On the evening of May 3, Beijing time, the group stage of the London World Table Tennis Championships team event concluded with two surprising defeats for the Chinese men’s team. They first lost 1-3 to South Korea, then fell 2-3 to Sweden, ending the group phase with a 1-2 record. This marks the first time in 26 years that China has lost consecutive matches in the World Team Table Tennis Championships, putting their title defense in jeopardy.
Against Sweden, Wang Chuqin scored two points but could not prevent the loss. (Photo courtesy of ITTF)
After the Paris Olympics, the Chinese men’s team entered a transition period, and with the rapid improvement of foreign teams, the challenges are growing. Head coach Wang Hao acknowledged before the tournament that the men’s competition has always been fierce, with overseas players making significant progress in recent years. “As the Chinese team, no title is guaranteed. We have to fight for every victory,” Wang said, expressing confidence that every player would give their all when the nation needs them.
In the group stage, Wang Chuqin served as the core, winning all three matches. Lin Shidong, competing in his first World Team Championships, posted a 2-3 record, admitting the intensity far exceeded his previous team events. Veteran Liang Jingkun went 1-2, Zhou Qihao lost his only appearance, and youngster Xiang Peng did not get a chance to play.
Sweden’s Truls Möregårdh said after the match that the difficulty exceeded China’s expectations. “There are many good teams in the world now, and we will do our best to challenge China,” he stated, calling the victory a historic moment for Sweden. Möregårdh noted that Sweden had not beaten China in the World Championships for 26 years, emphasizing how tough it is to overcome the Chinese team. He added that the knockout stage is where the real battle begins, and China should not worry too much, as there is still a long week ahead.
In the knockout stage draw, the Chinese men’s team lost their seeded spot and were placed in the 24th position. Their first opponent will be Australia, followed by the winner between Romania and Poland. If all goes as expected, China could face South Korea again in the quarterfinals.
The current squad includes Wang Chuqin, Lin Shidong, Liang Jingkun, Zhou Qihao, and Xiang Peng. Coach Wang Hao emphasized that this lineup is the most reasonable choice for the current transition phase. Former national team player Zhou Yu noted that Wang Chuqin has been the most stable, while Lin and Liang have shown inconsistency and played conservatively. However, he believes that with timely adjustments, the team can get their players’ mentality back to optimal condition.
Lin Shidong, making his World Team Championships debut, needs to adjust his form quickly. (Photo courtesy of ITTF)
The Chinese men’s team will have no room for error in the knockout rounds. Every match from now on demands perfection, as the margin for survival has narrowed dramatically after this rocky start in London.
