At the 2024 Men's World Table Tennis Cup, Ma Long, an experienced player, showed extraordinary fighting power in the game. Although he is 36 years old and has suffered back-to-back defeats, including poor performances at the World Table Tennis Championships in Busan and the WTT Grand Slam in Singapore, his comeback victory at the World Cup proved once again his top-level competitive form.
Ma Long swept world No. 1 Wang Chuqin 4-0 in the semifinals, and when he faced Lin Gaoyuan in the final, he won four games in a row from a 0-3 deficit to win the 30th world championship title of his career. This feat was not only breathtaking, but also sparked a series of controversies and discussions.
After the game, some opinions questioned that Lin Gaoyuan and Wang Chuqin were suspected of releasing water during the game, which attracted widespread attention. However, according to the video replay and data analysis of the game, it can be seen that Ma Long's performance in the game is indeed excellent, and his technique and strategy use show his top level. Lin's defeat was more due to his mental instability at critical moments, which was also a major weakness in his past games.
In addition, the issue of Ma Long's retirement has also aroused discussion among some people. There are voices that Ma Long should retire to make way for young people, but this ignores Ma Long's great contribution to national table tennis and his personal competitive level. True competitive sports should be contested on the field, not blamed off the field. If the younger players are strong enough, they have every chance to surpass the older generation in the competition.
Malone's victory once again proved his athleticism and mental outlook that should not be underestimated. Although the controversy and doubts from the outside world have not subsided, Ma Long's performance and achievements have left an indelible mark on his historical position in table tennis. For him, every challenge is a test of his limits, and this relentless pursuit is the hallmark of a top athlete.