China News Service, Busan, South Korea, February 26 (Liu Xu Jinlin) On the evening of the 25th, the 2024 ITTF Busan World Table Tennis Team Championship came to an end.
The national table tennis men's team defeated the French team 3:0 in the final, achieving its 11th consecutive championship.
After the game, men's table tennis head coach Wang Hao concluded that the Chinese team treats every game as a 3:2 score and is mentally prepared for a five-set showdown.
Wang Hao said that since entering the knockout round, everyone on the team has faced the finals mentality and is well prepared to reach the fifth set.
"(So) when it really got to the fifth set, all our players were released and gained confidence."
Wang Hao said that after the "baptism of life and death" in the semifinals on the 24th, everyone performed better in the finals than in the semifinals.
"I believe that our players should not rely on (companions), but trust their peers and their teammates. It is with this firm belief that we achieved the final victory."
The picture shows Chinese men's table tennis head coach Wang Hao at the post-match press conference on the evening of February 25.
Photo by China News Service reporter Liu Xu
Wang Hao also summarized the performance of each player in the semi-finals and finals.
He said that Wang Chuqin's performance in the fifth set of the semi-finals on the 24th was "good" and that the final on the 25th was "a good start".
Wang Hao said that the best performer in the semifinals should be Fan Zhendong.
As the absolute main force in the current team, he withstood the pressure of the Chinese team falling behind 1:2 and won the crucial fourth set 3:0, turning the team's morale around.
In the second set of the final, Fan Zhendong encountered great challenges and difficulties, "But Fan Zhendong is this kind of leader now. The more difficult the time, the more he should stand up (take on the heavy responsibility), I I think Fan Zhendong has done it this time."
Wang Hao said that Malone, who played third in the final that day, was still the team's "anchor" in all aspects.
"Although we lost one game in the semifinals, the team still believes in him, the coach still believes in him, and the players still believe in him."
Wang Hao also said that although Liang Jingkun and Lin Gaoyuan did not play in the semi-finals and finals, they also accompanied their teammates in training and gave advice, making the whole team "unified" and played an important role in the men's team's final championship.
Finally, Wang Hao said, "I hope this championship can lay a good foundation for preparations for the Paris Olympics and add a lot of weight and confidence to us." (End)