"It is a pity that Ito Mima was not selected for the Paris Olympics, and we won't be able to see her compete against Sun Yingsha. The Japanese team has chosen Zhang Benmei in hopes that she can defeat the Chinese team and help win the gold medal." The Japanese table tennis team, a formidable opponent of the national team, has announced their roster for the Paris Olympics. Notably, they have chosen 15-year-old Zhang Benmei as the third member of the women's team, which is a bold decision. What reasons led the Japanese team to choose Zhang Benmei over Ito Mima, a two-time Olympian and the only current Olympic champion on the Japanese team? Japanese women's team head coach Watanabe Takehiro provided an answer, with one key point being Zhang Benmei's victories over Sun Yingsha in women's doubles and mixed doubles events. As Watanabe said, "During the selection process, he was very troubled because Ito Mima is an Olympic gold medalist and an excellent player. However, considering her performance last year, Zhang Benmei has been more outstanding." Watanabe further explained, "At last year's Asian Games, Zhang Benmei teamed up with Kihara Miyuu to defeat the former world champions (Sun Yingsha/Wang Manyu). At the end of last year's Chengdu Mixed Team World Cup, she partnered with Tohsho Aruga to defeat the world number one (Sun Yingsha/Wang Chuqin), achieving remarkable results." From Japan's choice of Zhang Benmei, it seems they are betting on her performance in the women's doubles at the Olympics. Watanabe stated that his focus in choosing the third member…

Ito Mima, a name familiar to table tennis enthusiasts, is one of the few Japanese players to have won an Olympic gold medal in table tennis. Although it was only a mixed doubles gold medal, it was the first in the history of the Olympics, making it significant. It is well-known that this gold medal has made the task of Sun Yingsha and Wang Chuqin in the mixed doubles event during the Paris Olympic cycle even more important, highlighting the value of this gold medal. At the Tokyo Olympics, Ito Mima won a gold medal in the mixed doubles event but was consecutively defeated by "Little Demon King" Sun Yingsha in the women's singles and team events, causing her tournament points to drop rapidly and her world ranking to reach a historic low. Ultimately, she did not make it into Japan's national table tennis team for the Paris Olympics. Despite the Japanese national table tennis team considering giving her a P card, she refused to wait for an opportunity as a sparring partner, a move that also showed her aspirations and pursuits, after all, she is someone who has won a gold medal. After the Paris Olympics, due to the early elimination of the mixed doubles pair of Tomokazu Harimoto and Hina Hayata, the Japanese national table tennis team began planning new mixed doubles combinations, believing that mixed doubles is their most likely project to challenge for gold. They had considered bringing Ito Mima back to mixed doubles, but she ultimately declined the invitation. Why did she decline? In my…

Do you think it's courage or an adventure? Zhang Jike, known as the "rising star of Japanese table tennis," recently made a jaw-dropping decision: he announced that he will not participate in the mixed doubles event at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics but instead focus entirely on the men's singles competition. To many, this choice may seem like betting on an uncertain future, but in Zhang's eyes, it is a bold attempt to reduce physical exertion and psychological pressure, aiming solely for a breakthrough in the men's singles. Looking back, Zhang Jike's name is well-known. He partnered with Ito Mima in the Tokyo Olympics, achieving a silver medal in the mixed doubles with remarkable teamwork, marking a historic breakthrough for Japanese table tennis history. However, what many might not know is that this silver medal brought him not only glory but also immense psychological burden. After the games, Japanese media and fans regarded him as the future "pillar" of the Japanese team, placing high hopes on Zhang Jike, which also weighed heavily on him, making it hard for him to breathe under the weight of these expectations. After the Tokyo Olympics, Zhang's state in competitions fluctuated frequently, earning him the label of "lacking in mental fortitude." In the Paris Olympics, he failed to achieve outstanding results, drawing much criticism. Was it due to insufficient strength or divided attention? Amidst the criticism, Zhang chose to calm down and reflect—perhaps he needed to let go of other distractions and focus on the men's singles to rediscover his original passion and motivation. This…

Introduction A rising star in Chinese women's table tennis has renounced her Chinese citizenship to join South Korea, transforming from a national second-tier player into the "Great Demon King" of the South Korean team, and even boldly proclaiming her intention to defeat the Chinese team. Who is this prodigy who has forsaken her nationality in the table tennis world? Early Table Tennis Career of Tian Zhixi We have known since childhood that Rome was not built in a day, and Tian Zhixi's journey in table tennis also began at a young age. Born in 1992 in an ordinary family in Hebei, Tian Zhixi came into this world with a cry. Perhaps it was fate, as her father happened to be a table tennis coach. Under her father's influence, Tian Zhixi began to come into contact with table tennis at the age of 7. At such a young age, she might not have known how this small round ball would change the trajectory of her life. However, she had an extraordinary sensitivity to this sport by nature. As the saying goes, a piece of jade must be polished before it becomes valuable, and under her father's careful guidance, Tian Zhixi quickly demonstrated remarkable talent. Day after day, year after year, she sweated on the table, constantly honing her skills. This perseverance and effort laid a solid foundation for her future success. All efforts pay off, and at the age of 14, Tian Zhixi welcomed the first highlight moment of her career. At the Asian Youth Championships, she overcame all obstacles and…

Recently, according to Korean media reports, renowned Korean table tennis player Tian Zhixi announced her withdrawal from the Korean national table tennis team. A short video of her returning to Beijing has also been circulating online, showing a very happy Tian Zhixi loudly declaring to the camera: "I'm home, my beloved Beijing." Of course, this does not mean that Tian Zhixi will completely bid farewell to table tennis. Future Securities Team also pointed out that due to the possibility of Tian Zhixi signing with other teams, it is uncertain whether she will completely say goodbye to table tennis. Sources revealed that Tian Zhixi will return to China for rest next. Speaking of Tian Zhixi, fans who follow table tennis are very familiar with her. Born in Hebei Province in 1992, Tian Zhixi was once a student of the well-known table tennis coach Yin Xiao. Although she has good talent and strength, the competition in domestic table tennis is very fierce, making it very difficult for Tian Zhixi to enter the national team based on her own abilities. Therefore, from a professional perspective, Tian Zhixi ultimately chose to join the Korean team. In January 2011, she became the adopted daughter of her father's Korean friend, passed the naturalization exam, and obtained Korean nationality; in August 2016, Tian Zhixi participated in the Rio Olympics as a member of the Korean team. With solid fundamentals, Tian Zhixi gradually became the top female player in Korean table tennis. However, her main achievements are in mixed doubles and women's doubles, with average results in women's…

Who is the "group favorite" in China's table tennis world? It must be Sun Yingsha. With her round face that looks so soft, it gives people an urge to pinch it. In South Korea's table tennis world, there is also such a "group favorite." She has a cute appearance and a very likable personality, and she is the "smiling girl" who won the hearts of many during the recently held Olympics - Shin Yu-bin. She really loves to laugh. She laughs when she wins a match, laughs when her teammates communicate with her, and even laughs when she loses a match. It must be said that Shin Yu-bin has a really good character. With her round face, she also looks soft. Although her facial features are not particularly three-dimensional or delicate, she looks very cute overall. Her smile is not the kind that makes a hundred charms with a single glance; it's more like the warm smile of afternoon sunshine, making people feel very happy and relaxed. No wonder people often say that attitude determines appearance. Under the influence of her good attitude, Shin Yu-bin appears very sunny, giving off a "girl next door" vibe. Fans who like her call her the "Kapibara" of the table tennis world, which is quite an apt metaphor. In real life, Shin Yu-bin fully embodies the term "girl next door." Being cheerful and sunny has become her byword, and her extremely infectious smile has become her trademark. It's no wonder so many people like her. During her free time without training, Shin Yu-bin, like…