China’s table tennis stars usually demolish their rivals but they may be fighting a losing battle after mounting a rare challenge against more formidable opposition — their own sports system. In a rare show of dissent, Ma Long, Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin — the world’s top three men’s players — downed paddles at last … Read more
The powerful China men’s table tennis team on Thursday pulled out of next week’s Australian Open, deepening a crisis sparked by the removal of their head coach. The team’s withdrawal from next week’s event on the Gold Coast was announced by the governing International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) in a statement issued Thursday. It comes … Read more
The International Table Tennis Federation threatened on Sunday to slap sanctions on China’s national team after three top players quit a tournament in apparent protest at their head coach’s removal. The ITTF received a public apology from the Chinese team but it said it was taking the matter “extremely seriously” as it “damaged the image … Read more
Chinese sports authorities have ordered a probe into the decision by two coaches and three top table tennis stars to quit an international tournament in apparent protest at their head coach’s removal. Ma Long, Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin, who are the top three players in the world, did not show up for their second … Read more
China’s top-ranking men’s ping pong team was in disarray Friday after three of its star players quit an international tournament in an apparent protest over the removal of the head coach. Ma Long, Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin, who are the top three players in the world, did not show up for their second round … Read more
China has replaced the head coach of its women’s table tennis team at the world championships in Germany following a gambling debt scandal that sparked a social media frenzy back home. Kong Linghui, nicknamed “ping-pong prince”, has been suspended after accusations he borrowed 1 million Singapore dollars (US$720,000) from a luxury hotel in the city-state … Read more
A 13-year-old Japanese table tennis prodigy has set his sights on the Tokyo Olympics after he narrowly failed to become the youngest champion in World Tour history in New Delhi. The 14th seed Tomokazu Harimoto lost to top seed Dimitrij Ovtcharov of Germany 11-6, 11-8, 11-4, 14-12 in the India Open final on Sunday but … Read more