How good is prime WCQ vs prime ZJK, ML?

[TensorBackhand]

When WCQ is focused and prepared, I think everybody can see that he is quite a special player. His dominant wins over Harimoto in Fukuoka and Chongqing were sublime. He combines great serve and receive, versatile and strong forehand, versatile backhand, and elite counterloop. He's done it again in Doha with a dominant and impressive performance against Calderano.

In terms of history, how good is WCQ? ML and ZJK are probably the 2 most eye-catching and standout talents in TT recent history. How good is WCQ compared to them? WCQ actually has quite a few wins over ML in the past couple years (where WCQ is rising and ML is declining a bit).

 

[zeio]

In his own words, not good. Next thing to fix is 0 losses in team event.

 

[Rao01]

WCQ has taken the first step to greatness by winning the World championships. He still has some way to go. He has to repeat this performance and win a couple of more World cups and world championships and not to forget the Olympics. So too early to say anything. We will know in another 4 years if he can be compared to either ML or ZJK, form and fitness permitting. Please also do not forget Fan Zhendong. By not including him in the comparison, we are doing a disservice to the great man. He was truly great as well.

 

[kapahoo]

On his best days he might be the best ever. But he has lows ZJK, ML and FZD never had.

FZD is probably still the best over all player. Really sad he is not competing internstionally. And perhaps not nationally either?

 

[Angerer]

On his best days he might be the best ever. But he has lows ZJK, ML and FZD never had.

FZD is probably still the best over all player. Really sad he is not competing internstionally. And perhaps not nationally either?

Imo, ZJK had a lot of performance dips.

 

[olive-nguyen]

Imo, ZJK had a lot of performance dips.

Injuries…

 

[lightspin]

I think in their primes I would rank them: ML, ZJK, FZD and finally WCQ. WCQ is still young though and could keep improving and getting more steady.

 

[land_killer]

Prime ML, ZJK, FZD are all T0 over the history. but Prime WCQ is probably between T0.5 and T1. He is good, but not as good as the other three.

I would say he is Xu Xin level for now

 

[PenHoldSandro]

Prime ML, ZJK, FZD are all T0 over the history. but Prime WCQ is probably between T0.5 and T1. He is good, but not as good as the other three.

I would say he is Xu Xin level for now

WCQ is not T1. AND HE IS NOT XU XIN LEVEL

RSM is maybe 0.5, as well as XX. WCQ maybe is 1.5 or 2

 

[banbekas]

Prime WCQ is better than both of them, imho. Achievement-wise, don't think he's going to match those two.

 

[Amayzde]

Prime ML, ZJK, FZD are all T0 over the history. but Prime WCQ is probably between T0.5 and T1. He is good, but not as good as the other three.

I would say he is Xu Xin level for now

I dissagree. One important difference between WCQ and XX is that XX did not lose to foreigners nearly as much. When he lost, it was mainly against his team-mates who were all able to exploit his weaker penhold BH, but against foreign players he had the highest win/loss ratio of the team at some point.

WCQ on the other hand just seems to crumble when it matters aganst players he usually beats with ease. Most notably Ma Long in the 2024 WC and of course Truls Moregard in the Olympics.

Allthough WCQ has proven himself by becoming World Champion. I don't want to discredit this great achievment, but I can't help to think that within the current top competitors, the chances of prime XX would have an equal chance of winning. He has a positive H2H against any current CNT player that was active in this Championchips apart from Lin Shidong, but both times they met is was won in the decider.

 

[Angerer]

Prime WCQ is better than both of them, imho. Achievement-wise, don't think he's going to match those two.

Fully agree.
Prime WCQ has a distinct feature: when he is in top shape, he sweeps the tournament like there is no one else participating. He might have frequent performance dips due to how physically demanding his tennis is, but when is on fire, I can't imagine a player that would dominate the table this much. For me, he is a player with the close-to-Ma Long's forehand level (especially the step-around shot) but with a potent backhand for bananas and straight out winners.

The Hugo match was simply impressive. I think Hugo is the most aggressive player on the tour, and it was unbelievable to see how WCQ managed to quell Hugo and make him play defensively.

 

[PenHoldSandro]

Fully agree.
Prime WCQ has a distinct feature: when he is in top shape, he sweeps the tournament like there is no one else participating. He might have frequent performance dips due to how physically demanding his tennis is, but when is on fire, I can't imagine a player that would dominate the table this much. For me, he is a player with the close-to-Ma Long's forehand level (especially the step-around shot) but with a potent backhand for bananas and straight out winners.

The Hugo match was simply impressive. I think Hugo is the most aggressive player on the tour, and it was unbelievable to see how WCQ managed to quell Hugo and make him play defensively.

Prime WCQ is better than both of them, imho. Achievement-wise, don't think he's going to match those two.

I don't, sadly. I did see the match with Hugo and hell he did superb, but I don't think that's gonna be enough for WCQ to beat RSM or XX. RSM had the better forehand and footwork, while Xu Xin had much better feeling. The rest are roughly equal (except RSM's backhand, his one and only major weakness)

If I were to pit WCQ up against RSM and XX (all in prime), it'd go something like this

RSM blows WCQ away because of his footwork and nuclear forehand, and Xu Xin, walking on clouds as always torments little Wang on the ground!

 

[zeio]

A Tieba user (WCQ hater) posted a fun fact that WCQ is the first World Champion (to be at that point) since 1981 to not have gone through his teammates.

雨果若进决赛楚圣或成近四十五年来国乒唯一一个未经内战夺冠的选手 (If Hugo reaches the final, Saint Chu may become the only CNT player to win the title without a civil war in the past 45 years)
https://tieba.baidu.com/p/9737691810
小时不识月 自1981年郭跃华世乒赛夺冠后，国乒每个世乒赛夺冠的选手都要经过内战的考验。
81郭跃华-蔡振华
83郭跃华-范昌茂，江嘉良，蔡振华
85江嘉良-陈龙灿
87江嘉良-慧君，陈新华
95孔令辉-丁松，刘国梁
99刘国梁-马琳
01王励勤-孔令辉
05王励勤-马琳，
07王励勤-马琳，
09王皓-王励勤，
11张继科-王励勤，王皓，
13张继科-许昕，王皓，
15马龙-樊振东，方博，
17马龙-许昕，樊振东，
19马龙-林高远，梁靖崑，
21樊振东-王楚钦，林高远，梁靖崑，
23樊振东-梁靖崑，王楚钦
IP属地:山西来自Android客户端1楼2025-05-24 21:03回复
(Since Guo Yuehua won the WTTC 1981, every player who won the WTTC had to go through the test of civil wars.
81 Guo Yuehua - Cai Zhenhua
83 Guo Yuehua - Fan Changmao, Jiang Jialiang, Cai Zhenhua
85 Jiang Jialiang - Chen Longcan
87 Jiang Jialiang - [should be 惠钧] Huijun, Chen Xinhua
95 Kong Linghui - Ding Song, Liu Guoliang
99 Liu Guoliang - Ma Lin
01 Wang Liqin - Kong Linghui
05 Wang Liqin - Ma Lin
07 Wang Liqin - Ma Lin
09 Wang Hao - Wang Liqin
11 Zhang Jike - Wang Liqin, Wang Hao
13 Zhang Jike - Xu Xin, Wang Hao
15 Ma Long - Fan Zhendong, Fang Bo
17 Ma Long - Xu Xin, Fan Zhendong
19 Ma Long - Lin Gaoyuan, Liang Jingkun
21 Fan Zhendong - Wang Chuqin, Lin Gaoyuan, Liang Jingkun
23 Fan Zhendong - Liang Jingkun, Wang Chuqin

An image with the caption (curse) "Royalty will never achieve grand slam his entire life")

 

[PoppaChubby]

Simple: WCQ is weaker. He's won this time because ZJK, FZD and ML were not there, it's really that simple. When they were there and at their prime, he won none of the Grand Slam events: last year ML has won the World Cup, FZD the Olympics. Nuff said. And Ma Long was PAST his prime last year, we all know that.

 

[PoppaChubby]

On his best days he might be the best ever. But he has lows ZJK, ML and FZD never had.

FZD is probably still the best over all player. Really sad he is not competing internstionally. And perhaps not nationally either?

FZD is the only one that has won at least one of the Grand Slam events with Ma Long in it too: 2021 and 2023 WTTC.

The GOAT to me with Waldner, the best smile, the best love for his sport, and for other things like music even if Taylor Swift is not my cup of tea. The best at ping-pong diplomacy too, with international friends, Simon Gauzy still chats with him from time to times.

 

[myl_nathxn]

When WCQ is focused and prepared, I think everybody can see that he is quite a special player. His dominant wins over Harimoto in Fukuoka and Chongqing were sublime. He combines great serve and receive, versatile and strong forehand, versatile backhand, and elite counterloop. He's done it again in Doha with a dominant and impressive performance against Calderano.

In terms of history, how good is WCQ? ML and ZJK are probably the 2 most eye-catching and standout talents in TT recent history. How good is WCQ compared to them? WCQ actually has quite a few wins over ML in the past couple years (where WCQ is rising and ML is declining a bit).

not as good as the goats, below fan zhendong and around xu xin level id say

 

[sebi]

Xu xin is closer to ma long, zjang jike, fan zehndong then wcq is to xu xin.
Xu xin would be one of the greats if he would have been allowed to play olymipc singles.
When he was world No.1 beat Ma Long 4:0 in the German open finals he still wasn't selected.

True in todays game WCQ he's probably the best forehand and in my opinion its the closest to ma longs forehand.
But even without injury he struggles and loses to much against non Chinese players.