Chinese players claim team golds

Chinese paddler Ma Long competes in the men's team final at the Hangzhou Asian Games on September 26, 2023. Photo: Cui Meng/Global Times

Table tennis was among the major highlights of the third matchday of the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games, with the uplifted home audience witnessing both China's men's and women's team win their events.

The highly anticipated finals of the women's and men's team gold medal ties delivered two thrilling clashes at the world-class level. In the end, the Chinese men's team bagged their eighth consecutive Asian Games gold medal, while the Chinese women's team snatched their fifth. 

In the women's gold medal team match, the Chinese team emerged victorious with a resounding 3-0 win over Japan, securing the first table tennis gold medal of the tournament. The Chinese lineup consisted of Sun Yingsha, Chen Meng and Wang Manyu, who faced off against Japan's Hayata Hina, Hirano Miu and Harimoto Miwa. 

Meanwhile, the final was far from an easy victory for the Chinese women's team, as the Japanese squad launched a fierce offensive, engaging in intense battles with their Chinese counterparts. In each of the three sets, the scores of both players remained close, with numerous crucial points determining the outcome. Nonetheless, the Chinese team demonstrated their preparedness for challenges, withstanding the pressure and making necessary adjustments to ultimately claim victory.

Reflecting on the Chinese women's team's journey to the final, they breezed through the preliminary rounds with three consecutive 3-0 victories against Macao SAR, Vietnam and Thailand. However, the final presented a considerable challenge for them. 

"I'm very happy with how things went. This turned out to be an especially tough tie for us," said Chen Meng. 

"Today's tie was probably the toughest of all the recent ones we've had with Team Japan. That is a credit to the Japanese women's team," said China women's team coach Ma Lin after the match.

"It bodes well for the future rivalry between the Chinese and Japanese women's teams. I think our matches will continue to be very keenly contested in the future," he said.

Chinese women's team players celebrate winning gold in the women's team event at the Hangzhou Asian Games on September 26, 2023.Photo: Cui Meng/Global Times

Not a few hours later, an even more excited home crowd saw ­China's men's team take the crown at the very same spot, with a lineup of three world champions - Wang Chuqin, Fan Zhendong and Ma Long.

Compared with the women's victory, the men's team earned a quick win on Tuesday night, with the match lasting less than two hours. Apart from the first match, in which Wang Chuqin faced certain challenges from South Korea's Lin Jong-hoon, the Chinese athletes maintained an advantage in almost all other moments of the match.

The packed house was on fire throughout the whole match. The Chinese athletes were cheered on by the crowd almost continuously. After the intense rounds, the arena resounded with long-lasting cheers and applause.

Ma Long, who is widely seen as the table tennis GOAT, received the loudest cheers. The 34-year-old veteran just bagged his sixth gold medal in the Asian Games. After the match, he noted that this marked the last time he competes in the Asian Games. 

As Team South Korea took second place, Team Chinese Taipei and Team Iran both bagged a bronze medal, receiving cheers from the enthusiastic  Chinese audience. 

As table tennis is a traditional strength of China, the Chinese teams will continue their pursuit of gold medals in the upcoming doubles, mixed doubles, and singles events, aiming to sweep all seven gold medals on offer.