The 2024 Ping Pong Super League men's team final concluded amidst a chorus of cheers, with Shandong Weiqiao emerging victorious with a resounding 3:0 victory over Huangshi Base · Huanxin Men's Team, securing the championship title. The highlight of the match was undoubtedly Wang Chuqin's 3:2 victory over Lin Shidong. Wang Chuqin, known as "Big Head," naturally attracts attention, while Lin Shidong, though a young player, has been on a remarkable rise since Paris, defeating both Wang Chuqin and Ma Long in the Macau Championship and Beijing Grand Slam, catapulting him to second place in the world rankings.
In their match, Lin Shidong took an early lead by winning the first game 11:6, but Wang Chuqin, with his superior court control and indomitable spirit, managed to secure a 3:2 victory. In an interview after the match, Lin Shidong mentioned that Wang Chuqin had more fans cheering for him, which added to his own pressure. Despite this, he felt that winning two games was still a commendable performance.
While acknowledging that young players may not always express themselves fully, Lin Shidong's comment does seem to imply a certain amount of envy. As netizens have pointed out, if fan support could determine the outcome of a match, then the national football team would already be the best in the universe.
Everyone starts from being a young player, and not everyone begins with a fan base. During the Jakarta Asian Games final, the audience even booed at the players, causing one of them to become so nervous that they couldn't hold onto the ball. However, they still managed to win the championship.
Fan support can only be an additional advantage for athletes, but it is not a decisive factor. In my memory, when the players win, they always attribute it to their thorough preparation for difficulties, and when they lose, they look for reasons within themselves.
Finally, I hope that table tennis will continue to develop and flourish, attracting more people to come to the stadiums to cheer for the athletes and watch the matches. I also wish for the best for the players, hoping that those who support them will always be the most numerous!
