The Mascot Star Challenge is currently underway, and for this event, the Chinese table tennis team has sent many outstanding young players to compete. Among these young athletes, 18-year-old Zong Ge Man has garnered significant attention as she is considered a potential successor to Sun Yingsha. There were high hopes that she would perform well in this competition, but unfortunately, she has disappointed everyone.
In the first round of the qualifying matches, Zong Ge Man lost 1-3 to Ye Yitan from Chinese Taipei (who had previously caused an upset by defeating South Korean veteran Zhu Qianxi at the Doha station). Although Zong Ge Man subsequently won 3-0 against Kukulova from Slovakia, her final record of one win and one loss left her trailing behind Ye Yitan (who won both of her matches), thus eliminating her from contention for a spot in the main draw. This unexpected early exit has led to netizens commenting that Zong Ge Man has no value for further development.
It is surprising that this 18-year-old, touted as Sun Yingsha's successor, was eliminated in the qualifying rounds, causing a major upset. Some netizens have expressed that Zong Ge Man is not worth cultivating, as the Chinese table tennis team has given her numerous opportunities recently, yet she has failed to deliver. If she cannot perform well at this age within the Chinese team, it may be time to give up on her.
The primary task for the Chinese table tennis team in the new Olympic cycle is to cultivate young players. There is hope that these young Chinese players will quickly mature and in the future be able to challenge Tomokazu Ishihara. However, at present, the progress of our young players is very slow, and they have not been able to make a remarkable impression on the court, leaving everyone feeling somewhat helpless.
Although Zong Ge Man, at 18 years old, is hailed as a prodigy, she is two years older than the 16-year-old Tomokazu Ishihara. Ishihara has already become one of the world's top players, while Zong Ge Man is still unable to make a breakthrough even in the qualifying rounds, which is truly disheartening. It is hoped that Zong Ge Man can reflect on her shortcomings and strive to improve herself.
Competition within the Chinese national table tennis team is fierce, and only the most outstanding players can secure more opportunities to compete. If Zong Ge Man continues to lose, she risks being abandoned by the Chinese table tennis team, as the team cannot afford to give unlimited chances to any single player. It is hoped that Zong Ge Man can recognize her problems and believe that in the future she will be able to prove her abilities.