More Table Tennis in the Year of the Dog

Photo: 刘国梁's Weibo

Happy Chinese New Year, readers! It's Chinese New Year, and as always, that means holidays and many celebrations. As we are still enjoying the long holiday, the Chinese athletes are busy in all sorts of activities, such as showing up in a Chinese New Year Gala and training for the upcoming Team World Cup this February in London.

2018 Team World Cup Selection Results

After 2 days of intense trials, Chen Xingtong and Wang Manyu end up top 2 among 7 players and will join Ding Ning, Liu Shiwen and Zhu Yuling to compete in the 2018 Team World Cup which will be held in London from 22 to 25 February. The Chinese team will be sending Ma Long, Fan Zhendong, Xu Xin, Lin Gaoyuan and Yu Ziyang to compete in the men's team competition.

China's 2018 Team World Cup Selection Begins

The Chinese women are set for Chinese Trials to be held on 5 & 6 January and the line-up for the men's team has announced after a series of trials.

Throwback Thursday: "Table Tennis Is My Love Forever" Said Legendary Coach Zhou Shusen

In last week's Throwback Thursday, we covered the story of coach Wang Tao and Ma Wenge. This week we will have a look at a very experienced coach who said "Table tennis is his love forever" in his new book! He is Zhou Shusen. You may not recall who Zhou Shusen is but you must have heard of the Singaporean women's team defeating the Chinese team and walked away with their first ever world team champion in 2010 WTTC. Well, Zhou Shusen was the coach of the champion-winning team.

Big Names Commemorate China-US Ping Pong Diplomacy In New York

Phto: Eastday

When most of the Chines table tennis national team members and coaches are either heading to the Austrian Open or competing at Asian Cup in India, Liangeuoliang, Yan Sen, Wang Hao, Ding Ning and many big names in the Chinese table tennis world had a friendly match in the headquarter of UN in New York to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the China-US Ping Pong Diplomacy.

In Translation: Ding Ning Post Women's Singles Interview

The National Games is one of the toughest competition for many Chinese table tennis athletes. In 10 days they strive for 7 titles. In day 10, Ding Ning won 4-2 over Liu Shiwen in the women's singles finals. Let's see how would she comment on that match and what does she want to do after the National Games!

13th Chinese National Games: Matches of Day 1& Detailed Team Competition Schedule

The team events starts early at 10:00 (GMT+8) on 28 August. The following schedule listed what and when are the matches, as well as where to watch them!

13th Chinese National Games: Their Goals

I'm way more excited for the 13th Chinese National Games than I've been in a really long time, because there will be world-class Chinese table tennis athletes as well as upcoming future stars striving for 7 titles in 10 days. The Games will take place from 28 August to 6 September in Tianjin. With 3 days to go and no news about the draw of the single events, let's have a look at the goals of each team and athlete at the 13th Chinese National Games.

CNG Throwback: When Champion Is Not About 1 Person

Table tennis is, sometimes, a lonely sport, because it is often focused on the individual. Most of the glory comes from the singles and doubles events. While there are team competitions where table tennis players come together and build off one another and produce amazing results. Today's CNG Throwback covers the 2005 Chinese National Games women's team finals where 15-year-old Ding Ning won her first Chinese National Games champion alongside with her Beijing teammates.

Photo: Table Tennis World

13th Chinese National Games: Women's Doubles Preview

Last week, we introduced you to the mixed doubles, an event which you can enjoy the men's style and women's style in one go. Now let's move on to the women's doubles (catch up the CNG intro and XD preview here).

CNG Throwback: Grand-Slam Partnership in Mixed Doubles

CNG Throwback will revisit the mixed doubles finals at 2013 Chinese National Games. As the CNG preview which will be released tomorrow will be mentioning the champion-winning pairs for many times despite the fact that they will not compete in the 13th Games (2017). Make sure you follow the blog (click the blue button on the right-hand column) and the CNG preview which give you a better idea on the Chinese National Games scheduled from 28 August to 6 September.

Mixed Doubles Award Ceremony at the 12th Chinese National Games
Photo: 华奥星空

In Translation: Table Tennis Documentary About The Marvellous 12

As the big events like World Championships and World Tour platinum have ended, there are not many occasions where the top Chinese players show up. With 49 days left to go before the Chinese National Games, most athletes choose to utilize every minute they have to train behind the closed door. Well, we can still find some in T2 APAC, a pan-regional table tennis league and UTTL, India's professional table tennis league. However the number of Chinese players is nowhere near the Chinese National Games and the Marvellous 12. Fortunately, Tecent Sports has presented a documentary (was taken down after the Chendu Three incident) about the Marvellous 12 just in time to fill up the off season. 

Recap: 2017 Dusseldorf WTTC

Hello, it's been a long time for not updating. I'm not being lazy but because it has been a long busy week (following matches, translating interviews...). I've been catching up some matches of 2017 WTTC recently because there were so many amazing matches played simultaneously in the championships. If you have missed some matches, you can catch up or re-watch the matches on ITTV like what I've been doing these days. I have not covered every match of 2017 WTTC (as there are too many of them but I might catch up more eventually) but the followings are a summary and my thoughts on 2017 WTTC. Please comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts on 2017 WTTC!

Throwback Thursday: The Giant Slayer -- Mu Zi

If you have followed Adam's commentary (the ITTF commentary), you must have heard of the term "Giant Slayer" which he (in the Chinese men's team context) referred to Shang Kun who beat Ma Long in 2015 Japan Open. "Giant Slayer" generally refers to a less-known but skillful player who pull down the favorite of the match. This week's Throwback Thursday features the women's "Giant Slayer", Mu Zi, who will be playing women's singles in 2017 World Championships.

In Translation: The Chinese Team in 2017 WTTC (CCTV5 Report)

The 2017 World Table Tennis Championships will be held in Dusseldorf, Germany, from 29 May to 5 June. It can be overwhelming to track down all the 330 male and 264 female players who will be playing in the 2017 WTTC. But the Chinese are definitely those you don't want to miss as they are the favorite of the championships. CCTV 5 has produced fluff featuring the Chinese players who will play in 2017 WTTC. Check the playlist below to watch the fluff with English subtitles!

The Chinese team is heading to Luxembourg for a 1-week training in the China Table Tennis College (Europe Division) on May 20 and then will leave for Dusseldorf on May 27 for 2017 WTTC.

Apart from the Worlds participants, the Chinese are sending more players and staff to backup the team's preparation for 2017 WTTC.

Throwback Thursday: Girl Power -- Feng Yalan

24 days countdown to the 2017 Dusseldorf World Championships. Every team is in the final stage of their preparation. The Chinese team is no exception (check the previous articles about their close-door training here). This week's Throwback Thursday features Feng Yalan who will play mixed doubles with Denmark's Johnathan Groth in the 2017 Dusseldorf World Championships. 

Photo: Sina Sports

In Translation: Coach Liu: "Lin has Shuffled the Men's Rankings" -- Closing Speech of 2017 Marvellous 12 with Eng Sub

Coach Liu wrapped up the Marvellous 12 by commenting the 6 players who have reached stage 3 and presented the tickets to the Worlds to the 4 players, Fan Zhendong, Liu Shiwen, Lin Gaoyuan and Ding Ning. Here is the closing ceremony of the Marvellous 12 with English subtitles.

In Translation: 2 Spots Set, Who Will Be the Remaining? -- Post-Marvellous 12 Press Confernece

After a week of intense competition, the Marvellous 12 has finally come to an end. Table tennis fans may be satisfied with the great matches played by the 'marvellous' players but many questions has popped out from our mind as well. The head coach of the Chinese table tennis national team, Liu Guoliang, answered some of them in the press conference. Here is the translation of the press conference.To watch the entire press conference, click here.

Marvellous 12 Results -- Stage 1 to Stage 3 of 2017 Chinese Trials for WTTC

Participants of Stage 1 of the Marvellous 12, Table Tennis Chinese Trials for WTTC

Men
Ma Long, Zhang Jike, Fan Zhendong, Xu Xin

Xu Chenhao, Liang Jingkun, Fang Bo, Zhou Yu

Yan An, Liu Dingshuo, Lin Gaoyuan, Zhou Qihao

Women

Ding Ning, Liu Shiwen, Zhu Yuling, Chen Meng

Feng Yalan, Mu Zi, Chen Ke, Li Jiayi

Wang Manyu, Yuan Xuejiao, Wu Yang, Gu Yuting