At the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the Chinese table tennis team's Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha mixed doubles pair, who will be the top seeds, have shown incredible dominance and consistency throughout the Paris Olympic cycle, winning all major mixed doubles titles. Since winning the mixed doubles championship in the 2018 Asian Games and Youth Olympic Games, this "post-00" pair has been regarded as the future mixed doubles ace of the Chinese team.
Two-time World Table Tennis Championships mixed doubles champion
At the 2021 World Table Tennis Championships in Houston and the 2023 World Table Tennis Championships in Durban, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha defeated Japan's Tomokazu Zhangmoto/Hina Hayada in the finals twice to win the mixed doubles title. The two pairs are regarded as rivals in the mixed doubles event in the world table tennis arena, and their matchup has attracted a lot of attention.
In the mixed doubles final of the 2021 World Table Tennis Championships in Houston, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha won three games in a row after losing one game first, and defeated Tomokazu Zhangmoto/Hina Hayada with a total score of 3:1, winning their first championship in this important event. At that time, the competition was extremely fierce, and the two sides went back and forth, and the scene was very exciting. After the match, Sun Yingsha said that winning the championship in the world's top competition was a great encouragement for the young pair.
Two years later, at the 2023 World Table Tennis Championships in Durban, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha met Tomokazu Zhangmoto/Hina Hayada again in the final. This time, they successfully defended their title by losing three straight games with an aggregate score of 3:0. After the game, Wang Chuqin said that through a night of adjustment and pre-game training, their communication was more tacit than before, and they were able to understand each other's thoughts more and more. Sun Yingsha believes that both of them have made great progress in the past two years, especially Wang Chuqin's mature performance in singles impressed her.
Hangzhou Asian Games mixed doubles champion
In October 2023, at the Hangzhou Asian Games held at home, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha extended their good form and defeated teammates Lin Gaoyuan/Wang Yidi with a total score of 4:1 in the final to successfully defend the Asian Games mixed doubles championship. From the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games to Hangzhou, the pair has significantly improved their tacit understanding and personal ability, and has become the recognized main force of mixed doubles in national table tennis.
At the beginning of the final, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha took the initiative on the court and won two games in a row 11:6 and 11:8. In the third game, Lin Gaoyuan/Wang Yidi launched a counterattack, and the two sides fought until 15:13, but in the next two games, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha regained control of the situation and sealed the victory with a score of 11:4 and 11:9. After the match, Wang Chuqin said that the importance of mixed doubles has changed, and they hope to do this task better and better. Sun Yingsha said frankly that in the face of the upcoming Paris Olympics, they are more focused on every step of preparation.
Mixed doubles champion at four WTT Grand Slams
During the Paris 2024 Olympic cycle, the World Table Tennis Professional League (WTT) has set up a total of four Grand Slam tournaments, which will be held in Singapore, Doha, Singapore and Saudi Arabia. Impressively, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha swept all four mixed doubles titles, showing their dominance to the world.
At the Singapore Grand Slam, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha won the championship three times, but the process was not easy. In the semi-finals, they defeated Chinese Taipei's Lin Yunru/Chen Siyu with a difficult score of 15-13, 17-15, 11-5, and defeated Korea's Lin Zhongxun/Shin Yubin 3-2 in the final. After the game, Wang Chuqin said that the opponent is strong and they need to do a better job in handling key balls.
In the Doha Grand Slam and the second Singapore Grand Slam, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha had a relatively smooth road to victory, with a total score of 3:0 in straight games, defeating many strong teams including Japan, Hong Kong, China and France.
In the last leg of the Saudi Arabia Grand Slam, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha also defeated Hong Kong's Wong Chun Ting/To Hoi Kim with an aggregate score of 3:0 to achieve a complete victory in the Grand Slam tournament. After the match, Sun Yingsha confidently said that whenever they participate in the mixed doubles competition, they will go all out to fight for the championship. The feat came after the two confirmed that they would represent China in the mixed doubles event at the Paris Olympics, which added a lot of confidence to the preparation for the Olympics.
He has defeated Chinese Taipei, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and France
In this Paris Olympic cycle, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha not only won all the major championships, but also defeated many strong opponents, showing their strength to the world.
In the semi-finals of the WTT Singapore Grand Slam, they defeated Chinese Taipei's Lin Yunru/Chen Siyu with a difficult score of 15:13, 17:15, 11:5; In the final, they defeated the Korean pair Lim Jong-hoon/Shin Yu-bin with an aggregate score of 3:2.
In the finals of the World Table Tennis Championships in Durban and the Grand Slam in Doha, they both defeated Japan's Tomokazu Haramoto/Hina Hayada in straight games with an aggregate score of 3:0.
In the final of the Saudi Grand Slam and the second Singapore Grand Slam, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha also swept Hong Kong's Wong Chun Ting/To Hoi Kim and France's A. Lebrun/Yuan Jiannan with an aggregate score of 3:0.
In this Olympic cycle, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha have completely suppressed their main opponents from Chinese Taipei, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and France, laying a solid foundation for their gold medal at the upcoming Paris Olympics.
The world ranking has been ranked No. 1 for a long time
With their outstanding results, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha have been ranked first in the ITTF mixed doubles world rankings for a long time, opening a huge gap with other combinations.
According to the latest mixed doubles world rankings released by the ITTF on May 7, 2024, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha topped the list with 6,780 points, nearly 3,000 points ahead of the second-place Chinese Taipei pair Lin Yunru/Chen Siyu. This is also an important basis for them to qualify for the mixed doubles at the Paris Olympics.
In the previous rankings, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha once led with a huge score of more than 8,000 points, a difference of nearly 4,000 points from the second place, demonstrating their absolute dominance in this event.
The long-term leadership in the world rankings has not only boosted Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha's confidence in the arena, but also made other opponents respect them. At the Paris Olympics, they will be the top seeds in their quest for their first gold medal in table tennis.
With tacit understanding, the strength is outstanding
The reason why they have been able to dominate the mixed doubles scene in this Olympic cycle is the excellent cooperation of Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha and their individual strength are the key.
On the field, the two can cooperate like a smart heart, and they are in control of every ball. In the post-match interview, they often mention keywords such as "communication" and "understanding each other's thoughts", which shows that they have a high degree of tacit understanding with each other.
Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha's personal strength is also top-notch. According to the latest world rankings, Wang Chuqin ranks first in men's singles, and Sun Yingsha ranks first in women's singles, both of whom are top stars in today's table tennis world. Their outstanding individual abilities provide a solid foundation for the combination to play.
Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha are both "post-00" young forces, with good mental state and strong explosiveness, which is also an important reason for their excellent performance on the field. They will be able to compete in several events at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, but with their top-notch strength and excellent mental quality, they will be able to perform at their best.
Their first Olympic gold medal in mixed doubles will be their goal
At Paris 2024, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha will represent China in the mixed doubles event, and winning their first gold medal in this event will be their biggest goal.
The mixed doubles event was first listed as an official event at Tokyo 2020, when China's Xu Xin/Liu Shiwen finished runners-up and missed out on making history. After entering the Paris Olympic cycle, the Chinese team established Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha as the main force in mixed doubles, and focused on training in major competitions.
Now, with their outstanding performance, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha has become the "uncrowned king" of the mixed doubles event in the world table tennis today. They will be the top seeds at the Paris Olympics and their gold medal hopes are undoubtedly the most desired.
Before the game, Wang Chuqin confidently said that they would go all out to fight for the first mixed doubles gold medal for the national table tennis team. Sun Yingsha also admitted that although the pressure is huge, she is very confident in the strength of herself and Wang Chuqin. It is believed that with the tenacious struggle of the two, the first Olympic gold medal in the mixed doubles event of table tennis will surely shine in Paris.
Opponents are strong, such as Tomokazu Zhangmoto/Hina Hayata
Despite their dominance this Olympic cycle, Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha are well aware that they will face a number of tough opponents in Paris.
Japan's Tomokazu Haramoto/Hina Hayada are undoubtedly their biggest opponents. The pair won their first gold medal in the mixed doubles event at Tokyo 2020. In the past two World Table Tennis Championships finals, although Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha defeated them, the game was extremely difficult, which shows that the strength of the two sides is equal.
Chinese Taipei's Lin Yun-ru/Chen Si-yu, Korea's Lin Zhongxun/Shin Yu-bin, Hong Kong's Wong Chun-ting/To Hoi-king, and France's A. Lebrun/Yuen Chi Nan have also faced Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha in the past tournaments and put a lot of pressure on them.
In the Paris Olympics, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha's road to gold will be extremely difficult. Not only will they need to perform at their best, but they will also need to be prepared to take on a variety of opponents in order to claim the title.
Both of them are juggling several projects, and the pressure is enormous
In addition to the mixed doubles event, Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha will also compete in other events such as men's singles and men's team, women's singles and women's team respectively at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
According to the announcement of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, Wang Chuqin will participate in the men's singles and men's team events with Fan Zhendong, while Sun Yingsha and Chen Meng will participate in the women's singles and women's team events respectively. This means that the two will compete in multiple events during the Paris Olympics, and the schedule is extremely dense.
Although Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha are both top stars in today's table tennis world with outstanding strength, the continuous rotation will be a big test for their physical and psychological quality. In Mixed Doubles, they not only need to perform at their best, but also need to allocate their energy wisely to avoid overexertion.
With their tenacious fighting spirit and solid basic skills, I believe that Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha will definitely be able to compete in the Paris Olympics
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the lineup of the Chinese table tennis team has been fully determined. The main forces of the "post-00s" Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha will respectively play the three events of men's singles, men's team, mixed doubles and women's singles, women's team and mixed doubles, and launch a comprehensive impact on the five gold medals. Despite their dominance in the world rankings and recent tournaments, the pressure at Paris is enormous, with the challenge from the best opponents in each country not to be underestimated.
Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha are also three punching hardware
According to the list released by the Chinese Table Tennis Association, Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha will represent the Chinese team in three events: men's singles, men's team, mixed doubles and women's singles, women's team and mixed doubles. These two "post-00" young players will take on heavy responsibilities and attack for five gold medals.
In the latest world rankings, Wang Chuqin ranked first in men's singles with 8,625 points, while Sun Yingsha maintained the first place in women's singles with 9,200 points. The pair are world No. 1s in mixed doubles and have dominated the field for the past three years, winning two World Championships, one Asian Games and four WTT Grand Slam tournaments.
In the mixed doubles event, the national table tennis is dominant
For Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha, the mixed doubles event will be their most promising gold medal at the Paris Olympics. At the last Tokyo Olympics, although Xu Xin/Liu Shiwen of the Chinese team stopped at the runner-up, this time the national table tennis has a clear advantage in the mixed doubles event.
In addition to the world No. 1 rankings, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha's biggest opponent will be Japan's Tomokazu Zhangmoto/Hina Hayata. However, the strength of the two teams is far apart, and the impact of Zhang Ben/Hayada is far less than that of Mizutani Hayabusa/Mimato Ito in the previous edition. As long as Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha play normally, the certainty of winning the championship is very great.
The men's singles event is under a lot of pressure
For Wang, the men's singles event will be his biggest challenge at the Paris Olympics. Although he will play with teammate Fan Zhendong, Fan Zhendong has been in a slump of form recently, and he was knocked out of the Saudi Grand Slam. If Fan Zhendong retires early again at the Olympics, Wang Chuqin will face a group of strong teams including Tomokazu Zhangmoto, Lin Yunru and Calderano alone, and the pressure can be imagined.
The huge atmosphere of the Olympic Games and the ardent expectations of the Chinese people for Wang Chuqin are likely to become his psychological baggage at a critical moment. Wang Chuqin needs to be prepared to deal with all kinds of difficulties in order to achieve a breakthrough in the men's singles event.
Women's singles Chen Meng pressed the whistle to qualify
In the women's singles event, Sun Yingsha and Chen Meng will represent the Chinese team. Sun Yingsha has performed well throughout the Olympic cycle and deserves to secure a singles spot. Chen Meng won the Saudi Grand Slam all the way, and then beat Wang Manyu at the last moment to get another place.
For Sun Yingsha, Chen Meng will be her biggest opponent at the Paris Olympics. With a huge point difference of more than 2,800 points, Sun Yingsha has relatively little pressure on the way to the championship. She needs to stay focused and avoid careless mistakes.
In the team event, national table tennis has an absolute advantage
In the men's team and women's team events, the Chinese team will go all out to send Wang Chuqin, Fan Zhendong, Ma Long, Sun Yingsha, Chen Meng, and Wang Manyu to play. This squad is strong, and the national table tennis has an absolute advantage in the team event.
Although it was overturned by the Japanese team at the 2022 World Table Tennis Championships, it was just an accident. In the official Olympic Games, the Chinese team has long been prepared for the impact of the Japanese team. As long as they play normally, the two gold medals in the men's and women's teams should be guaranteed to win.