Why China has become a Table Tennis Superpower

The country has shown dominance in the sport since the 1996 Olympics

It’s common knowledge that China, an Olympic heavyweight, dominates in table tennis. Not much more can be said about China’s dominance in the sport of Table Tennis, or Ping Pong, as it is also known. Since the Olympic Games in 1996, China has dominated the world of table tennis. Since Table Tennis was first included in the Olympics in 1988, Chinese athletes have won 32 of the 37 total gold medals that will be awarded through the 2020 Tokyo Games.

The Chinese national team has always succeeded in both the men’s and women’s Olympic team competitions. Never before have they won anything but gold. In addition, since 1995, the Chinese men’s national table tennis team has not dropped a single World Championships series. Also, the women’s team has yet to lose a game since 1994.

As a result of these and other accomplishments, 11 of the 12 greatest players in the history of Table Tennis are Chinese. This new record is terrifying to the rest of the world. Every year, opposing teams and nations devise new strategies to beat the Chinese, but the Chinese players always end up on top. Find out exactly what makes them stand out, whether it’s their approach, methodology, or set of tactics, all of which are dissected in this article.

Solid System

The Chinese system is robust and was built slowly. This sturdy foundation for players is the result of many years of effort and dedication. There are many large sports academies in China, and the best Table Tennis college in the world is located there. Chinese infrastructure is vast and supported by trained instructors.

According to the federation, roughly 80 million Chinese citizens participate in the sport. Beginning at a young age, children’s physical coordination and aptitude for specific games are used to identify future stars. They are then introduced to a very different style of ball that places greater emphasis on fundamentals and technique at a young age.

Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, a top table tennis player from India, explained China’s unprecedented success to the First Post. According to Gnanasekaran, these players require a new method of training. He notes that Chinese paddlers at the junior level are only sometimes motivated by a desire to win tournaments. They are given additional instruction on honing fundamental skills and methods. It’s more than just the physical infrastructure, he says.

Their method of mentoring is very effective. The emphasis on technique and the fundamentals is present at all skill levels. They’ve been preaching to the choir since they were little about how strictly everyone must adhere to their system. The coaches of China adhere to this blueprint. After that, they take it to the next level.

I have beaten many Chinese junior players. When they’re that young, many of them can be defeated. There needs to be more specific tactic knowledge. As a kid, I was always given tips on how to come out on top. Indians, even at a young age, have an ingrained drive to triumph in every competition. Of course, that’s different from how the Chinese teach their players. They go the extra mile. It is unlikely that a child will continue playing a sport in India if he is not successful at it. That, however, is not the case in China,” he says.

They are wary of having their youth participate in international competition too soon. These players become monsters when they reach 16, when they’ve had enough time to learn the game’s intricacies and tactics. They’re hard to beat, at best. Sathiyan claims the entire world is terrified of them.

A Chinese youth player develops and refines their abilities over the course of their playing career. Beginning with a return to fundamentals at the intermediate level and progressing to advanced-level tactics, game reading, footwork, etc.

Numerous minor flaws are addressed, scrutinized, and improved upon. A player can gain the most points by mastering the subtleties of serving and receiving. Chinese forces typically attack with a full-on rush. When Gnanasekaran says, “Striking the ball even a split-second earlier gives the opponent less time,” he means that the opponent has less time if the ball is struck earlier.

World Class Training

The Chinese approach table tennis with the same level of devotion usually reserved for the religion. They have created a rigorous training regimen for all of the players. The training is rigorous, with separate manuals created for elite players.

Gamers compete with one another to improve their skills to the highest level. To get them ready for the global stage, we subject them to a variety of challenging situations and levels of pressure. Only six Chinese table tennis players, three men and three women, qualified for the Olympics, despite millions of Chinese people enjoying the sport. This system and its accompanying training methodology have been developed over time by serious thinkers.

Players are bred with extreme scrutiny and trained with a military-like discipline. It’s all about developing muscle memory, so players put in a lot of time at the gym to make sure they’re proficient at every move. Players are conditioned to dedicate eight hours a day to practice. They start their training early on so that they’ll be accustomed to the intensity when they’re adults.

The Chinese table tennis team has been using the military drill for years. Before each Olympics, the Chinese table tennis team puts in a full week of practice to get ready. That’s what happened in both Rio and Tokyo. State news agency Xinhua reports that they began their preparations for the Rio Olympic Games with a week of training at a People’s Liberation Army boot camp in Liaoning province, located in north China.

The Chinese table tennis team views every match as a war that must be won. So it forms its table tennis team “like an army,” Xinhua explained.

Head coach and Olympic and World Table Tennis Champion Lio Guoliang told Xinhua that the team’s military training has helped strengthen their bond and made them more disciplined.

Since effective trainers are used alongside tried and true drills, the training is also highly effective. Additionally, elite players receive specialized coaching based on the particular playing style they’ve developed. Their extensive training has prepared them to counter any threat or counter any tactic.

All of the top players put in their most dedicated training period right before the Olympics begin. In the months leading up to the Games, the Qualified athletes set aside all distractions, including the media, and devote themselves entirely to training.

The head coach of the Indian table tennis team, Soumyadeep Roy, recently told ‘The Bridge’ that China has conducted extensive research in the sport. Their method is highly organized. Everything about China’s table tennis infrastructure is cutting edge. They put in a lot of time and effort over a long period of time, and now they’re seeing the fruits of their labor. At the moment, China can be thought of as a factory that cranks out world-class paddlers.

It’s a do-or-die situation. And players can train themselves to the point where they become completely invincible. China has an unrivaled plan for the future of its players. The Chinese government and national sports federations invest heavily in both amateur and professional sports in the country.

China exemplifies hard work and shows what can be accomplished if conditions are favorable. They proved that with dedication, scientific precision, a deep knowledge of a sport, and a little talent, any country can rise to the top of the sporting world. For example, China’s dominance in table tennis has led to a surge in table tennis betting around the world.