haven't won a singles title since the Tokyo Olympics, and although this Asian Championship is difficult, I still want to fight hard for every victory, fight every point, and I am very happy to win the championship. Malone said.
Text/Beiqing Sports Zhou Xueshuai