Zhang Jike is no doubt one of the most successful table tennis players in history. He could be the two times Grand Slam in table tennis. But unfortunately, it was too hard to achieve the 2 times Gold Medal in the Olympics. In the final match, he lost to Ma Long. Let’s review Zhang Jike biography and his latest equipment (blade and rubber).
Known as one of the best table tennis players in the world, Zhang Jike is the 4th Grand Slam Champion in table tennis history. Zhang Jike (张继科) is known as the “The Tibetan Mastiff” due to his “steel mental capacity”, and his “rebel character”.
Table of Contents
Achievements
Olympics
- 2016 Rio Olympic Games – Men’s Singles Qualifier
- 2012 London Olympic Games – Men’s Singles Gold Medalist
World Championships
- 2016 World Championships – Men’s Team Champions
- 2015 World Championships – Men’s Doubles Champion
- 2014 World Championships – Men’s Team Champions
- 2013 World Championships – Men’s Singles Champion
- 2012 World Championships – Men’s Team (CHN) Gold Medalist
- 2011 World Championships – Men’s Singles Champion, Men’s Doubles Bronze Medalist
- 2010 World Championships – Men’s Team (CHN) Gold Medalist
World Cup
- 2014 Men’s World Cup Champion
- 2011 World Cup – Men’s Singles Champion
- 2015 World Team Cup – Men’s Team Gold Medalist
Juniors
- 2004 Asian Youth Championships – Boys Singles & Mixed Doubles Runner-up, Boys Doubles Champion
- 2003 World Junior Circuit – Boys Singles Champion
Award
- 2013 ITTF Star Awards – Male Star & Fans’ Male Player of the Year
Zhang Jike’s Biography
- Zhang Jike, the Chinese men’s table tennis team athletes.
- Qingdao, Shandong, Shandong Luneng table tennis team in 2000.
- January 2003 enter the Chinese national team.
- 2008 National Championships
- most famous with a record of victory for the Liberation Army men’s championship, men’s singles straight victory Ma Lin, Wang Liqin (two Olympic champions) and Olympic runner-up Wang Hao
- 2010, Zhang Jike and partner Wang Hao won the Guangzhou Asian Games Table tennis doubles champion.
- May 15, 2011, Zhang Jike defeated Wang Hao in the men’s singles final World Championships
- November 13, 2011 Table Tennis Men’s World Cup, won his first career World Cup champion. 2012 World Table Tennis Championships champion. 2012 London Olympic Games table tennis men’s singles gold and table tennis men’s Team Champion
- 2013 World Championships successfully defending.
- October 3, 2014, South Korea’s Incheon Asian Games table tennis men’s doubles final
| Zhang Jike | |
|---|---|
| Photo |  |
| Alias | Tibetan Mastiff |
| Chinese name | 张继科 |
| Height | 181 cm |
| Birthday | 16 February 1988 |
| Zodiac | Capricorn |
| Born | Mainland China |
| Gender | Male |
| Ethnic | Han |
| Professional | athletes (National Team) |
| Best Title | The 4th Grand Slam Player in the History of Table Tennis |
Zhang Jike Biography
Will Zhang Jike come back?
The rumor says that he would retire soon due to his poor performance and his personal affairs. However, recently he shows his intention to come back. He said in an interview with Butterfly (his sponsor) that:
“At the moment I want to keep playing as long as possible. I want to participate at the Olympics in Tokyo. I think I still have a chance in both experience and ability”
Zhang Jike’s personal equipment
Zhang Jike is currently using the Butterfly Viscaria blade with the Tenergy 80 on his backhand, and a National version of Hurricane 3 Blue Sponge on his forehand. Zhang Jike is the one that popularizes the Viscaria ALC Carbon blade. His equipment fits very well the playing style of Zhang Jike: Backhand initiate attack with a high quality of spin and speed. Viscaria is considered one of the best professional blade in table tennis.
For Zhang Jike, choosing the right equipment is so important. Due to the new ball, he needs to adapt to the new trend in table tennis. The most important factor for Zhang Jike is the “Spin”. He said:
“I think each player has a different request towards his equipment because the playing style and the playing quality differ from player to player. I place emphasis on spin and speed. The most important thing for me is spin from blade and rubber.”
| Zhang Jike | |
|---|---|
| Photo | |
| Playing style | Aggressive Fast Attack. Initialization with a quick backhand attack. Spinny and Powerful Forehand Loop kill. Very good footwork, and pace control. |
| Quality | Physical Strength and Explosiveness. Tough mental strength at late game. |
| Default | Slow starter and Inconsistent |
| Blade | Custom made Viscaria with a larger handle. (Check price/ read review) |
| Forehand rubber | National Version of Hurricane 3 (2.15mm, 40 hardness degree) (boosted or not/ Check price/ Read Review National Version) |
| Backhand rubber | Pro version of Butterfly Tenergy 80 (harder sponge Max Thickness 2.25 mm, 38 hardness DHS scale, about 48 hardness ESN scale) (Check price/ read review) |
Zhang Jike’s special grip
Why he needs a custom handle for his Viscaria? Because he has a special grip to improve his “micro-adjustment”. His specialty is the quality: Spin, and speed from his backhand.
Zhang Jike’s blade Viscaria
Zhang Jike’s blade is the Viscaria with ALC. That’s why nowadays, Viscaria is one of the most famous blades in table tennis. He confirmed:
“It is some dozen years since I started using this racket, so I have the pride to know everything about its performance. This racket has the Arylate-Carbon inside, so it can deliver a quality ball with enough spin and speed,”
Zhang Jike’s forehand rubber
His forehand rubber is the National Hurricane 3 (blue sponge) (check price). He is also using the booster to tune (you can clearly see the pimple boosted on the photo).
Zhang Jike’s forehand rubber with blue sponge
Zhang Jike’s backhand rubber
Zhang Jike’s backhand rubber is Tenergy rubbers (Tenergy 05 and then Tenergy 64).
Zhang Jike’s custom blade dimension
Zhang Jike, as many pro players, asked for a custom handle size that fit well his style. The blade dimension can also be ordered for pro players. Like to increase the head size to 1mm to increase the flex and the power of the forehand loop far away from the table. Or smaller head size will favorite the maneuver over the table (like the backhand flick, drop shot, or forehand quick counter).
Here are the main dimension parameters of the blade. Zhang Jike has demanded a customized handle’s size. Note that, there are several types of the handle in table tennis. Zhang Jike’s handle is a larger FL handle.
- a = 157 mm
- b = 150 mm
- c = 5.85 mm
- d = 101 mm
- e= 26 mm
- f = 22.5 mm
- g = 24.2 mm
- h = 258 mm
- i = 35 mm
You should read
Coach EmRatThich was born in Hanoi, Vietnam in 1983. He started playing table tennis at the age of 8. After finishing his Ph.D. in Paris, University Pierre Marie Curie (Sorbonne University) in 2011, he is now a table tennis coach in a small club in France (about 153 players). Interested in table tennis coaching for a global audience, he founded pingsunday.com, one of the best online coaching programs for table tennis players. Using the Chinese coaching philosophy, his table tennis lessons are free, which allows many table tennis players to improve fast. He can speak English, French, Vietnamese, and a little bit of Chinese.
Hello EmratThinch, I have found your website only this evening and enjoyed reading every article. I write as a 54 year old heading back to tt(table tennis) after many decades. My 14yr old son has recently discovered the sport. He is a beginner, and is progressing very well. The funny thing is that he has told me that I am getting much better too! Old skills and bad techniques are reawakening on my part, but so too is the adversatorial psychological tension of tt. Onlookers to my games with son at the local leisure centre may wonder at my overstated language describing the rather desultory match they may have just witnessed, but the game instils a competitive thrill amongst even the most amateur. It reminds me of the elation experienced by my children while they were learning to surf in North Cornwall. To an onlooker they may have looked inept, but in their mind’s eye they were conquerors. TT is like that, mixed with chess. Even though my eyesight is very long-focused (even with corrective lenses), I can still read the body language of an opponent, and with knowledge of my own dynamics, and with loads of defence and anticipation, box an opponent into a compromised position upon which I will attack, though I have never properly seen the ball in focus. It is chess, and it is surfing. Btw I read articles by Matthew Syed in the London Times, but are there books or websites out there which address not just physical technique, but mental poise?
I am anticipating being hammered by my son before Christmas, and may find solace in a book.
Great website!
Jesme Mitchell
Thank you Jesme. You are right. Table tennis is a chess game with the speed of light. :).
Here you are, the book about tactics: https://pingsunday.com/solid-table-tennis-tactics-help-you-win-easily-ultimate-guide/
Thank you Mitchell. Reading player’s mind is a special skills. Than you for sharing your great experiences.
Hey, does anyone have any information about Zhang Jike? Without even participating in the 2019 World Championship, does he have a chance for the Olympics at Tokyo? Is he training at all?
HI! happy you are still uploading many interesting articles!
Can you please make an article/video about the evolution and the differet styles of forehand loop? Keep this amazing work coach!
Yes, thank you Guglielmo. I will analyze the evolution of the forehand loop style. (slow loop -> fast loop -> fast counter loop)
hello coach I have question about glue article.
in glueing without boost it says use 3-10 layers wbg. then the boosting section says glue then boost then glue 1 layer then glue to paddle. can you combine these thoughts
Zhang Jike is 4th grand slam player
Ma long is 5th.
Top 10 forehand rubber please include sanwei target national blue sponge