On April 15, the first WTT (World Table Tennis Professional Tour) World Cup officially kicked off in Macau. This is the return of table tennis after the cancellation of the World Cup in 2019 for the first time in four years. However, on the first day of the competition, the national table tennis suffered a major setback, and many top players were reversed out of the tournament and missed the good start. This undoubtedly casts a shadow on this table tennis event. What is the reason for the collective upset of national table tennis? What impact has the new competition system had on this World Cup? Let us solve this mystery of the table tennis world together.
The new competition system restricts the performance of national table tennis?
One of the highlights of the WTT World Cup is the new format. Different from the previous single-elimination rounds, this competition has adopted a new format of group stage + knockout round. Specifically, the 48 players were divided into 16 groups of three players, and the group stage took the form of four rounds per game. At the end of the group stage, a total of 16 winners from each group will enter the knockout round.
This new format has sparked a lot of buzz. Some people believe that this is the intention of the ITTF to limit the performance of national table tennis and allow more players from other countries to advance. Because in the group stage, there is only one qualifying place for each group, which greatly increases the difficulty for players to advance. The group stage adopts a new 4-game system, which also breaks the traditional rule of table tennis of 3 wins in 5 games or 4 wins in 7 games, and even allows for a draw. These changes have undoubtedly brought a lot of challenges to the national table tennis players who have always dominated the table tennis world.
In fact, this new competition system has indeed had a certain impact on national table tennis players. On the first day of the competition, the national table tennis encountered a series of unexpected situations. Lin Gaoyuan and Wang Chuqin were tied by their opponents in the lead, and finally handed over a 2-2 draw. This is the first time in the history of table tennis. Not only that, but there are also some weaker national table tennis players who have also encountered the embarrassing situation of a black start.
So, is the new competition system really the main reason why national table tennis has suffered Waterloo? After all, table tennis is a sport that emphasizes the flexibility of the ball style, and it should not be taken lightly at any time. The introduction of the new competition system has brought new challenges to the players, testing their psychological quality and adaptability. Although the national table tennis players suffered a Waterloo on the first day, I believe that as long as they can adjust their mentality as soon as possible and adapt to the new rhythm of the game, they will be able to return to the top in the next competition.
It should be pointed out that the new competition system has indeed brought a lot of pressure to many national table tennis players. This new "group stage + knockout" mode not only breaks the original rules of the game, but also brings a new psychological challenge to the players. For example, there is only one qualifying spot in each group, which means that every game in the group stage is extremely important, and every point can determine the fate of qualification. Coupled with the addition of a four-inning system, the outcome of the game is more unpredictable, which greatly increases the suspense and drama of the game.
For national table tennis, which has always been accustomed to dominating the table tennis world, this change is undoubtedly a huge challenge. Not only do they have to adapt to the new rules of the game, but they also have to improve their mental quality and maintain a high level of concentration and fighting spirit at all times. A slight slack could lead to a painful reversal like the one on the first day.
Therefore, we cannot simply blame the collective loss on the first day of national table tennis on the new format. On the contrary, the introduction of the new rules is just a rare opportunity to test the comprehensive strength of national table tennis players. If they can take it in stride and give full play to their strengths, I believe they will be able to dominate again in the following games.
The undercurrent is surging and the hidden danger of civil strife in national table tennis
In addition to the impact of the new competition system, the author believes that the undercurrent within the national table tennis may also be an important reason for this collective upset. In recent years, there have been various discordant news within the national table tennis. For example, after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the issue of generational succession caused an uproar in the table tennis world; For another example, at the upcoming World Table Tennis Championships in Incheon, there were also some discordant voices within the national table tennis. These all indicate that there may be some hidden problems within the national table tennis.
At the start of the WTT World Cup, there seems to be a small storm within the national table tennis again. It is reported that in the warm-up training before the game, Ma Long, the former first brother in the table tennis world, had a verbal conflict with the teenager Lin Shidong. The two even broke up because of this and missed the pre-game joint practice. This internal contradiction will undoubtedly affect the morale and state of the entire national table tennis team, resulting in a collective defeat.
What's more, some analysts believe that the collective upset of national table tennis this time may be related to the lack of table tennis to win gold in the Tokyo Olympics. Since the 2016 Rio Olympics, the dominance of national table tennis has begun to decline. At the Tokyo Olympics, although they won all the gold medals, their overall performance was not completely satisfactory. This may lead to a setback in the morale of the national table tennis team, and the confidence of the players has been hit to a certain extent.
Therefore, we cannot ignore these vague uncertainties within the national table tennis. Only when the national table tennis is united and the internal contradictions are eliminated can we inject full fighting spirit and confidence into the next game.
These internal contradictions have indeed affected the overall performance of national table tennis to a certain extent. As a powerful collective that has always dominated the table tennis world, if there are disagreements and disputes within the national table tennis, it is bound to shake the morale and fighting spirit of the players. For example, the verbal conflict between Ma Long and Lin Shidong not only affected their training status, but also likely to affect the overall performance of the entire national table tennis team. In addition, after the Tokyo Olympics, there were some generational handover problems within the national table tennis, resulting in a not very harmonious atmosphere within the team, which also dragged down their overall strength to a certain extent.
Of course, we can't completely blame the collective loss on the first day of national table tennis on internal contradictions. After all, even if there are some internal problems, as long as they can be resolved as soon as possible, I believe that national table tennis still has the strength to regain its past glory in the follow-up games. But if these hidden problems are not solved, it is likely to continue to affect the overall performance of national table tennis. Therefore, the national table tennis must attach great importance to the importance of internal unity and harmony to create the best preparation environment for the players.
How to break the situation in the crisis
Although the national table tennis suffered a collective Waterloo on the first day of the WTT World Cup, we should not be too pessimistic. After all, this strong team that has dominated the table tennis world for many years still has a wealth of experience and excellent strength. As long as they can adjust their form quickly, I believe they will be able to regain their former glory in the following games.
First of all, the national table tennis must eliminate internal contradictions as soon as possible and move forward in unity. Whether it is a generational handover or an internal run-in, it requires the full cooperation of the whole team. The coaching staff should strengthen the ideological guidance of the players, help them change their mentality, and focus on the next games. The players themselves should also establish a correct sense of competition, learn to temper each other, and win glory for the country. Only by truly working together, unity and cooperation, can the national table tennis set sail in the follow-up competitions.
In addition, the national table tennis also needs to fully learn the lessons of this defeat and adjust its response strategy in time. We have seen that the new rules of the competition system have brought a lot of challenges to the national table tennis players, and they need to adapt to the changes as soon as possible and improve their adaptability. The coaching staff should organize the players to study the new rules in depth and explore ways to deal with them. At the same time, the players themselves should also take the initiative to adjust their mentality, always maintain a high degree of concentration and fighting spirit, and not take it lightly because of their previous glory. Only by fully learning lessons can national table tennis set sail in the follow-up competitions and regain its past glory.
Finally, national table tennis must also fully explore the potential of young rookies. In this WTT World Cup, some national table tennis players did not perform satisfactorily. But we cannot conclude that they have no future. On the contrary, the coaching staff should give them more attention and training to help them grow as soon as possible and inject fresh blood into national table tennis. At the same time, the national table tennis should also focus on the long-term, improve the overall strength of the entire echelon, and pave the way for the future table tennis pattern.
It can be said that the collective defeat of the WTT World Cup has undoubtedly cast a shadow on the national table tennis hegemon. But from another point of view, this also brings new opportunities and challenges for the future development of national table tennis. As long as they can adjust quickly, unite and work together, I believe they will be able to emerge again in the following games and regain their former glory.
The crisis breeds new opportunities, which may be a deep-seated revelation of the setback encountered by national table tennis this time. In the face of the changes brought about by the new competition system, national table tennis cannot rest on its laurels, but must take the initiative to adapt and give full play to its own advantages. At the same time, they should also focus on the long term, cultivate young talents, and inject new vitality and vitality into national table tennis. Only by attaching equal importance to both inside and outside can national table tennis stand out in this tough battle in the table tennis world and return to the top.
In short, the collective upset of national table tennis on the first day of the WTT World Cup undoubtedly cast a shadow on this table tennis hegemon. But I believe that as long as they can quickly adjust their mentality, unite and make the most of their strengths, they will be able to make a name for themselves again in the following competitions. In the midst of the crisis, new opportunities are born, and the national table tennis will definitely be able to shine in this World Cup and add luster to Chinese sports.