Five days ago, Chen Meng defeated Sun Yingsha 4:1 to dominate the Women's Table Tennis World Cup, and Guoping took the lead; on the evening of the 15th, Fan Zhendong beat Malone 4:3 to win the Men's Table Tennis World Cup, and Guoping won again.

  In just one week, two soldiers were not bloody.

After the restart of the ITTF tournament, the Chinese team won the two championships with absolute advantage.

At the final scene, Fan Zhendong locked the championship moment.

  In the final that night, Malone took one game first.

Fan Zhendong then strengthened the quality of the first three boards. Malone failed to adapt for a while and was pulled three games in a row. Fan Zhendong thus held three match points.

  However, Malone, who is experienced in the competition, was not overwhelmed by the "little fat" momentum.

After recovering a round, he took a 10:1 lead in the sixth round of the last fight.

But then Fan Zhendong scored 6 points and Malone was forced to request a timeout.

After calming down, Malone, who led the small score, still had a surprise to tie the total score to 3:3, and the two sides returned to the same starting line.

Screenshots of the two people's 7th inning live broadcast.

  In the deciding game, from 1:1, 2:2 to 3:3, the degree of stalemate in the game was pushed to a fever pitch with the two fighting methods.

After a fight, Fan Zhendong had the last laugh and beat Malone 4:3.

  The Men's Table Tennis World Cup has thus produced the first three consecutive championships.

At the same time, the 23-year-old "chubby" Fan Zhendong claimed the king four times in the competition, tying the record of predecessor Ma Lin.

  From the perspective of the audience, the table tennis finals from the Chinese Civil War seem to have long been used to it.

After all, Guoping’s accumulated dominance over decades is really reassuring.

But every time, in the process of the players reaching the top, do they really go so logically every step?

The moment of the semifinal victory between Malone and Zhang Benzhihe.

  Zhang Benzhihe, the biggest threat to the national table tennis men's team in recent years, almost overturned the national table tennis "captain dragon" in the semifinals.

Last year's World Cup was also a semi-final, the Dragons lost to Zhang Ben 2:4.

  This is a particularly thrilling revenge.

From 1:0 to 1:3 to 4:3, there were seven games of shock. In the end, Malone stepped on the slightly immature shoulders of 17-year-old Zhang Ben and held the final seat.

  The reversal in desperation often makes the audience enjoyable.

However, the pressure the players endured during the game was unable to penetrate the camera and reach the fans' eyes.

Screenshot of ITTF official micro-video

  A week ago, more than 170 participants from 28 countries and regions from five continents gathered in Weihai to welcome the return of the international table tennis competition.

The 2020 ITTF World Cup is the vanguard of this "restart".

The Olympic Center was built with high standards in the Weihai Nanhai New District where the event is held.

Photo by Wang Xiaogen

  ITTF CEO Steve Denton faced the media with tears and tears. He said in fluent Chinese: "Thank you very much China! Thank you Weihai, Shandong!" At that time, he was concerned about the upcoming international competition. The Table Tennis Federation Women’s and Men’s World Cups are full of expectations.

  In an open letter, Denton said straightforwardly: "Exciting, relieved, and move forward bravely." On this day, with the end of another Chinese derby, the "restart" of the international table tennis tournament had a good start. .

ITTF CEO Steve Denton.

Image source: ITTF official website

  Of course, compared to the return of an event, the fans really care about the national table tennis itself.

After a full eight months away from the international arena, no matter the state of the players or the growth of the opponents, there are still unknowns.

  Before the game started, Malone had vaguely revealed a trace of concern.

"Everyone was very friendly after meeting, and greeted as usual (enthusiastic)." But at the same time, he also said that if he hasn't participated in the international competition for so long, there may be some changes in mentality or other aspects.

On October 20th, Malone’s birthday, he posted a photo of himself with all the team members through social media.

Image source: Ma Long's personal Weibo

  Ma Long's illocutionary meaning is obvious enough. While the national table tennis is working hard to improve the state, no one knows how the opponents from other countries have improved.

And unlike other competitions, Guoping only sent his double insurance with Fan Zhendong.

  As the World Cup competition adopts the invitation system, each association can send up to two athletes to participate.

If you add the home game and the praise and expectation of China from Mr. CEO-this tournament, Guoping has more reasons to win.

The other side of "double insurance" is the heavier responsibility on the shoulders of the two people than in the past.

Men's Table Tennis World Cup top 16 signings, the national table tennis only Malone, Fan Zhendong two played.

  In the semi-finals, Malone and Zhang Benzhi met on a narrow road.

In the desperate situation of falling behind 1:3, the veteran Malone decisively requested a timeout in the fifth game. After discussing with the coach, he changed his serve mentality and pulled three games in a row to reverse his opponent and enter the final.

After a thrilling victory, Malone didn't express much emotion, but was full of praise for Zhang Ben's growth rate after the game.

  "Zhang Benzhihe has been improving in the past few years, and his technical and tactical skills and competition ability have been becoming more mature. In the game, his aura and desire to win can put a lot of pressure on every opponent." Ma Long It is also the test that National Table Tennis is undergoing in the men's singles event.

The "enemies" represented by Zhang Benzhihe will never stand still.

What Guoping can do is stand at the top of the ping-pong pyramid and continue to explore the sky.

Data map: Japanese player Zhang Benzhihe in the game.

Photo by An Yuan

  In the Women's Table Tennis World Cup that ended a few days ago, the situation was similar. Chen Meng and Sun Yingsha became the two players representing the national table tennis team.

Of course, if you reverse the results, it is difficult to find the opponent who really created difficulties for the two.

Even the famous Japanese player Mima Ito, who is regarded as the “number one rival” of the national table tennis women’s team, only won two games in front of Sun Yingsha, who was of the same age, and was quickly defeated.

  But Chen Meng, who won the championship, left a word indifferently during the quarterfinals, but it was a bit meaningful.

  "Although the score is 4:0, each round is not easy."

A screenshot of Chen Meng's personal social media activity after winning the championship

  Year after year, we have seen too many 4:0, sweeps, big wins, and no suspense in Guoping.

But in international competitions, those who can stand opposite the national table tennis must also be the best in the table tennis world.

The more Guoping wins, the more the logic behind it will be forgotten.

Are the opponents of National Ping Pong really that "unbearable"?

  Fan Zhendong, who won another championship, once said in an interview at the National Championships a month ago: "When I feel very difficult, when I feel that I can't hold it, I get it through every game. The most valuable thing."

  In the competitive arena, there is no such thing as easy and easy, it's just that the national table tennis has held it in the face of repeated challenges.

Image source: ITTF official micro

  The table tennis world restarts, and the once-familiar challenge returns.

National Ping Pong had a good start, but they obviously would not be complacent because of the two individual World Cup champions.

Behind the ever-increasing victories, motivation and pressure go hand in hand.

And Denton is right, to keep "going forward."

  Just like this time, the two-game winning streak is just the beginning. Guoping must pack up and look forward to a longer-term victory.

It may be a five-game winning streak or a ten-game winning streak.

  When they win, please don't be stingy with praise, and don't become "numb" because they won too much.

Because not all victories are taken for granted.

Even the winner is Guoping.

(Reporter Wang Sishuo)