The 2018 / 2019 CTTSL season concludes with the grand finals on 2 February. The men's field has been a really exciting one as the top 6 teams come down to close finishes. Against all odds, Tianjin Table Tennis Club wins its first CTTSL title. Whereas for the women, Shandong Luneng celebrates its sixth CTTSL victory. Young athletes Liang Jingkun and Wang Manyu are awarded the most-valued player.
The Chinese Table Tennis Super League (CTTSL) started off on 10 October after the 2018 Chinese National Championships and ended on a high note (Yes, the playoffs is back!) on 2 February. We all know the finals represent the highest level of the leagues but there were also some great matches throughout the 18 rounds. If it happens that you have missed some of the rounds or simply want to re-visit some of them, here is a recap which gives you a summary of the 2018 /2019 CTTSL season.
The Men's Field
We missed non-Chinese players in the last season but the ban is lifted this year. We are fortunate enough to see Dimitrij Ovtcharov returned to CTTSL. Although he had to end his CTTSL journey early in round 10 to compete at the Table Tennis Champions League in Europe, he has pulled out some exciting matches in China.
Must See: Round 10 -- Dimitrij Ovtcharov vs Fan Zhendong
As mentioned in our preview, Shandong Luneng was, without a doubt, the strongest team on paper. However, Ma Long sat out the second half of the season to heal his injuries and his absence may be what caused them to fall short from winning the champion. Had Ma Long not sat out, the finals might end up a re-match of round 7.
Must See: Round 7 -- Tianjin vs Shandong Luneng // Ma Long vs Lin Gaoyuan
It has been a rocky road to victory for Tianjin Table Tennis Club. The anchor of the team, Fang Bo was suspended for 2 rounds after arguing with the umpire at Round 12. The penalty was not just a blow for Fang Bo but the team as well when it desperately needed to win a few critical matches to keep them in contention for the playoffs. Then, the team lost its sponsors because of the Chinese health product firm Quanjian scandal and had to rename as Tianjin Table Tennis Club. Fortunately, the team was able to retain their composure just in time and won over Shandong Weiqiao in Round 15 which kept them in contention for the playoffs.
Must See: Round 15 -- Tianjin vs Shandong Weiqiao
CTTSL always gives us surprises. As it stands, for this season, Sun Wen who has joined the national team for less than a year, surprisingly upset Fan Zhendong twice at Round 1 and 10 in this season. The 1997-born Sun Wen is quick in his transition, powerful in counter-loops from both wings and is enjoyable to watch.
Must See: Round 10 -- Fan Zhendong vs Sun Wen
The Women's Field
Unlike the men's field, Shandong Luneng, Shenzhen University and Qilu Jiaotong have a solid lead in the round robin phase and booked their places in the playoffs a few rounds in advance. Yet, things were looking close among the front runners.
Must See:
Round 8 -- Chen Meng vs Wang Manyu
Round 11 -- Shenzhen University vs Qilu Jiaotong
Round 17 -- Shandong Luneng vs Shenzhen University
While Bayi Nanchang has been the dark horse of the league. The team's young talent Sun Mingyang is on fire this season and has helped the team to take the last spot in the playoffs.
Must See:
Round 7 -- Sun Mingyang vs Wang Manyu
Round 8 -- Sun Mingyang vs Liu Shiwen
CTTSL has always been a demanding competition. Not only does it has a jam-packed competition schedule, athletes often have to juggle between the league and international competitions. However, these professional athletes always delivered the best they could. Liu Shiwen and Ding Ning threw an epic 5-game thriller in Round 16 when the former was just back from Hungarian Open dealing with jet lag.
Must See: Round 16 -- Liu Shiwen vs Ding Ning
Grand Finals
You can find all our 2018 CTTSL coverage in our 2018 CTTSL Guide. We hope you enjoy following 2018 CTTSL and let us know which match or athletes strike you the most in this season in the comment below!
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