In the Macau Table Tennis World Cup, Fan Zhendong lost to Lin Gaoyuan with a score of 2-4 and stopped in the quarterfinals, continuing his championship drought. This time, Fan Zhendong did not respond to fans' questions on social media as usual, but his next move once again attracted widespread attention.
The WTT Taiyuan Challenger is set up on May 21-26, and although the tournament is not of a high level and appears to be aimed at finalizing the Olympic P-card roster, the tournament will also test the chemistry of doubles partners, including mixed doubles. Although the core forces of singles such as Wang Chuqin, Ma Long, Sun Yingsha, Chen Meng, and Wang Manyu will all participate, Fan Zhendong was unexpectedly absent.
Normally, a top player like Fan doesn't need to compete at this lower level, but given his back-to-back losses and poor form, can coaching staff such as Liu Guoliang, Li and Wang Hao really feel at his best ahead of the Paris Olympics?
Judging from the national table tennis Olympic selection points, Fan Zhendong has ensured the qualification for the Olympic singles. However, the veteran Malone, who has been frequently injured, may only be able to compete in the team competition. Fan Zhendong reached the quarter-finals at the World Cup and could have lost this precious opportunity if he didn't use the remaining time to find his form in practice.
For Fan Zhendong, time is running out. Ma Long and Lin Gaoyuan's form is on the rise, and if Fan Zhendong fails to reach the final in Saudi Arabia, he will face intense pressure ahead of the Olympics, and the coaching staff may even make last-minute personnel changes. With the Olympics approaching, except for the two events in Saudi Arabia and Chongqing, Fan Zhendong has no way out.
In the current situation of national table tennis men's singles, if Fan Zhendong fails to recover his form, his Olympic appearance will cause controversy. Wang Chuqin is firmly in the top spot in the world, Ma Long is still expected to compete for the "three-lap Grand Slam", while Lin Gaoyuan and Liang Jingkun have also shown strong competitiveness. In the face of such fierce internal competition, Fan Zhendong must push himself to the limit and return to peak form, which is his last chance and a crucial battle to salvage his reputation.