In the controversy and victory of the Saudi Table Tennis Grand Slam, Chen Meng not only won the women's singles championship, but also inadvertently caused a storm among fans. After the game, Chen Meng's frank words not only showed her humility, but also unexpectedly revealed some sensitive topics within the national table tennis.
After defeating Sun Yingsha in the final, Chen Meng showed great honesty and introspection in the interview. When one fan suggested that her victory was simply due to "good luck", Chen Meng did not rush to defend herself, but admitted that she did feel lucky. Such a scene, although it shows Chen Meng's generosity, also makes her feel a little helpless.
Chen Meng admitted after the game that she was not sure that she would win against Sun Yingsha, because she had hardly won against Sun Yingsha in the official tournament in the past two years. This candor is a testament to her sincerity and to the vulnerability of top athletes under pressure.
However, it was these words that sparked another controversy. Chen Meng mentioned that she was able to win three Japanese players in a row in part because the coaching staff was still working out tactics for her late at night. This kind of all-out support, although it is the expectation of every coach for athletes, makes Wang Manyu's supporters feel unfair, and they question whether the national table tennis coaching staff is so wholeheartedly for every player.
Wang's fan base believes that the coaching staff's preference for Chen Meng is unfair, and they have not heard of a similar late-night tactical meeting to support Wang. Such accusations not only pushed Coach Ma Lin to the forefront, but also cast a shadow on Chen Meng's victory.
But in reality, if we analyze it carefully, this biased claim may not be true. The coaching staff of national table tennis has always adjusted the countermeasures according to the actual situation of the game, and the reason why Wang Manyu can have a stable performance in the international arena is also indispensable to the hard work of the coach. In addition, Wang Manyu's performance before the Busan Team World Table Tennis Championships and the Saudi Grand Slam has almost locked up the qualification for the Olympic Games, which in itself proves the support and trust of the coaching staff.
Against this backdrop, as fans, we should probably enjoy the excitement of the game itself more than speculate too much about the turmoil off the field. Chen Meng's victory, whether "lucky" or not, was based on her hard work on the court and the strategy of the coaching team. And for the fans, supporting every athlete should be inseparable from each other.