On the evening of January 1st, in the men's team final of the Ping Pong Super League, Shandong Weiqiao, led by Wang Chuqin, defeated Huangshi Base, led by Lin Shidong, with a score of 3-0. After the game, Lin Shidong's remarks during the interview sparked controversy.
In the second set of this game, Lin Shidong lost 2-3 to Wang Chuqin. After the game, Lin Shidong expressed that he played well, "Many people were cheering for him (Wang Chuqin), and it's normal for fans to support their players. I think it's already pretty good that I could play to 2-3 with so many people cheering for him." However, many of Wang Chuqin's fans were not satisfied and questioned whether Lin Shidong could accept defeat, feeling that he was affected by the interference, leading to various sarcastic comments online!
"Are you saying that you lost because there were fewer people cheering for you? Haven't you received anti-interference training in the team? Moreover, the audience tonight was just normally cheering, without any disruptive behavior. The overall atmosphere was very good. If you can't handle this, then don't go abroad to play in the future. Foreign fans make even more noise, and you wouldn't be able to handle it!" "The ball is won by your own strength, not by the cheers of the fans. Who do you blame for having fewer fans? In the Asian Championship final, all the fans were cheering for you, but you still lost to Tomokazu Harimoto!" "The referee said, 'Lin Shidong, please pay attention to your behavior!' So why can't Lin Shidong accept defeat? Can you explain what you did on the court?" "We cheered for you at the Fukuoka Finals, so why didn't you win?"
In fact, some fans also believed that Wang Chuqin's loud shout after the game was disrespectful to Lin Shidong. However, Wang Chuqin stated that it was just an expression of his emotions. It can be said that intense competitions are always filled with tension, and how to view them is up to everyone's own perspective.
Deng Yaping, who has been paying attention to the Ping Pong Super League finals, also reviewed the match between Wang Chuqin and Lin Shidong. She believes that the match could last five sets because both sides experienced some fluctuations and ups and downs during the game. However, there were also many wonderful high-level shots, "such as the backhand twist from close range and the rallies between forehand and backhand." The reason Wang Chuqin ultimately won the match, she thinks, is that "in the end, Wang Chuqin was more experienced and decisive in handling key shots, with high-quality output."
After the game, when the MVP award was presented, Lin Shidong found it hard to believe that he had won. He repeatedly asked the staff before daring to go on stage to receive the award, and he still felt incredible on stage. Lin Shidong's journey as a main player has just begun. Facing Wang Chuqin, who is regaining his confidence, he still needs to work twice as hard to achieve greater progress in the new year.