Fan Zhendong’s Declaration
I’m the boss. Even if I don’t train with the national team, I’m still the boss! 4-2 against Wang Chuqin—are you convinced?
Little Wang! Table tennis isn’t just about fighting and killing. My understanding of the game will always be one year more seasoned than yours. Calling me “Brother Dong” isn’t too much to ask!
Sorry… 4-2. Fan Zhendong, training in Shanghai and competing in the Bundesliga, defeated Wang Chuqin, who trains with the national team in Beijing and competes in WTT events!
This wasn’t a pure technical victory—it was a complete domination of table tennis IQ!
Wisdom Over Power
Fan Zhendong didn’t have the upper hand in hard rallies today. He didn’t play at his most explosive level from his peak years. But he had better understanding and judgment!
Wang Chuqin was thrown off by Fan Zhendong’s variations throughout the match, never able to comfortably plant his feet and play.
Why?
Fan Zhendong: I’m not competing with you on pure quality today. I’m not playing that game anymore!
The Art of Receiving
Fan Zhendong kept varying his receive throughout:
- Using push and drop shots, then switching to flip attacks
- Giving you some backspin, long and short
- Then immediately using flips, left and right
Can you adapt, Wang Chuqin? No!
When you can’t adapt, you need to think. Before you’ve figured out the pattern of the previous ball, Fan Zhendong has already given you a second variation—using spin to create arc and add some depth variation.
When Wang Chuqin’s mental processing couldn’t maintain clear judgment on the court, Fan Zhendong won the key to this match!
A Champion’s Heart
Let’s compete on willpower, compete with a champion’s heart!
Every point in the match, Fan Zhendong played as if it were match point, focusing on every detail:
- Try to extend rallies
- Quality doesn’t have to be high, but consistency must be guaranteed
- After extended rallies, Fan Zhendong’s big heart—able to withstand and continue—came into play
Make the opponent anxious, keep pressuring Wang Chuqin to make unforced errors. In a tight match, constantly pressure the opponent to make mistakes.
Did Fan Zhendong have unforced errors in the match? Yes, but he quickly calmed himself down, reducing unforced errors, forcing himself to stay calm and play the mental game, steadily placing his forehand and backhand shots while waiting for Wang Chuqin’s mistakes!
The Trap of Wisdom
Wang Chuqin wants to be steady? Wants to attack? Then Fan Zhendong immediately uses deceptive weight shifts and placement to control his opponent.
So everyone saw Wang Chuqin trapped by Fan Zhendong’s wisdom:
Wang Chuqin had high-quality single shots but couldn’t execute them. Fan Zhendong didn’t go all-out but kept entangling Wang Chuqin.
This is wisdom. This is understanding table tennis.
Conclusion
The match is over. Fan Zhendong marches proudly into the National Games final!
Happy for Fan Zhendong and happy for the Shanghai team. Fan Zhendong is extraordinarily talented, and I hope everyone stops thinking the Shanghai team’s resources are worthless. The Shanghai team coaches can work with Fan Zhendong to develop tactics and help him precisely target opponents!
Table tennis is wonderfully cerebral, and today’s match proves that Fan Zhendong’s understanding of table tennis is on a completely dominant level!