Table tennis has always been China's strong sport, and the Chinese team has been the big winner in this event in the past few Olympic Games. With the rise of a new generation of players, the internal competition is becoming more and more intense. At the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the determination of the Chinese men's singles lineup will become a battle of dragons and tigers. Ma Long, Wang Chuqin and Fan Zhendong are evenly matched, and there is still a lot of uncertainty about who will qualify for the Olympic singles in the end. However, what is certain is that this internal battle will be extremely fierce and exciting.
Malone regains the throne
Ma Long is undoubtedly the veteran and leader of the Chinese table tennis team. As the men's singles champion at the Tokyo Olympics, he regained the world throne by winning the recent Qatar Open 2023. This victory not only adds to Ma Long's honor, but also adds an important bargaining chip to his upcoming selection path for the Paris Olympics. According to the internal regulations of the Chinese table tennis team, the top two men's singles players will directly qualify for the Olympic singles. Ma Long is expected to regain the world, and he is expected to replace Wang Chuqin, who is currently ranked in the world, and become one of the main players of the national team in Olympic singles.
Although Ma Long, who is over 35 years old, is experienced, he is still in hot condition. At the Qatar Open, he defeated teammate Lin Gaoyuan and Japan's Tomokazu Haramoto to win the title in the final. This process fully demonstrates Ma Long's extraordinary on-the-spot experience and stable psychological quality. As a late-career veteran, Malone cherishes every game and always puts his best foot forward in key moments. It is this kind of experience and tenacious fighting spirit that has given Ma Long an advantage in the fierce internal competition and is regarded as one of the favorites to qualify for the singles in Paris.
Wang Chuqin was in a dilemma
Although the current world ranked Wang Chuqin has repeatedly shown outstanding strength in various tournaments, his singles record in the three major tournaments has always been a critic's shortcoming. The three major tournaments refer to the World Cup, the World Championships and the Olympic Games, which are considered the highest honours in table tennis. Only by winning the title in these three major competitions can a player's strength be truly recognized and affirmed.
Although Wang Chuqin has repeatedly performed miracles in other tournaments, he is still a blank in the singles events of the three major tournaments. This undoubtedly adds some uncertainty to his upcoming Paris Olympics trials. According to the internal regulations of the Chinese team, the top two men's singles will directly qualify for the Olympic singles. If Ma Long succeeds in "overtaking" with the latest world rankings, then Wang Chuqin is likely to be squeezed out of the Olympic squad. It would undoubtedly be a huge blow for a young player who is only 24 years old.
We also cannot ignore Wang Chuqin's strength and potential. A young player with outstanding physical qualities and a strong backhand, he has shown his ability to challenge the best on several occasions in recent years. Although the singles of the three major tournaments has always been a psychological obstacle for him, in a major tournament such as the Olympic Games, Wang Chuqin is young and strong, without worries, and is fully capable of breaking through in one fell swoop and winning his first Grand Slam title. So for him, the Paris Olympics are both an opportunity and a dilemma.
Fan Zhendong's fate is coming
If Ma Long is a veteran of the Chinese team and Wang Chuqin is a rising star, then Fan Zhendong can be regarded as the current "active king". The 27-year-old dominated the World Cup and World Championship in 2019 and maintained his position in the world rankings for a long time. In recent years, with the rise of Ma Long and Wang Chuqin, Fan Zhendong's dominance has been severely challenged.
In the latest world rankings, Fan Zhendong has fallen to a position. According to the internal rules of the Chinese team, if he is unable to beat Ma Long and Wang Chuqin at least one of the points in the next few stops, then he will likely lose the singles qualification for the Paris Olympics. This will undoubtedly be a huge blow to a former world.
We can't ignore Fan Zhendong's impressive achievements in the past few years. As a player with a ferocious attack and a strong backhand on the court, he has always been regarded as one of the most impactful players. Even in the recent slump, Fan Zhendong still showed top quality in the tournament. Whether he can regain his strength on the big stage of the Olympic Games has become the biggest test facing Fan Zhendong. One thing is for sure, though, with his past experience and talent, Fan is one of the contenders to qualify for the Olympic singles title, and his fate will be finalised in the coming months.
Ma Long, Wang Chuqin and Fan Zhendong are evenly matched, and there is still a lot of uncertainty as to who will eventually qualify for the men's singles at Paris 2024. With his latest world rankings and excellent form, Ma Long will undoubtedly be the favorite to win the title. But Wang Chuqin and Fan Zhendong are by no means idle, they both have the ability to burst out at critical moments.
Regardless of the final result, one thing is certain, this battle within the Chinese team will be extremely fierce and exciting. As an internal competition for table tennis, a strong feature of China, it will surely attract the attention of fans around the world. For Chinese fans, this will undoubtedly be a visual feast to see at their doorstep. For foreign fans, it will also be an excellent opportunity to understand and appreciate the highest level of Chinese table tennis.
There is reason to believe that the men's singles event at Paris 2024 will be an unforgettable showdown. With their own unique styles and top strengths, the three Chinese players will surely compete on the field with full firepower and bring us exciting battles. As the birthplace of table tennis, the Chinese team has added a different kind of excitement to the Olympic Games at home, which will undoubtedly become a highlight of the whole event. Let's wait and see, looking forward to the Chinese dragon and tiger leaping and competing in Paris, France!