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About Chinese National Team
China national table tennis team is founded in 1952. China Team is considered the best team in the world. With 4 Male Grand Slams (Liu Guoliang, Kong Linghui, Zhang Jike, and Ma Long), and 5 Female Grand Slams (Deng Yaping, Wang Nan, Zhang Yining, Li Xiaoxia, and Ding Ning), Chinese are too strong compared to other countries.
The Chinese national table tennis team was established in 1952 and serves as the country’s official representative in international competitions.
The Chinese name of CNT: 中国国家乒乓球队
The dream team in table tennis
Chinese National Team is one of the strongest teams in table tennis. China is the strongest nation in table tennis.
In table tennis, the Chinese National Table Tennis Team is regarded as the “dream team” and the most successful in table tennis history. There have been two firsts for the PRC table tennis team: first, a male world champion in the form of Rong Guotuan, and then a female world champion in the form of Qiu Zhonghui at the 26th World Table Tennis Championship.
Ping Pong Diplomacy, China’s most famous Sino-US diplomatic event, is also a significant participant in the Chinese National Table Tennis Team’s activities.
Recently, at Houston WTTC 2021, China and USA have again celebrated the 50th year of ping pong diplomacy.
Team history
From start to glory (1953-1965)
The early Chinese men’s team, with Fu Qifang, Jiang Yongning, and other overseas Chinese who returned to the mainland from Hong Kong as the core, made their debut in the international arena in 1953, participated in the 20th World Table Tennis Championships, and won the tenth place in the men’s team.
Eurasian confrontation (1971-1981)
After 1966, the ” Cultural Revolution ” broke out in China. Affected by this turmoil, the Chinese men’s table tennis team missed two World Table Tennis Championships and did not return to the World Table Tennis Championships until 1971. At this time, the world of the table tennis world has changed a lot compared with six years ago. European teams’ curve ball technology is becoming more and more mature, which has brought a huge impact on China’s traditional straight fast-attack style. Teams such as Sweden and Hungary have gradually become powerful challengers to the Chinese men’s team.
Sino-Sweden confrontation (1983-2000)
With the complete decline of the Japanese team in the 1980s, the Chinese men’s team became the representative of the Asian team. The Swedish men’s team also replaced the aging Hungarian team, and the Chinese men’s team kicked off a 20-year competition for hegemony. After Xu Shaofa took charge of the Chinese men’s team coach, the Chinese team’s candy bar fast-attack technology has reached its peak. Guo Yuehua and Jiang Jialiang, two generations of famous players known for their candy bar fast break skills, have won the men’s singles championship for four consecutive years. The Chinese men’s team also defeated the Swedish team in the men’s team finals of the 37th, 38th, and 39th World Table Tennis Championships in a row.
Table Tennis domination (2000-Now)
The “huge ball era” began in 2000. A downturn in Sweden and a strong reserve force have allowed the Chinese men’s team to officially dominate the world table tennis arena. From 2000 to 2010, the Chinese men’s team only lost the 47th World Table Tennis Championships men’s singles champion in 2003 and the Athens Olympic Games men’s singles champion in 2004 but never lost the team competition.
Ma Lin, Wang Hao, and Wang Liqin became the core of the Chinese men’s squad in the first decade of the twenty-first century. For 70 months, Ma Lin and Wang Liqin alternated as world number one in men’s singles. Fans dubbed this era “The Ma and Wang’s Era.”
The trio: Ma Lin, Wang Hao, Wang Liqin is too strong for the world.
Zhang Jike era (2010-2013)
Ma Lin, Wang Hao, and Wang Liqin won the men’s team championship in 2008, and then swept the top three in the singles tournament, setting an Olympic record. Wang Liqin’s state has deteriorated since then. After 2010, newcomers like Ma Long, Zhang Jike, and Xu Xin began to emerge. Between 2011 and 2012, Zhang Jike won three men’s singles titles in 16 months, a record.
Ma Long era (2015-Now)
Ma Long is the best player in the world from 2015 to today. He is the double grand slam player.
Fan Zhendong era (2021-Now)
Fan Zhendong recently, won all of the major titles in table tennis. He will be the next leader of the Chinese National Team when Ma Long retires.
Team’s achievement
Since the Olympics medals are the hardest medal to earn in table tennis. Let’s count the Olympics medal earned by the Chinese National Team.
| years | athlete | Competition | Olympics medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Chen Longcan , Wei Qingguang | men's doubles | gold medal |
| 1988 | Chen Jing | Women's Singles | gold medal |
| 1988 | Chen Jing , Jiao Zhimin | women's doubles | silver medal |
| 1988 | Li Huifen | Women's Singles | silver medal |
| 1988 | Jiao Zhimin | Women's Singles | bronze medal |
| 1992 | Deng Yaping , Qiao Hong | women's doubles | gold medal |
| 1992 | Tao Wang , Lin Lu | men's doubles | gold medal |
| 1992 | Deng Yaping | Women's Singles | gold medal |
| 1992 | Chen Zihe , Gao Jun | women's doubles | silver medal |
| 1992 | Qiao Hong | Women's Singles | silver medal |
| 1992 | Ma Wenge | men's singles | bronze medal |
| 1996 | Deng Yaping , Qiao Hong | women's doubles | gold medal |
| 1996 | Kong Linghui , Liu Guoliang | men's doubles | gold medal |
| 1996 | Deng Yaping | Women's Singles | gold medal |
| 1996 | Liu Guoliang | men's singles | gold medal |
| 1996 | Liu Wei , Qiao Yunping | women's doubles | silver medal |
| 1996 | Lu Lin , Wang Tao | men's doubles | silver medal |
| 1996 | Qiao Hong | Women's Singles | bronze medal |
| 1996 | Wang Tao | men's singles | silver medal |
| 2000 | Li Ju , Wang Nan | women's doubles | gold medal |
| 2000 | Wang Liqin , Yan Sen | men's doubles | gold medal |
| 2000 | Wang Nan | Women's Singles | gold medal |
| 2000 | Kong Linghui | men's singles | gold medal |
| 2000 | Sun Jin , Yang Ying | women's doubles | silver medal |
| 2000 | Kong Linghui , Liu Guoliang | men's doubles | silver medal |
| 2000 | Li Ju | Women's Singles | silver medal |
| 2000 | Liu Guoliang | men's singles | bronze medal |
| 2004 | Wang Nan , Zhang Yining | women's doubles | gold medal |
| 2004 | Chen Xin , Ma Lin | men's doubles | gold medal |
| 2004 | Zhang Yining | Women's Singles | gold medal |
| 2004 | Wang Hao | men's singles | silver medal |
| 2004 | Niu Jianfeng , Guo Yue | women's doubles | bronze medal |
| 2004 | Wang Liqin | men's singles | bronze medal |
| 2004 | Guo Yue , Wang Nan , Zhang Yining | women's team | gold medal |
| 2004 | Ma Lin , Wang Hao , Wang Liqin | men's team | gold medal |
| 2004 | Zhang Yining | Women's Singles | gold medal |
| 2004 | Marlene | men's singles | gold medal |
| 2004 | Wang Nan | Women's Singles | silver medal |
| 2004 | Wang Hao | men's singles | silver medal |
| 2004 | Wang Liqin | men's singles | bronze medal |
| 2004 | Guo Yue | Women's Singles | bronze medal |
| 2012 | Li Xiaoxia | Women's Singles | gold medal |
| 2012 | Zhang Jike | men's singles | gold medal |
| 2012 | Ding Ning , Li Xiaoxia , Guo Yue | women's team | gold medal |
| 2012 | Ma Long , Wang Hao , Zhang Jike | men's team | gold medal |
| 2012 | Wang Hao | men's singles | silver medal |
| 2012 | polite | Women's Singles | silver medal |
| 2016 | polite | Women's Singles | gold medal |
| 2016 | Malone | men's singles | gold medal |
| 2016 | Ding Ning , Li Xiaoxia , Liu Shiwen | women's team | gold medal |
| 2016 | Ma Long , Zhang Jike , Xu Xin | men's team | gold medal |
| 2016 | Zhang Jike | men's singles | silver medal |
| 2016 | Li Xiaoxia | Women's Singles | silver medal |
| 2020 | Chen Meng | Women's Singles | gold medal |
| 2020 | Malone | men's singles | gold medal |
| 2020 | Chen Meng , Wang Manyu , Sun Yingsha | women's team | gold medal |
| 2020 | Fan Zhendong , Ma Long , Xu Xin | men's team | gold medal |
| 2020 | Sun Yingsha | Women's Singles | silver medal |
| 2020 | Fan Zhendong | men's singles | silver medal |
| 2020 | Xu Xin , Liu Shiwen | mixed doubles | silver medal |
Chinese men’s team
Here is the list of the current member of the CNT (Men’s team – Chinese National Team).
| Name | Provincial team | Hand | Grip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ma Long (captain) | Beijing | Right | Shakehand |
| Fan Zhendong | PLA | Right | Shakehand |
| Xu Xin | Shanghai | Left | Penhold |
| Zhang Jike | Shandong | Right | Shakehand |
| Liang Jingkun | Hebei | Right | Shakehand |
| Shang Kun | Shanghai | Left | Shakehand |
| Lin Gaoyuan | Guangdong | Left | Shakehand |
| Hou Yingchao | Beijing | Right | Shakehand |
| Xu Haidong | Liaoning | Right | Penhold |
| Yu Heyi | Henan | Right | Shakehand |
| Yang Shuo | Liaoning | Right | Shakehand |
| Xu Yingbin | Heilongjiang | Right | Shakehand |
| Xing Hangwei | Jiangsu | Right | Shakehand |
| Zhu Cheng | Jiangsu | Left | Shakehand |
| Song Xu | PLA | Left | Shakehand |
| Fang Yinchi | Liaoning | Right | Shakehand |
| Zhou Kai | PLA | Right | Shakehand |
| Zhao Zhaoyan | PLA | Left | Shakehand |
| Wang Chuqin | Beijing | Left | Shakehand |
| Cao Wei | Beijing | Left | Shakehand |
| Yuan Licen | Liaoning | Left | Shakehand |
| Yu Zhengyang | Jiangsu | Right | Shakehand |
| Li Duo | Jiangsu | Right | Shakehand |
| Yu Ziyang | Heilongjiang | Left | Shakehand |
| Lü Xiang | Zhejiang | Left | Shakehand |
| Lai Jiaxin | Sichuan | Right | Shakehand |
| Ren Hao | Henan | Right | Shakehand |
| Liu Dingshuo | Shandong | Right | Shakehand |
| Zhou Qihao | Guangdong | Right | Shakehand |
| Xue Fei | Hubei | Right | Penhold |
| Fan Shengpeng | Hebei | Right | Penhold |
| Zheng Peifeng | Fujian | Right | Penhold |
| Wu Hao | Shandong | Left | Shakehand |
| Liu Jikang | Liaoning | Right | Shakehand |
| Zhu Linfeng | Sichuan | Left | Shakehand |
| Liu Yi | Hebei | Left | Shakehand |
| Cui Qinglei | Hebei | Right | Shakehand |
| Kong Lingxuan | Shandong | Left | Shakehand |
| Ma Te | Tianjin | Right | Shakehand |
| Chen Xin | Fujian | Right | Shakehand |
| Zhang Yudong | Jiangsu | Right | Shakehand |
| Zhao Zihao | Shanghai | Right | Penhold |
| Cheng Jingqi | Hebei | Left | Shakehand |
| Yan Sheng | Sichuan | Right | Penhold |
| Li Yijie | Guangdong | Right | Shakehand |
| Peng Feilong | Shanghai | Right | Shakehand |
| Wang Kai | Zhejiang | Right | Shakehand |
| Guo Wen | Shandong | Right | Shakehand |
| Xu Chenhao | PLA | Right | Shakehand |
| Wei Shihao | Shandong | Left | Shakehand |
| Hao Shuai | Tianjin | Left | Shakehand |
| Ji Jiale | Beijing | Right | Shakehand |
| Quan Kaiyuan | Liaoning | Right | Shakehand |
| Geng Zihao | Henan | Left | Penhold |
| Niu Guankai | Liaoning | Right | Shakehand |
| Sun Wen | Tianjin | Right | Shakehand |
1. Ma Long
Ma Long is the leader, the best player of all time.
Ma Long’s forehand technique is very special. His forehand is one of the most powerful strokes (with Wang Liqin’s forehand). Ma Long generates a lot of power by rotating his waist.
2. Fan Zhendong
Fan Zhendong is the next leader of the China Team. He is the main force of China in the next Paris Olympics 2024.
3. Xu Xin
Xu Xin is the best penholder in the world. He is the #3 of the Chinese National Team, just after Ma Long and Fan Zhendong.
4. Lin Gaoyuan
to be updated
5. Wang Chuqin
6. Liang Jingkun
7. Zhou Qihao
Zhou Qihao recently won the Chinese Trial for the Olympics. He defeated Fan Zhendong in the final game.
5. Zhang Jike (retired)
Zhang Jike was one of the best players in the world.
At his prime, no one can beat him. Currently, Zhang Jike is retired.
Chinese women’s team
In the 51st World Table Tennis Championships in 2011, the Chinese women’s team swept away the haze of a year ago and once again won all the individual championships. The newcomers who have experienced fiasco also performed well. Ding Ning won the World Table Tennis Championships and the World Cup Women’s Singles Championship in a row within a year. In the World Table Tennis Championships team competition at the beginning of 2012, the Chinese women’s team succeeded in revenge, defeating the Singapore team in the final.
Team history of the Chinese Women Team
Exploring period (1953-1965)
The Chinese women’s team participated in the World Table Tennis Championships for the first time in 1953 and won third place in the second-level team. After missing the 21st and 22nd World Table Tennis Championships, the Chinese women’s team won sixth place in the 23rd World Table Tennis Championships.
Dominate the table tennis world (1971-1989)
From the 33rd to the 40th World Table Tennis Championships, the Chinese women’s team has never let the women’s team champion fall by the wayside, achieving eight consecutive women’s team championships and setting a record for the most consecutive championships. From 1971 to 1989, all the women’s singles champions of the World Table Tennis Championships were won by Chinese players.
Deng Yaping era (1991-1997)
Since the World Table Tennis Championships, the Chinese women’s team has entered the “Deng Yaping era”. Since joining the national team, Deng Yaping has won two Olympic singles and doubles titles for the Chinese women’s team, three World Table Tennis Championships singles and doubles titles, as well as a World Cup women’s singles title and a women’s doubles title.
In 1996, Deng Yaping became the first athlete to win the women’s singles championship in the three major table tennis competitions, and her 18 world championship titles in her career made her known as the “Queen of Table Tennis”.
Wang Nan era (1997-2003)
In 1997, Deng Yaping retired after the 44th World Table Tennis Championships, and Wang Nan took over the leadership of the Chinese women’s team.
Since the 45th World Table Tennis Championships, Wang Nan has basically won the women’s singles championship in all important international competitions, becoming another “Queen of Table Tennis” after Deng Yaping.
Zhang Yining era (2004-2009)
Since then, Zhang Yining has entered the peak period of his career. In 2005, she won the Women’s World Cup and World Table Tennis Championships in women’s singles, officially establishing her core position in the women’s team. Although Zhang Yining was overshadowed by newcomers such as Guo Yue and Li Xiaoxia from 2006 to 2007, he still successfully qualified for the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 and won two championships in the women’s team and women’s singles.
In 2009, Zhang Yining once again won the World Table Tennis Championships women’s singles champion, and won the 19th world championship title in her career, surpassing Deng Yaping with 18, and second only to Wang Nan with 24, ranking second in history.
The era of women’s speed and power (2009-2016)
At the London Olympics in the same year, the Chinese women’s team once again won two championships. Li Xiaoxia also won the women’s singles championship, becoming the fourth Olympic women’s table tennis “double champion”.
In 2013, Li Xiaoxia defeated Liu Shiwen in the women’s singles final of the 52nd World Table Tennis Championships, becoming the next player in the women’s singles final of Deng Yaping, Wang Nan, and Zhang Yining. After that, the fourth female athlete to achieve the “Grand Slam” of table tennis.
In 2016, Ding Ning defeated Li Xiaoxia in the women’s singles final of the 2016 Summer Olympics competition, becoming the fifth female athlete to achieve the “Grand Slam” of table tennis.
The next generation of powerful style (2016-Now)
The next generation of the Chinese women team is Chen Meng, Sun Yingsha, and Wang Manyu.
Liu Shiwen is playing double with Xu Xin, one of the best mixed double teams in table tennis.
Chinese women’s team members
Here is the list of current members of the Chinese Women Team.
| Name | Provincial team | Hand | Grip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liu Shiwen | Guangdong | Right | Shakehand |
| Chen Meng | Shandong | Right | Shakehand |
| Wu Yang | Shanxi | Right | Shakehand |
| Wang Manyu | Heilongjiang | Right | Shakehand |
| Wen Jia | Liaoning | Left | Shakehand |
| Chen Xingtong | Liaoning | Right | Shakehand |
| Gu Yuting | Shandong | Left | Shakehand |
| Che Xiaoxi | Heilongjiang | Right | Shakehand |
| Shi Xunyao | Jiangsu | Left | Shakehand |
| Sun Chen | Beijing | Right | Penhold |
| Li Jiayi | Liaoning | Right | Shakehand |
| Sheng Dandan | Beijing | Right | Shakehand |
| Yu Yang | Liaoning | Right | Shakehand |
| Liu Weishan | Tianjin | Right | Shakehand |
| Sun Yizhen | Shandong | Right | Shakehand |
| Yuan Yuan | Sichuan | Right | Shakehand |
| Chi Ge | Shandong | Right | Shakehand |
| Yang Jingxu | Shandong | Right | Shakehand |
| Liu Shiwen | Guangdong | Right | Shakehand |
| He Zhuojia | Hebei | Right | Shakehand |
| Sun Yingsha | Hebei | Right | Shakehand |
| Qian Tianyi | Jiangsu | Left | Shakehand |
| Sun Mingyang | Ningxia | Right | Shakehand |
| Guo Yuhan | Beijing | Right | Shakehand |
| Mu Jingyu | Tianjin | Right | Penhold |
| Fan Siqi | Shandong | Right | Shakehand |
| Mu Zi | PLA | Right | Shakehand |
| Hu Limei | PLA | Right | Shakehand |
| Feng Yalan | Hubei | Right | Shakehand |
| Li Xiaodan | Shanxi | Right | Shakehand |
| Liu Fei | Jiangsu | Right | Shakehand |
| Liu Gaoyang | Shandong | Left | Shakehand |
| Chen Ke | Jiangsu | Left | Shakehand |
| Zhang Rui | Hubei | Right | Shakehand |
| Wang Yidi | Yunnan | Right | Shakehand |
| Zhu Chaohui | Jiangsu | Left | Shakehand |
| Liu Xi | Shandong | Right | Shakehand |
| Guo Yan | Sichuan | Right | Shakehand |
| Gu Ruochen | Shandong | Right | Shakehand |
| Guo Yichen | Zhejiang | Left | Shakehand |
| Zhang Qiang | Jiangsu | Right | Penhold |
| Jiang Yue | Shanghai | Left | Shakehand |
| Lan Xi | Liaoning | Left | Shakehand |
| Yuan Xuejiao | Henan | Right | Shakehand |
| Liu Ming | Yunnan | Right | Shakehand |
| Zhao Yan | Jiangsu | Right | Shakehand |
| Zheng Shichang | Shanxi | Right | Shakehand |
| Huang Fanzhen | PLA | Right | Shakehand |
| Wang Tianyi | Shandong | Right | Shakehand |
01 Ding Ning
Ding Ning is retired. She is currently a student of Sport Management Master.
02 Liu Shiwen
03 Chen Meng
04 Sun Yingsha
05 Wang Manyu
Chinese National Coaching Staff
Chinese coaches are considered the best coaches in the world. Their knowledge of techniques and tactics is wonderful.
Coach EmRatThich focuses a lot on Chinese coaching methods on this blog (pingsunday).
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Team manager | Huang Biao |
| Head coach | Liu Guoliang |
| Men's team head coach | Qin Zhijian |
| Women's team head coach | Kong Linghui |
| Men's second team coach | Liu Zhiqiang |
| Women's second team coach | Yan Sen |
1. Liu Guoliang
2. Kong Linghui
3. Ma Lin
4. Wang Hao
5. Wu Jingping
6. Xiao Zhian
7. Liu Guozhen
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