The national table tennis suffered an upset in the Saudi Grand Slam
The 2024 WTT Saudi Arabia Grand Slam will undoubtedly be recorded in the unbearable page of Chinese table tennis. As a traditional strong team in the world table tennis arena, the Chinese team suffered a series of upset defeats in this event, and the main lineup was out in a large area, casting a shadow on the national team's preparations for the Olympic Games.
In men's singles, the exit of China's first brother Ma Long is undoubtedly the heaviest blow. As the top seed of this tournament, Ma Long lost 0-3 to South Korea's Jang Woo-jin in the round, a result that undoubtedly surprised all fans. Ma Long couldn't hide his frustration in an interview after the match, "I was really not in good shape, I did a poor job of serving and returning, and the opponent seized the opportunity. "As the leader of national table tennis, Ma Long's poor performance will undoubtedly adversely affect the confidence of his teammates.
In addition to Ma Long, Liang Jingkun and Lin Gaoyuan also stopped in turns. Liang was defeated by Japan's Tomokazu Zhangmoto, while Lin Gaoyuan was defeated by Germany's "Prince of Table Tennis" Dicklen. The collective exit of the three national players completely shattered the dream of the national table tennis men's singles championship.
In women's singles, the situation is equally worrying. The No. 2 seed Wang Manyu lost 1-3 to India's dark horse player Batra in the round and said goodbye to the court. According to the national team's regulations, Wang Manyu will be deducted 3,000 Olympic points, which may affect her qualification for the upcoming Paris Olympics in singles. 'I did play out of sorts and the opponent played well with the ball. Wang Manyu couldn't hide her guilt after the game, "I will continue to work hard to win more honors for the national team." ＂
Although other main players such as Wang Chuqin and Chen Meng successfully advanced, the exit of Ma Long, Liang Jingkun, Lin Gaoyuan, Wang Manyu and others undoubtedly brought a heavy blow to national table tennis and disappointed fans. This is the second major upset in the Grand Slam tournament after the 2022 Qatar tournament.
Negative results impact
The poor performance of the national table tennis in the Saudi Arabian Grand Slam will undoubtedly have a certain impact on the team's Olympic preparations. The exit of Ma Long, Wang Manyu and other main players will not only affect the overall strength of the team, but also have a psychological impact on the players.
"It's really a big blow, but we have to learn from it. Liu Guoliang, the head coach of the national team, said after the game, "We will reflect on the reasons for this defeat and go all out to prepare for the Olympic Games." ＂
In addition to the impact on the national team, this upset result also made the majority of fans feel disappointed and frustrated. "I didn't expect to see so many main players in national table tennis out of the Saudi Grand Slam, it's really sad. "But I believe that the coaching staff will be ready for the Olympics in a timely manner." ＂
On the other hand, this upset result is also considered to be a sign of the rise of new forces in the table tennis world. Young players from traditional table tennis countries such as South Korea, India, and Germany frequently caused upsets in this tournament, showing the world their innate strength. "This illustrates the global development of table tennis, and new forces are rising. ITTF President Blagovic commented, "Although the Chinese team has suffered setbacks, they will still be the favorites to win the Olympic Games." ＂
The national table tennis is fully preparing for the Olympics
Although it suffered an upset in the Saudi Grand Slam, the national table tennis will never give up. Instead, they will learn from this defeat and go all out to prepare for the upcoming Paris Olympics.
"We will reflect on the reasons for this defeat and look for our own shortcomings. Liu Guoliang said in an interview, "Whether it is technical, tactical or psychological, we will make adjustments and improvements in all aspects." The Olympics are just around the corner, and we must be ready for anything. ＂
In addition to the lessons, the national team will also increase the intensity of training to ensure that the players can get back into shape as soon as possible. "Although the result of this Grand Slam is disappointing, we are still confident. "I will work harder in training to win glory for the national team at the Olympics." ＂
Wang Manyu expressed a similar determination, "I will try to overcome the shadow of this defeat and rebuild my confidence in training." I will definitely give my best to win the Olympic gold medal for the national team. ＂
Although it suffered an upset in the Saudi Grand Slam, the national table tennis did not give up. Instead, they will learn from this defeat and go all out to prepare for the upcoming Paris Olympics. We have reason to believe that in the Olympic arena, the national table tennis will regain its former glory.