On January 2nd, Beijing time, Chinese Taipei table tennis player Feng Yixin shared photos on social media celebrating his teammate Jian Tongjuan's birthday, publicly revealing their sweet relationship and drawing strong attention from netizens. The photos show Feng Yixin embracing Jian Tongjuan from behind, with their heads snuggled together in a loving display. This affectionate scene prompted netizens to leave messages of blessings: "Ah, it's like a novel plot coming to life! The two of them, childhood sweethearts encouraging each other, are so adorable." "I want to see real-life couples play mixed doubles." "I always thought they were just good friends, but seeing how close their lives are intertwined, they're actually a couple." "They're a well-matched pair; congratulations!" "Both of their birthdays fall on the same day; this must be destined fate." Jian Tongjuan, who just celebrated her 23rd birthday, started practicing table tennis in the second grade of elementary school and is an athlete with a strong passion for competition. Jian Tongjuan first gained recognition from Chinese fans at the 2023 WTT Regular Challenge Durban Station, where she narrowly defeated Chinese player Kuai Man with a score of 3-2, causing an upset. With a series of outstanding performances in 2023, Jian Tongjuan qualified for the Paris Olympics as the "second singles" player for the Chinese Taipei women's table tennis team. In the quarterfinals of the women's team event at the Paris Olympics, although Jian Tongjuan lost to Chinese player Wang Manyu, she received praise from Wang after the match, who said, "Jian Tongjuan played very well and made many…

On January 2, Xinhua News Agency published a lengthy article interpreting the withdrawal of Fan Zhendong, Chen Meng, and Ma Long from the world rankings, concluding that it is "basically equivalent to retirement!" This interpretation starkly contrasts with Liu Guoliang's previous statement during a CCTV interview, causing an uproar among netizens. Previously, when asked by CCTV's Li Wujun, "What we are most concerned about is whether Fan Zhendong and the other two can still participate in international competitions," Liu Guoliang replied, "Of course, I believe that based on their achievements, they can participate in any world-class competition with a wild card." However, Xinhua News Agency offers a different perspective, stating that after Fan Zhendong, Chen Meng, and Ma Long withdrew from the world rankings, it is essentially equivalent to announcing their retirement from the international arena. The reason given is that even if they decide to return to the international stage in the future and can obtain a wild card as Liu Guoliang suggested, they would still have to start from the qualifying rounds. It is well-known that for top athletes, there are almost no precedents for participating with a wild card. This primarily concerns the dignity of top athletes, and secondly, attempting to win a championship with a wild card would multiply the difficulties and obstacles. Public opinion overwhelmingly supports Fan Zhendong, with the general consensus being: Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng did not withdraw out of personal choice. Fan Zhendong is only 27 years old this year, his career has just entered its prime, he stood alone in…

On the evening of January 1st, the finals of the Table Tennis Super League came to a successful conclusion. According to relevant data statistics, the total box office revenue for this year's finals exceeded the 30 million yuan mark, reaching an all-time high in terms of fan enthusiasm. This year's Table Tennis Super League was divided into two stages. The first stage took place in Changsha, while the second stage (the finals) was recently held in Shanghai. In the finals, Shandong Luneng won the women's team championship, and Shandong Weiqiao secured the men's team title. During the finals, top players such as Wang Chuqin, Sun Yingsha, Fan Zhendong, Lin Shidong, and Xu Xin all made appearances, much to the excitement of the fans. Among them, Wang Chuqin stood out with his remarkable performance, defeating both Fan Zhendong and Lin Shidong in succession, playing a key role in Shandong Club's championship victory. Media reports indicate that the occupancy rate for the finals exceeded 90%. On December 24th, some fans discovered that the tickets for the finals had already been sold out early, suggesting that some ticket holders did not ultimately attend the matches. The ticket prices for the finals ranged from 208 to 988 yuan per match, 576 to 1976 yuan for daily packages, and 1928 to 5528 yuan for full-event packages. During the first stage, the highest ticket price for the Table Tennis Super League was 788 yuan. The final statistics show that the box office revenue for the finals phase of the Table Tennis Super League exceeded 30 million…

At the beginning of the new year, the table tennis world witnessed an intriguing "double-faced" event. Wang Manyu and Sun Yingsha, who were fiercely debating over a ball on the court in the morning, were seen smiling and participating in activities together in the afternoon. This scene allowed us to witness the unique charm of professional athletes. Let's rewind to the morning of the first day of the new year in 2025. During a critical moment in the fifth set of the fourth game in the women's team final, a seemingly ordinary return triggered a ten-minute "debate" on the court. "Wait, did the ball hit twice?" The audience clearly remembers that the Shenzhen University team members almost simultaneously stood up. As the captain, Sun Yingsha was keenly focused and captured this detail at the first moment. On the other side, Wang Manyu was not to be outdone and immediately requested a video replay from the referee. This move instantly intensified the atmosphere at the scene. After all, in such a crucial moment, every point could determine victory or defeat. "You see Sha Sha's expression!" The fans at the scene couldn't help but whisper, "That's what a captain should look like!" Indeed, Sun Yingsha led her teammates towards the referee's stand, serious yet polite, and began communicating with the referee. Wang Manyu also insisted that her shot was completely in compliance. Two world-class champions thus engaged in a "battle of wits" on the court. "This doesn't look like opponents, it's like two lawyers in court!" Some fans jokingly commented. Indeed, their…

Translation of the article content into English: Wang Manyu and Sun Yingsha have indeed demonstrated their high-level skills and fierce competition in multiple encounters throughout 2024. In these seven matches, both players often fought until the decisive game, especially in the World Cup and the Women's Team Final of the Table Tennis Super League, where Wang Manyu was reversed by Sun Yingsha despite leading 2-0. These matches left a deep impression on fans. Fans believe that Wang Manyu needs to increase tactical changes, especially after her opponent adapts to her tactics, as relying solely on hard power is difficult to win. Sun Yingsha can flexibly change tactics in passive situations, limiting opponents and demonstrating her excellent adaptability. Following the end of the Paris Olympics, competitors have conducted more in-depth research on Sun Yingsha, particularly at the Asian Championships, where Kim Jin-young and Hina Hayata have defeated Sun Yingsha, showing their adaptation and countermeasures against Sun Yingsha's tactics. In matches against Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu rarely employs tactics to mobilize the opponent's forehand position, which may be related to her playing style. Wang Manyu excels in the first three shots attack, which is her main scoring method. In her rallies with Sun Yingsha, her backhand holds up well, so there is no necessity for changes in landing points. However, as the match progresses, once Sun Yingsha adapts to Wang Manyu's attacking lines, Wang Manyu needs to make more changes in the first three shots to avoid being countered. Wang Manyu mentioned in an interview that Qian Tianyi's match against Sun Yingsha…

On the night of January 1st, 2025, at 1 AM, Fan Zhendong did something incredibly exciting. While the turmoil with WTT had not yet subsided and everyone assumed that after his withdrawal from the world rankings and defeat in the table tennis league, things would gradually calm down, he unexpectedly threw a massive stone into the pond by sharing Taylor Swift's "Mean" on social media, which was completely unexpected. Why was it surprising? Because in the newly released world rankings by WTT, Fan Zhendong's name was no longer present, and it seemed like he was about to be marginalized from the mainstream stage of the table tennis world. Moreover, just that afternoon, he lost 1-3 to Wang Chuqin in the table tennis league, causing an immediate flood of doubts and criticisms from the outside world. But is Fan Zhendong someone who can be easily defeated? Obviously not. He initiated a unique "counterattack" by releasing a song, which was very personal and truly deserving of our affectionate nickname for him, "Little Fatty." Fan Zhendong's move was extremely clever; the background of the song he chose closely resembled his current situation. Just as Taylor Swift once faced malicious criticism from music critics, Fan Zhendong was also accused of violating rules. When Fan Zhendong shared the song, he captioned it with "Who says those covered in mud are not heroes," clearly declaring that he would not be brought down by rumors and gossip. Even when mired in public opinion and exhausted, he firmly believed in his own worth. This kind of perseverance, akin…

No one can stop the heart of a Grand Slam champion from retiring, not even WTT rules, especially when they haven't been tested in practice.‌ In recent days, the world of table tennis has been shaken! WTT announced that in the new year, players who do not participate in competitions as required will be penalized with point deductions and fines. Fan Zhendong responded by saying that he is unable to pay the fines and will withdraw from the overall rankings. Chen Meng and Ma Long followed suit. The public is shocked, questioning whether WTT has the authority to deduct points and impose fines. It seems absurd to demand that veteran champions must participate in all scheduled competitions without exception, regardless of their health or personal circumstances. This situation has put WTT under intense criticism, and Liu Guoliang, as the head of the organization, finds himself at the center of the storm. Opinions are divided on who is right and who is wrong. Why did Fan Zhendong, Chen Meng, and Ma Long choose to withdraw from the rankings? Withdrawing from the rankings means gaining autonomy over participation in competitions but also means being ineligible for international events like the World Championships and Olympics. Consequently, they would no longer be seen in major competitions. Ma Long's decision to withdraw from the rankings was unexpected yet unsurprising. As a seasoned player and a double Grand Slam champion, he was already looking for an opportunity to retire gracefully. This incident provided the perfect chance for him to step back without drawing too much attention.…

Translation: Not long ago, the WTT official released the latest rankings. In the men's category, Wang Chuqin ranked first, followed by Lin Shidong and Zhang Benzhihe; in the women's category, Sun Yingsha ranked first, followed by Wang Manyu, Wang Yidi, and Chen Xintong. It can be seen that Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng, who previously chose to withdraw from the world rankings, are no longer among them. This means they have completely separated from the WTT. It is worth noting that fans also discovered something else: Ma Long is not in the ranking either. Just as everyone was discussing this matter, the Chinese Table Tennis Association officially announced a message, which is that Fan Zhendong, Chen Meng, and Ma Long have successively withdrawn from the world rankings. The Chinese Table Tennis Association stated, "The Chinese Table Tennis Association and the Chinese table tennis team understand and respect the decision of the three athletes to withdraw from the world rankings, agree to their withdrawal from the world rankings, and have handled all related procedures." Moreover, the Chinese Table Tennis Association also expressed that it will pay attention to the subsequent development of the three athletes and provide them with the greatest support. At this moment, Ma Long has completely joined the ranks of Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng. As for why Ma Long withdrew, there is no definitive conclusion. Perhaps he also wants to rest, or perhaps he is supporting Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng with his actions... Regardless of which one, such a situation has caused a huge loss to…

In the world of table tennis, every move can attract the wide attention of fans. Recently, three top players from the national team - Fan Zhendong, Chen Meng, and Ma Long - have announced their withdrawal from the WTT (World Table Tennis) world rankings, a decision that has sent shockwaves through the sport. What lies behind this collective withdrawal of these top athletes? Is it a desperate measure or a well-thought-out strategic adjustment? This article will delve deep into the mystery surrounding this event. I. National Table Tennis Stars Unite to Leave Rankings, Causing Tremors in the Sport Since Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng announced their withdrawal from the WTT world rankings on their personal social media accounts, the incident has continued to ferment and become a hot topic of discussion in the table tennis community. As leaders of the national team, every decision they make touches the hearts of countless fans. The subsequent statement released by the World Table Tennis Association (WTT) further escalated the event. Fan Zhendong's response to this statement, as well as the various reactions from other association athletes and netizens, has made the entire incident akin to a drama series, continuously capturing people's attention. In fact, as early as the day the complete WTT schedule for 2025 was announced, Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng received documents about withdrawing from ITTF-approved events and submitted their signatures on the same day. Surprisingly, Ma Long had already signed and submitted his documents before them. The collective actions of these three national table tennis stars undoubtedly brought unprecedented shock…

In the recently concluded Ping Pong Super League final, we witnessed heart-wrenching scenes. Wang Manyu and Lin Shidong, these two rising stars of the ping pong world, struggled amidst the fervor of their fans, experiencing emotional outbursts, which are extremely rare in their usual matches. This scene not only evokes sympathy but also provokes deep thought about the future direction of the national ping pong team. 🌀 Wang Manyu: Outburst Under Calmness 🌀During the intense women's team final, Wang Manyu's dispute with Sun Yingsha and the referee led to a 10-minute suspension of the match. For her, known for her calm demeanor, this is extremely unusual. Online opinions are divided, with some accusing her of being a sore loser, while others believe she was protesting against excessive fan interference. Regardless, Wang Manyu's rare outburst and passionate celebration undoubtedly released immense pressure. 🌀 Lin Shidong: Loss of Emotional Control 🌀In the men's team final, Lin Shidong faced similar difficulties when playing against Wang Chuqin. The one-sided support from the audience caused this emotionally stable player on the international stage to lose control multiple times. After the game, Lin Shidong's cautiousness evoked a sense of sadness. 🌀 The Double-edged Sword of Fan Culture 🌀Wang Manyu and Lin Shidong's experiences remind us of Chen Meng and Fan Zhendong from before. They were victims of fan culture; Chen Meng was plagued by cyberbullying, and Fan Zhendong withdrew from international events due to harassment from fan culture. Now, with Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng's withdrawal, Wang Manyu and Lin Shidong have become new focal points.…