The 2024 Olympic Games are imminent, and the Chinese table tennis team has attracted much attention. As the absolute rulers of the national table tennis men's singles in the past ten years, the "Iron Triangle" Ma Long, Xu Xin, and Zhang Jike have now embarked on different life paths. Malone is still holding on to the game, but there is a significant decline in form; Xu Xin and Zhang Jike have successively "faded out" of the table tennis arena to make way for the new generation. And Wang Chuqin, a post-00s teenager who rose under their halo, has now become the world's No. 1 men's singles and is highly anticipated by the outside world.
If the "Iron Triangle" of Ma Long, Xu Xin, and Zhang Jike once performed the glory of Chinese table tennis, then the new generation who will take on the responsibility of winning gold will undoubtedly face greater pressure and challenges.
At a time when Ma Long is about to reach the end of his career and Fan Zhendong's state is up and down, Wang Chuqin's rise has undoubtedly become a new force in the Chinese table tennis men's team. As the world's No. 1 men's singles, Wang Chuqin has become the "first brother" of the national table tennis men's team with his excellent performance and stable competitive state.
Wang Chuqin's rise is undoubtedly related to his strong concentration and talent. Wang Chuqin, who has been regarded as a "genius boy" since he was a child, has made great progress all the way with his extraordinary skills and concentration, and reached the top of the world for the first time at the age of 18. Even in the face of pressure from veterans such as Ma Long and Fan Zhendong, Wang Chuqin still maintained an excellent performance and became the new favorite of Chinese table tennis.
Some commentators believe that Wang Chuqin's rapid rise may be related to the lack of enthusiasm in the renewal of national table tennis in previous years. The long-term rule of Ma Long, Xu Xin, and Zhang Jike led to Wang Chuqin's lack of experience in the competition when he first emerged. But now Wang Chuqin has grown into the world's No. 1, not only outstanding singles strength, but also excellent doubles results driven by mixed doubles partner Sun Yingsha. It can be said that Wang Chuqin is gradually filling the gap of the national table tennis men's team at the competition level with his outstanding performance.
However, there are still some concerns about whether Wang Chuqin can successfully complete the important task of winning gold. There are several main reasons:
The first is the lack of tournament experience. Although Wang Chuqin has grown into the world's No. 1, compared to his predecessors such as Ma Long and Xu Xin, his experience on the competition stage is still lacking. In the face of the high pressure and huge expectations of top events such as the Olympic Games, it remains to be seen whether Wang Chuqin will be able to fully exert his strength.
The second is the ability to bear psychological pressure to be tested. As the leader of the "new generation", Wang Chuqin shoulders the high expectations of the Chinese people, coupled with his own youth, whether he can remain calm and calm in the face of great pressure is also a big test. We all know that table tennis is a sport that requires great psychological quality, and if there is a problem with psychological adjustment, it is easy to go out of order at critical moments.
In addition, it is difficult to maintain physical condition. Table tennis is a huge drain on the body, especially for the small Wang Chuqin, long-term high-intensity training and competitions may be a big test for his physical fitness. If there is an injury or a decline in his physical condition, it will inevitably affect his performance.
Finally, there is the impact of other players. Although Wang Chuqin is currently ranked No. 1 in the world, veterans such as Fan Zhendong and Liang Jingkun should not be underestimated. Especially Fan Zhendong, who used to be the world's No. 1, although his form has been up and down in recent years, as long as he adjusts to the best condition, he may still become Wang Chuqin's biggest competitor.
In the face of various challenges, Wang Chuqin undoubtedly needs to make more efforts. However, judging from the current situation, he does have the potential to become the leader of the new generation of national table tennis men's team. As long as he can be fully prepared mentally and physically, I believe that in the upcoming Paris Olympics, Wang Chuqin will be able to play his best and win the long-awaited table tennis men's singles gold medal for the Chinese delegation.
Of course, in addition to Wang Chuqin, there are other players in the national table tennis men's team worth paying attention to. As a member of the "Iron Triangle", Ma Long, although his form has declined, he still has become one of the important forces of the Chinese men's team with his rich competition experience and excellent skills. Although there is speculation that he may retire after this Olympics, as long as he is in good shape, Malone is still expected to win glory for his country.
Another strong player, Liang Jingkun, although he cannot be compared with Wang Chuqin and Fan Zhendong, has made breakthroughs in recent years and made him an indispensable member of the national table tennis men's team. It was with Liang Jingkun's crucial play that the national table tennis men's team was able to retain the gold medal at the Incheon Championships last month. It can be said that as long as Liang Jingkun can maintain a stable performance at critical moments, he will also become a big help for the national table tennis men's team.
Speaking of Fan Zhendong, although his form has been up and down in recent years, he was also the world's No. 1 men's singles after all. As long as he can adjust his state and regain his peak strength, Fan Zhendong is still expected to become Wang Chuqin's biggest competitor. However, it may be unknown whether Fan Zhendong can "break out" at a critical moment.
In general, the Chinese table tennis men's team is now facing a new round of talent renewal and competition after experiencing a glorious "iron triangle" era. Wang's rise has undoubtedly been the new highlight, but it remains to be seen whether he will be able to achieve his gold medal at the upcoming Olympics. At the same time, veterans such as Ma Long, Liang Jingkun and even Fan Zhendong will also play an important role in this process.
In any case, the Chinese table tennis men's team will definitely create new brilliance in the future Olympic Games. As the leaders of the world table tennis arena, I believe that they will definitely bring wonderful matches and outstanding results, which will shock and make all fans proud again.
The Chinese men's table tennis Olympic lineup has changed, and it is time for a generation of legendary Ma Long to say goodbye!