Recently, the Chinese national table tennis team announced its lineup for the Asian Cup, which did not include three athletes who had previously announced their withdrawal from the ITTF world rankings. This decision came as a surprise, as the Asian Cup organizers had invited players such as Ma Long and Fan Zhendong to participate. As members of the men's and women's singles champions in two consecutive Olympics, their absence from this Asian Cup is indeed regrettable.
From the perspective of the Asian Cup organizers, inviting players like Ma Long and Fan Zhendong was intended to enhance the quality of the event. After all, the absence of Olympic champions could potentially reduce the attention and interest in the competition.
When Fan Zhendong and others announced their withdrawal from the world rankings earlier, Liu Guoliang, chairman of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, stated that these players could still participate in continental competitions through wild cards. However, now that the Asian Cup organizers have officially extended an invitation, Liu Guoliang has surprisingly excluded Fan Zhendong and others from the lineup, a decision that seems somewhat unexpected.
Some fans believe that this may be because the national table tennis team needs to undergo a generational change after the Paris Olympic cycle, and the Asian Cup serves as a platform for young players to train and gain experience. Nevertheless, even with this consideration, Liu Guoliang's refusal of the Asian Cup invitation appears to reflect his clear stance on the future direction of the team.
In some upcoming major continental competitions, the participation opportunities for players like Ma Long and Fan Zhendong may significantly decrease. It could even be said that after the Paris Olympics, they will gradually distance themselves from the national team. Fans might find that the chances to see top players like Fan Zhendong compete will become increasingly rare.
Logically speaking, Fan Zhendong is only 27 years old and is still at the peak of his career. His early withdrawal from the international arena is truly a significant loss for the world of table tennis. For the national table tennis team, generational change is an important task. How to find a balance in this process requires serious thought from Liu Guoliang. If the Asian Cup results are not satisfactory, it may lead to more criticism.