On December 27th, it was an important day for the national table tennis team as two Olympic champions, Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng, successively released statements withdrawing from the world rankings. They have submitted applications to the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and the Chinese Table Tennis Association, which means they will no longer participate in international competitions such as the Olympics, World Cup, World Championships, WTT, etc. However, they are still eligible to compete in domestic events like the China Table Tennis Super League and National Games.
Notably, after Fan Zhendong's statement, many sports stars sent their blessings. Coach Wu Jingping's words were profound, "When you keep moving up and stand at the peak of ten thousand mountains, look back, and you'll find that those who dislike you are still where they were, now only able to look up to you. Leave time for yourself and leave the rest to time. Right or wrong, warmth and coldness of human relationships, time will eventually reward you."
Coach Wu Jingping is already 70 years old this year, and his status in the field of Chinese table tennis is extremely high. He was once the coach of the national men's table tennis team and trained many world champions, including Qin Zhijian, Ma Lin, Wang Hao, Fan Zhendong, Xu Xin, etc., earning him the title of "gold medal coach" by foreign media.
Badminton Olympic champion Zheng Siwei supported Fan Zhendong, saying, "Brother, be the person in your heart." Swimming Olympic champion Pan Zhanle also liked Fan Zhendong's post and expressed support and blessings.
At the Paris Olympics, Fan Zhendong defeated Swedish star Moregad to win the championship. Even as an opponent, Moregad was reluctant to see Fan Zhendong leave the international stage, as they would not face each other again in the future. Moregad praised Fan Zhendong as one of the greatest players and thanked him.
Zhou Qihao also blessed Fan Zhendong on social media, saying, "We've known each other for almost 20 years, and you're the one I've known the longest and strongest in playing. It's an honor to have such a powerful opponent and teammate in the same batch, even though you've beaten me many times. Still, I respect my brother's choice, and the future will definitely be better."
As of press time, teammates Sun Yingsha, Wang Chuqin, Ma Long, and others had not yet spoken out, but they will surely publicly bless Fan Zhendong. Chen Meng also withdrew from the international arena, and fans discovered an interesting fact: Chen Meng and Fan Zhendong have been teammates for so many years, but she hadn't followed Fan Zhendong's social media account before, only recently following him, which can be considered silent support. We hope that Chen Meng will also have a smooth future; she has no regrets and will definitely participate in the 2025 National Games, looking forward to her return to the court.
The national table tennis team has experienced significant changes, with the main lineup in the future consisting of Sun Yingsha, Wang Chuqin, Wang Manyu, Lin Shidong, Wang Yidi, etc., facing great challenges, especially the men's team. Wang Chuqin needs to become stronger to shoulder the responsibility.
