Fan Zhendong and Wang Chuqin met in their first match of 2024, which reminded me of the match between Liu Guoliang and Kong Linghui back then. That match was also filled with various stories, but looking at it now, this match seems even more interesting.
Wang Chuqin played particularly aggressively this time, feeling like he was holding back a burst of energy to win against Fan Zhendong. He was very proactive from the first serve, and his serves were particularly tricky, with Fan Zhendong failing to receive them well several times.
The first set of the match was particularly close, with the two players going back and forth. In the end, Wang Chuqin was more decisive in the key points, directly taking the first set with a forehand smash.
During the second set, Fan Zhendong looked a bit anxious, perhaps wanting to win back a set, but instead made more mistakes. Wang Chuqin seized the opportunity to score continuously and quickly took the second set.
In the third set, Fan Zhendong finally found some rhythm. His backhand loop became stable, and his serves became more threatening. He won this set relatively easily.
It's quite interesting that Xiao Zhan, the coach, came to accompany Wang Chuqin in training. In theory, as a national team coach, he shouldn't get involved in club matches, but he still came, probably because he really values Wang Chuqin.
After Xiao Zhan arrived, Wang Chuqin's technical details obviously improved, especially in his serving and receiving quality, which felt much better than before. This might be the effect of a famous coach.
From the training videos, it can be seen that Xiao Zhan pays special attention to Wang Chuqin's psychological adjustment. Because of losing to Fan Zhendong last time, Wang Chuqin must have had some grievances in his heart. Winning this time has a lot to do with mental adjustment.
The recent incident of Fan Zhendong withdrawing from the world rankings has caused quite a stir. In this match, he didn't play as aggressively as before. It seemed like he was more relaxed overall, possibly due to significant changes in his mentality.
Deng Yaping said that Fan Zhendong's state in this match was not good. In fact, it could be seen from his expression that he didn't seem to care about winning or losing as much, and it was more like he was enjoying the process of the match.
This was particularly evident in the fourth set when Fan Zhendong played very conservatively. Many shots lacked the usual ferocity, feeling like he was slowly adjusting his positioning and mentality.
This match brought to mind many past events, such as the match between Ma Long and Zhang Jike in the past, and further back, the competition between Wang Hao and Ma Lin. Each generation of athletes has its own story.
Wang Chuqin is now playing with more of his own characteristics, no longer relying solely on explosive power as before, but starting to focus on technique and detail, which may be the process of young athletes growing up.
Although Fan Zhendong lost the match, he interacted seriously with fans after the game, signing autographs and taking photos patiently, feeling like he was saying goodbye to this stage in his own way.
The significance of this match may not only lie in the outcome but also in that it represents the transition of an era, like the passing of a relay baton, with each person shining at their best.
Table tennis has been changing all the time, from straight to horizontal grips, from fast attacks to loops. Each period has different characteristics, and now the matches are increasingly focusing on details and psychology.
It can also be seen from this match that young players today pay special attention to pre-match preparation, not just technical training but also studying the characteristics of opponents, which is also a trend in the development of table tennis.