Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, two names that are enough to make table tennis enthusiasts boil with excitement. Their performance at the Paris Olympics can be described as "divine partners," not only winning the Olympic mixed doubles gold medal but also leading the Chinese team to stand on the highest podium twice in both the men's and women's team competitions. However, just as everyone was eagerly expecting them to gain more international honors, an unexpected and heart-wrenching message came: they were both unable to be selected as one of the top ten international athletes for 2024.
The list announced by Xinhua News Agency included only one Chinese athlete, tennis player Zheng Qinwen, who successfully made the cut. Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha didn't even get a mention. This is like a family winning the "big pot of rice golden spoon," only to have the trophy given to the neighbor's child. This left many netizens feeling uneasy: aren't Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha's achievements solid? Where did they fall short? Behind the question may lie the "limitations" that Chinese table tennis struggles to overcome.
When it comes to Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, we must talk about the background of their rise to the Paris Olympic stage. Their emergence was not without warning signs. At the Tokyo Olympics, the veteran pair of Liu Shiwen and Xu Xin were originally expected to achieve China's breakthrough in winning the first Olympic table tennis mixed doubles gold medal. Unfortunately, they ended up losing to the Japanese pair of Mizutani Jun and Ito Mima. This was not only a big regret for the national table tennis team but also led them to start a new round of strategic planning.
Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha took over under this pressure. Initially, they were not favored, and some even thought, "It's good enough if they can rely on the shoulders of the two veterans and not lose points." However, at the Paris Olympics, they responded to doubts with action. In the mixed doubles final, facing Japan's newly appointed strong pair, they not only showed no mercy but also successfully staged a comeback, reclaiming the gold medal that had been missed four years ago. This battle completely earned them the title of "National Table Tennis Royal Bomb Combination."
However, what people often see are the final gold medals and smiles, ignoring the hardships along the way. From Tokyo to Paris, it's not just four years of coordination but also a story of a team rising from disgrace to glory. They understand the burden on their shoulders and prove with practical actions that: there's nothing young people can't do.
Sun Yingsha's name gives even those who don't often watch table tennis a sense of "trembling when a tiger comes." After all, from her early matches against established players like Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen, she always played the role of a "disruptor" and later became a pillar-like presence. However, in the grand stage of the Olympics, having only technique is not enough; psychological quality is the real asset in critical moments.
During the women's team final in Paris, the video replay repeatedly focused on Sun Yingsha's face at the edge of the table tennis court. From the tight scores on the court to the unanimous full-throttle sprint of the team members, Sun Yingsha remained calm and composed, with clean and decisive movements. Later, someone joked that watching her play was like eating an ice lolly, chilling to the point where your pores burst open. But who would have thought that this "Little Demon King" actually suffered from insomnia and hair loss due to competitive pressure?
Looking back at the previous Olympics, when the Chinese women's team eventually finished as runners-up, Sun Yingsha simply said in front of the camera, "Sorry, we tried our best." But behind this simple sentence lay a lot of self-blame and unwillingness. The outbreak during the Paris cycle meant that she spent years bearing her "shadow of failure" and turned the pressure into a calm mindset when facing the court.
The next challenge will be the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Starting from today, Sun Yingsha has already taken on a new journey, with a clear goal - to win not only gold medals but also herself.
If Sun Yingsha makes people "see the future," then Wang Chuqin is a more typical "shiver-inducing, startling" player. His mixed doubles skills are well recognized, but one thing cannot be overlooked: at the Paris Olympics, Wang Chuqin was eliminated in the first round of the men's singles. This was clearly a disappointing start that was expected to be successful.
Criticism followed, with netizens questioning: Is there a problem with his mentality? Is he only good at team events and unable to perform at the individual stage?
But those who truly understand Wang Chuqin know that growth is never a straight uphill climb. Behind every champion, there might be failures laying the foundation. After this setback, he quickly adjusted his state and fought all the way to the end in the men's team competition, securing a crucial victory that brought the team a trophy. That match reaffirmed fans' belief that this young man could reach the peak of "blossoming in multiple directions," it's just a matter of time.
And Olympic gold medals won't be satisfied with the logic of "how much you win, it's enough." Behind each major competition lies Wang Chuqin's long-term efforts to realize his potential. He starts from Paris, giving it his all, just to deliver an impeccable performance on the next Olympic stage.
This is the real reason why fans feel uneasy. Why can't Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha's impressive achievements enter the list of the top ten international athletes announced by Xinhua News Agency? On the other hand, Zheng Qinwen successfully entered with her first Grand Slam quarterfinal result, which seems even more confusing?
The answer lies behind the four words "international voice."
Table tennis is China's "national ball," but globally, it falls far short of sports like football and tennis in terms of audience coverage. Comparing the exposure Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha received, Zheng Qinwen has a natural advantage in international reviews due to the high global attention to tennis. This phenomenon is not new. As early as the 2016 Rio Olympics, Ding Ning had already won three gold medals but still failed to enter similar selections, and the complaints from fans at that time are no different from today.
It has been proven that on the international stage, "winning alone is not enough," and they need to rely more on the influence of media coverage, traffic, and commercial events. This happens to be the biggest weakness of Chinese table tennis right now.
The absence of international selection will not diminish any brilliance, and the halo ultimately belongs to those standing on the highest podium. If there is any deficiency to speak of, it may be that they are not lacking in glory but in making more people hear about their glory, a path that still needs to be traveled further.
Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, their world has just begun.