Source title: Chengdu World Table Tennis Championships National Table Tennis debut: “Being ourselves” is the key
China News Service, Chengdu, October 1st (Reporter He Shaoqing Anyuan) The National Table Tennis Men’s Team ushered in the 2022 56th ITTF World Table Tennis Team Championships (finals) on the afternoon of October 1st in Chengdu (referred to as “Chengdu World Table Tennis Team”). Table Tennis Team Competition”) debut. The Guoping team, which sent Fan Zhendong, Ma Long, and Wang Chuqin “Wang Bang”, defeated Puerto Rico 3:0 and got a good start.
The World Table Tennis Championships, which returned after a lapse of four years, is one of the most important national table tennis world competitions in the Paris Olympic cycle, and is of great significance to the national table tennis team.
In the first match, Fan Zhendong, currently ranked No. 1 in the men’s singles, defeated Brian Afanador 3-0. Ma Long, the captain of the National Table Tennis men’s team, also won Daniel Gonzalez in three straight games. In the third game, Wang Chuqin defeated Angel Naranjo with a total score of 3:1.
After the game, Ma Long said that although this is his eighth time to participate in the World Table Tennis Championships, it is the first time to participate in the World Championships during the National Day. “We hope that at this special moment, the Chinese team will play well.”
In history, the National Table Tennis Men’s Team has won the Weslin Cup representing the “strongest table tennis team” 21 times. In the Chengdu World Table Tennis Championships team competition, the National Table Tennis Sword, which is facing the “home door”, is aiming for ten consecutive championships.
“As one of the five athletes of the Chinese men’s team in each (World Table Tennis Championships), the purpose is to help the Chinese team win the championship. This is an unshirkable responsibility.” Ma Long said, although he has participated in the World Table Tennis Team many times. However, the roles they played were different. The first two belonged to young players, and they were more focused on learning. Later, they took on more important responsibilities.
In Ma Long’s view, “being ourselves” is the key to the victory of the Chinese men’s team in the Chengdu World Table Tennis Championships. “Actually, as long as we do our best, no matter what happens to the foreign team’s lineup, we have the confidence to win the game.” (End)