Table tennis has always been a highly technical sport, which requires not only excellent skills, but also good mental quality. In this sport, athletes who can stand on the top stage and show their extraordinary strength are invincible.
At the 2022 Macau Table Tennis World Cup, Chinese star Sun Yingsha finally defeated Wang Manyu, who was also strong, with a 4-3 reversal score and won the first Hamad Cup in her career. Among them, it not only reflects Sun Yingsha's excellent ball skills, but also her excellent psychological quality.
Xu Xin, as Sun Yingsha's old partner for many years, also knows her characteristics well. In this match, he accurately observed some of Sun Yingsha's "careful thoughts", which played an important role in her final reversal to win the championship. In contrast, Wang Manyu behaved more "honestly" and ultimately failed to seize the opportunity.
This article will take this exciting summit matchup as a starting point, take an in-depth look at Sun Yingsha's psychological tactics, and explore how she used her unique advantages to finally defeat Wang Manyu and win the first top-level championship of her career. At the same time, we will also pay attention to Wang Manyu's performance in this game, analyze the reasons why she failed to win the cup in the end, and provide reference for future development. It is hoped that through this analysis, the psychological training theory of table tennis players can be further enriched and provide reference for more athletes.
1. Sun Yingsha's unique "careful thinking"
Sun Yingsha's performance in this Macau World Cup can be described as outstanding, not only defeating Wang Manyu in the final reversal and winning the championship, but also fully demonstrating her unique psychological tactics.
Repeating the "action of success" brings confidence
Xu Xin pointed out in the post-event analysis that the details of Sun Yingsha drinking water in front of the fans again in the tiebreaker reflected some of her unique "careful thinking".
In fact, this practice of repeating "successful moves" is a common psychological tactic used by many top athletes. They will consciously replicate the details of their success in previous matches, such as wearing the same jersey and repeating small movements, to boost their confidence.
In Sun Yingsha's body, the use of this psychological tactic is also just right. In the semifinals, she drank water in front of the fans after defeating Chen Meng, which undoubtedly gave her a strong psychological hint. In the final, she did the same thing again, which undoubtedly gave her more confidence in her performance.
In other aspects, Sun Yingsha has also been copying her "lucky" elements to the greatest extent. For example, in the final, she chose the same color as the semi-final, and the final ball was taken from the caddie instead of the referee. These details are undoubtedly imperceptibly affecting Sun Yingsha's psychological state.
It can be said that it was with these "careful thoughts" that Sun Yingsha finally found confidence in the deciding game, and finally reversed Wang Manyu and won the championship. This undoubtedly once again demonstrates her excellent psychological quality.
Good at using "external forces"
In addition to the confidence brought by repeating "successful moves", Sun Yingsha is also good at using "external forces" to stimulate her fighting spirit in the competition.
For example, in the decisive game, Sun Yingsha took the initiative to find coach Qiu Yike and got strength and affirmation from it. This behavior is undoubtedly using the external force of the coach to help you adjust your mental state and prepare for the final battle.
At the same time, Sun Yingsha also took the initiative to face and interact with the fans in the stands during the tiebreaker. This behavior also has a definite psychological suggestive effect. In the cheers of the fans, Sun Yingsha will undoubtedly feel the power from the outside, thus injecting more fighting spirit and determination into herself.
This practice of making full use of "external forces" is a great magic weapon for Sun Yingsha to adjust her psychological state at a critical moment. By relying on external forces such as coaches and fans, she was able to not only solidify her confidence, but also inject more motivation into the final victory. It's also one of the mental tactics used by many top athletes in major competitions.
It can be said that Sun Yingsha's performance in this World Cup fully demonstrates her excellent psychological quality. From skillfully using "successful moves" to making full use of "external forces", she showed extraordinary mental tactics and laid a solid foundation for her eventual victory. This also makes people look forward to her future performance on the table tennis stage.
Second, Wang Manyu is "too honest" to suffer
Compared with Sun Yingsha's outstanding performance in this final, Wang Manyu was slightly "honest" at the critical moment, and finally failed to seize the opportunity to reverse.
Excessive psychological pressure led to the loss of the tiebreaker
Judging from the performance of the whole game, the difference in strength between Wang Manyu and Sun Yingsha is not large, and it is even slightly better in some aspects. But in the end, in the deciding game, Wang Manyu still lost to Sun Yingsha, which also has a lot to do with her psychological quality.
In the deciding game, the camera captured Wang Manyu drinking water with his back to the fans. This performance reflects the fact that her psychological state at that time was indeed under a certain amount of pressure. It can be said that in the face of the upcoming "tilt of the balance of victory and defeat", Wang Manyu really inevitably feels anxious and helpless.
In contrast, Sun Yingsha at this time was talking and laughing. She took the initiative to face the fans, hoping to inject more fighting spirit into herself in this way. This practice of adjusting her psychological state through "external forces" undoubtedly allowed Sun Yingsha to regain her confidence in the deciding game, and finally won the reversal.