Recently, WTT has introduced a new regulation that if players do not participate in competitions according to the official requirements of WTT, they will not only be penalized with zero points but also fined by WTT. This regulation has sparked considerable controversy, especially as it is particularly unfriendly to older players with high world rankings. After all, each player's competitive state and health condition are different, and it is unrealistic for them to participate in every WTT event without missing any.
In response to the霸王条款 (tyrannical terms) introduced by the WTT, three national table tennis Olympic champions - Fan Zhendong, Chen Meng, and Ma Long - officially announced their withdrawal from the world rankings. This means that the three will no longer represent the national team in future world competitions. Their decision has left fans feeling heartbroken and regretful, as not only does it cause a significant drop in the appeal and value of WTT events, but it also greatly reduces the overall strength of the national table tennis team.
Especially after Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng withdrew from the world rankings, it had a huge impact on them. After all, Fan Zhendong is still in his prime and is the leader of the men's national team. As for Chen Meng, her withdrawal from the world rankings meant that it would be difficult for her to achieve the Grand Slam. After winning the women's singles title at the Tokyo Olympics, she could have completed the Grand Slam feat by winning the women's singles title at the Houston World Table Tennis Championships. However, during the Paris Olympic cycle, Chen Meng was affected by age and injuries, experiencing a severe decline in form. She failed to win the women's singles title twice at the Houston and Durban World Table Tennis Championships, thus failing to achieve the Grand Slam.
However, Chen Meng successfully defended her Olympic women's singles title at the Paris Olympics, once again demonstrating her strong competitiveness. Nevertheless, not being able to complete the Grand Slam throughout her career has always been a regret for Chen Meng. Coincidentally, there is a World Table Tennis Championship in 2025, which would have been an opportunity for Chen Meng to make another attempt at achieving the Grand Slam. However, now that she has chosen to withdraw from the world rankings, it means that her dream of the Grand Slam has been shattered, and she has chosen to give up when it was almost within reach, which is disappointing.
However, just as fans were feeling sorry for Chen Meng, the chairman of the national table tennis team, Liu Guoliang, took personal action. Liu Guoliang's statement reignited hope for Chen Meng's Grand Slam journey. Although Liu Guoliang holds multiple positions as the chairman of the Table Tennis Association and the director of the WTT board, this time he spoke out as the chairman of the Table Tennis Association. He stated that he firmly supports the players of his own association in defending their rights and interests and protecting their own benefits. At the same time, Liu Guoliang also expressed dissatisfaction with the new fine policy introduced by WTT.
Liu Guoliang also said that he will actively promote reforms within WTT, suggesting exemptions for famous players and veterans to participate in competitions, setting up a prize pool for retiring athletes, and guiding athletes to invest in competitions in the right way. If Liu Guoliang can push for reforms to the WTT rules, then Chen Meng, Fan Zhendong, and Ma Long are likely to return to the world rankings and participate in world competitions. Liu Guoliang also mentioned that the national table tennis players Chen Meng, Fan Zhendong, and Ma Long can participate in world competitions through wildcard status, which means that Chen Meng still has the opportunity to participate in the World Table Tennis Championships and strive for the Grand Slam feat. We look forward to seeing Chen Meng stand on the stage of the World Table Tennis Championships and not let her career leave any regrets.