Competed with Chen Xingtong for a final ticket in the mixed doubles match of the “Straight to Durban” trial due to injury
Chen Meng: Chasing dreams in setbacks and growing up
The Chinese table tennis team’s “straight to Durban” World Table Tennis Championship trials are in full swing. In the first round of the second stage of the mixed doubles, Chen Meng retired due to injury, which made many fans worry. With the help of the team doctor, after emergency bandage treatment, she faced the injury positively and optimistically, looking forward to continuing the singles competition . In the women’s singles semifinal, she will compete with Chen Xingtong for a ticket to the final.
young fame
But the road to the championship is extremely difficult
When it comes to the core players of the national table tennis women’s team, there are many who become famous at a young age, but there are very few late bloomers like Chen Meng. At the World Youth Championship at the end of 2011, Chen Meng, who entered the national first team for one year, won four championships. In the Qatar Open, she started from the qualifying round and went all the way to win the women’s singles championship. In 2013, Chen Meng participated in many competitions and achieved outstanding results. The women’s singles champion in the East Asian Games, the third place in the women’s doubles at the Paris World Table Tennis Championships, the two champions in the women’s singles and women’s doubles in the China Open, the women’s singles final in the National Games and the new Grand Slam The winner, Li Xiaoxia, made it to the decisive game. At the national table tennis coach’s debriefing meeting at the end of the year, Chen Meng, who was 17 years old at the time, was listed as the main force of the national team. This achievement is not only due to talent, but more importantly, it comes from unremitting efforts.
Although he became famous at a young age, Chen Meng’s road to world championship was extremely difficult. Until 2020, when Chen Meng was 26 years old, she defeated Sun Yingsha 4-1 in the women’s singles final of the Table Tennis World Cup and won the first singles world championship in her career. , she appeared in the Olympic roster as she wished. At the Tokyo Olympics, the 27-year-old Chen Meng became the oldest player in the history of national table tennis to participate in the Olympics for the first time. In the women’s singles final, she once again defeated Sun Yingsha and won the women’s singles championship, becoming a late bloomer.
fierce competition
From “Three Golden Flowers” to “Five Golden Flowers”
As we all know, the competition among the national table tennis women’s teams is especially
The most intense, not only Sun Yingsha, Chen Meng and Wang Manyu, the top three women’s singles in the world, but also Chen Xingtong, Wang Yidi and other very powerful players. From the original pattern of “three golden flowers” competition to the current situation of “five golden flowers” competing with each other, the competition among the main players of the national table tennis women’s team during the Paris Olympic cycle is particularly fierce.
On January 15 this year, Chen Meng spent his 29th birthday at the Lingshui training base in Hainan. In the new year, he naturally has more expectations. This year, events such as the Durban World Table Tennis Championships in South Africa, the Hangzhou Asian Games and the World Table Tennis Professional League WTT series will be staged. For Chen Meng, the most important thing at the moment is to go all out to prepare for each competition. contest. Moving forward in pain and chasing dreams in setbacks, today’s Chen Meng has shown a mature side. “In the years when everyone thought I should grow up, I didn’t grow up. At this age, everyone can see my progress and maturity. I don’t think it’s too late.” She said.
Do both
Mixed doubles “first show” a little nervous
As the oldest player among the current main players of the National Table Tennis Women’s Team, Chen Meng has two events in this through match. Since her partner Ma Long played in the mixed doubles match, the two have attracted much attention, but the first cooperation between the two The journey ended with Chen Meng’s injury. Talking about the two people’s “first show” in mixed doubles, Chen Meng bluntly said that he was nervous, “I don’t play too much in mixed doubles, and I am still a little nervous when I match with Brother Long. This kind of pressure is not given to me by my opponent, it is That kind of invisible pressure. Brother Long gave me a lot of encouragement before the game, especially when he told me that he could win when he entered the field, I suddenly felt very powerful.”
There is no such thing as an “easy” road to chasing your dreams. Injury is a very normal phenomenon in sports training, and it is difficult to avoid. Faced with setbacks and injuries, Chen Meng just laughed it off and faced the difficulties. “Competitive sports is so cruel, but its most attractive part is here. With a dream in mind, continue to pursue your love.” Chen Meng said.
focus on
Men’s and women’s singles top four came out, Ma Long staged a reversal
On February 21, the National Table Tennis Durban World Table Tennis Championships Trials (first stop) entered the competition for the fourth match day. In the morning, the last round of the men’s and women’s singles group matches was over. In the men’s singles, Fan Zhendong defeated Zhou Qihao 3-1. He Zhuojia defeated Han Feier 3-0, while Wang Manyu and Zhang Rui retired due to fever.
Before the start of the competition, Wang Manyu and Zhang Rui withdrew from the trials due to fever, so the competitions between Zhang Rui and Chen Meng, Wang Manyu and Fan Siqi were also cancelled. In this way, Chen Meng won without a fight and directly advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s singles. Sun Yingsha and Chen Xingtong are the third main players to advance to the semi-finals of the women’s singles. In the third round of the women’s singles match, He Zhuojia played against young player Han Feier. He Zhuojia played well throughout the match. She defeated Han Feier 3-0 with a total score and advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s singles. According to the lottery, Sun Yingsha will face He Zhuojia in the women’s singles semi-final, and Chen Meng will face Chen Xingtong.
In the first group of men’s singles, Fan Zhendong, who had won the first two rounds, played against young player Zhou Qihao. After the start of the game, Zhou Qihao’s fighting style put a lot of pressure on Fan Zhendong, but Fan Zhendong still relied on his stronger personal strength to defeat his opponent with a total score of 3 to 1, and broke into the semi-finals with a complete victory in the group stage.
In another men’s singles highlight match, Ma Long played against Yuan Licen. After the start of the game, Yuan Licen performed strongly and won two games in a row. After a brief adjustment, Ma Long quickly made adjustments and strengthened his active attack. He won three games in a row and staged a major reversal. So far, the men’s singles knockout draw has been drawn. In the men’s singles semi-finals, Fan Zhendong has drawn Wang Chuqin, and Ma Long has played against Liang Jingkun.
This group article/Reporter Zhou Xueshuai
Coordinator/Durui
“Beijing Youth Daily” February 22, 2023, page A08
[Responsible editor: Xu Xuan]