Hangzhou Asian Games table tennis tournament closed! Deng Yaping： China table tennis has never lacked opponents.
China News Network | Author Tian Boqun Qian Chenfei
On October 1st, the table tennis men’s doubles final of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou was held in Gongshu Canal Sports Park Gymnasium. China team Fan Zhendong/Wang Chuqin defeated Korean team Zhang Yuzhen/Lin Zhongxun 4-0 and won the gold medal in this event. China News Service reporter Tian Bochuan photo
On the evening of the 2nd, the table tennis event at the Hangzhou Asian Games ended, and the China table tennis team won six gold medals except women’s doubles. For this competition, Deng Yaping, a former China women’s table tennis team player, a Grand Slam table tennis winner and an ITTF Hall of Fame candidate, said in an exclusive interview with Zhongxin.com that table tennis has shown strong strength and confidence in its overall performance, but it should also be noted that China table tennis has never lacked opponents.
From the Beijing Asian Games in 1990 to the Hangzhou Asian Games today, Deng Yaping witnessed the development of table tennis in China.
"In 33 years, I can still remember the Beijing Asian Games vividly. At that time, I was still a small player. Although I had won the women’s doubles championship at the 1989 World Table Tennis Championships and became the youngest world champion in the history of table tennis, the media was not as developed as it is now, and the broadcast was limited. The Chinese really knew that I was the Beijing Asian Games, which was the first time that China held an international comprehensive event." Deng Yaping said.
She recalled, "At that time, the enthusiasm and expectation of the people were unprecedented. I very much hoped that we would achieve good results in the Asian Games at our doorstep and win seven gold medals, but soon the men’s team lost and the women’s team was under great pressure. In the women’s team final, we had a fierce competition with the Korean team, and one of the games reached 28: 28, and finally we won. When I returned to the Asian Games Village after the game, the dormitory door was covered with celebration notes written by other teams, and the feeling of that big family was very warm. "
It was that competition that Deng Yaping became famous, and the legend of the little table tennis world appeared. In Deng Yaping’s view, his career coincides with the development track of sports in China.
"China table tennis has many excellent reserve forces. From a traditional perspective, I am not a good prospect because I am small. It is precisely because of all kinds of doubts that I constantly examine myself and forge my’ tough, fast and strange’ style of play and strong willpower that I can succeed. " Deng Yaping said.
From Beijing to Hangzhou, Deng Yaping sat on the table of table tennis at the Hangzhou Asian Games. "For more than 30 years, China’s social development has undergone tremendous changes, and China’s sports industry has also developed rapidly. However, the spirit of China athletes who never give up has never changed. Whether it is the Beijing Asian Games, the Guangzhou Asian Games, or the Hangzhou Asian Games, China has displayed a good spiritual outlook to let more foreigners know China better. "
Talking about the Asian Games, Deng Yaping said that she appreciated the personality of young athletes in China, which also reflected the confidence of the Chinese nation. "Young people should be like this. Athletes should be sharp-edged, dare to win and dare to show themselves. Winning means winning completely."
For China, there are always outstanding table tennis players. Deng Yaping thinks that this benefits from paying attention to the individualized training of athletes. "We will elaborate the style and style of every member of the national team, and emphasize personalized cultivation and excavation while passing on from generation to generation. For example, Malone and Fan Zhendong play very differently. Malone has a good pace and forehand, while Fan Zhendong is good at backhand. Not only is it a’ veteran’ who has fought many battles, but China table tennis players are like clouds. If the national team members are not sure, they will lose to a little-known teenager, and the strength of the teenager should not be underestimated. "
Frequent masters are also inseparable from the popular base. Deng Yaping said that the popularity of table tennis in China is very good, basically every province has a professional team, and the public base is very good. It can be said that China people’s understanding of table tennis is very profound. Table tennis can’t simply explain why China is strong. The key lies in why China people will continue to inherit and innovate from generation to generation, and carry it forward while precipitating.
Wang Chuqin of China defeated Huang Zhen Ting of Hongkong, China 4-2 in the men’s singles semifinal of table tennis in Hangzhou Asian Games. Photo by Tian Bochuan
Based on the performance of players from various countries and regions in this Asian Games, Deng Yaping bluntly said that the main rivals of China table tennis team are concentrated in Asia, and their overall strength is very strong, so the medal competition of table tennis in the Asian Games is not less difficult than that of the Olympic Games. Looking around the world, China table tennis is never short of opponents.
As it said, China table tennis team has been facing challenges from Waldner earlier, to Ito Meicheng in Tokyo Olympic Games, and then to the women’s doubles event in Hangzhou Asian Games.
"Athletes have a strong heart. We can win and lose at the same time. If we lose, we will try to get it back tomorrow. If we win, it doesn’t mean that we can continue to win tomorrow. It is very important for us to maintain a very stable mentality, sum up the relationship between losing and winning seriously, and better grasp ourselves and face the relationship between losing and winning. As athletes, we have to accept our own shortcomings and know how strong we are. " Deng Yaping said.
At the same time, in her view, table tennis is not only a competitive event, but also a bridge for cultural integration. "It is very important for China to continue to inherit and carry forward table tennis, and we have the responsibility and obligation in this respect. I believe that from the perspective of the future, table tennis will always be one of the cultural symbols that communicate with China and foreign countries and play a greater role. " Deng Yaping said.
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