In the National Table Tennis World Cup, an unexpected draw surprised everyone. Especially when this draw happened to world No. 1 Wang Chuqin, it caused an uproar. On April 16, the results of that day's game undoubtedly cast a thick shadow on Wang Chuqin's qualifying situation. He reflected deeply after the game and took the initiative to admit his shortcomings.
In this feast of national table tennis, many superstars have appeared, among which eight players advanced with an overwhelming 4:0 record, showing strong strength. However, Wang Chuqin fell into a stalemate with his opponent and finally drew 2:2. According to the special format of the World Cup, such a draw would mean that the road to qualification would be extremely difficult for him.
After the game, Wang Chuqin looked solemn in an interview and bluntly pointed out his problems. He admits that he was not in good shape in the game, was too impatient, and pursued perfection in every ball, which led to the failure to control the pace of the game in the end. He also mentioned that this format gives both sides ample opportunities, and even if they are ahead, they may be overtaken, so the psychological pressure on the leaders is huge. Wang Chuqin is well aware of the impact of this draw on him and the significance of it to the entire team.
Wang Chuqin said that he must give his all in the next matches, although the situation is not optimistic. He mentioned that his form and feel had dropped from before, while his opponent gave it his all and showed great strength. As the world number one, he should have expected this, but in the actual game, he didn't play as well as he should. Such a performance is undoubtedly a huge challenge to his identity and expectations.
For the sake of this World Cup, Wang Chuqin even gave up the previous Incheon Championship. After a month of meticulous preparation, he was expecting to shine at the World Cup, but reality hit him hard. He, like Lin Gaoyuan, led by one point, but the game was more thrilling. If he can't play better in the next game, while the opponent can stay strong, then Wang Chuqin may even say goodbye to the group stage early.
The 2-2 draw was a heavy blow to Wang. Due to the special rules of the World Cup, only four innings are played per game, and there is no chance of overtime even if it is a draw. This means that after he draws with his opponent, there is no room for remedy. Only the first place in each group will advance to the next round, and the small score and the number of innings will be the key factors in determining the outcome of the game. Such a rule setting is undoubtedly a huge challenge for national table tennis.
In this crucial game, although Wang Chuqin led in the first two games, he encountered a strong counterattack from his opponent in the last two games. After four games, he only led by a narrow margin of one point, which was obviously unsatisfactory. To make matters worse, he was also penalized by the referee for a serve in the match, which undoubtedly had a big impact on his mentality.
Overall, Wang Chuqin's performance in this game was not satisfactory. He needs to reflect deeply on his mistakes and shortcomings, and adjust his form and improve his strength in the next games. And for the entire national table tennis team, this draw is also a warning: in the fierce competition, any mistake can lead to irreparable consequences. They need to work harder to prepare for the next races in order to get better results and honours.