Chinese Super League 2025

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Chinese Super League date announced today by CTTA

Phase 1: June 9-11
Phase 2: July 25-28
Phase 3: August 29 to September 1
Finals: December 26-28

Team roster will follow in due course

 

[JackJohnson]

So India UTT is the only domestic league that has their whole league compressed in 2-3 weeks with no gap. I can see why India follows this model just like they do with the cricket for the Indian Premier League where it played in 8 weeks and other cricket leagues as well so players can maximise their income and not be limited to only playing one league per year.

What’s everyone opinion about how long a domestic table tennis league should last. Do you like it when it compressed like India UTT league and if other domestic leagues to follow could have the best players being able to play in different leagues throughout the year to maximise their income or do you prefer a domestic league to last 6-9 months a year and players only being able to play one league per year due to schedule clash with other domestic leagues?

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

So India UTT is the only domestic league that has their whole league compressed in 2-3 weeks with no gap. I can see why India follows this model just like they do with the cricket for the Indian Premier League where it played in 8 weeks and other cricket leagues as well so players can maximise their income and not be limited to only playing one league per year.

What’s everyone opinion about how long a domestic table tennis league should last. Do you like it when it compressed like India UTT league and if other domestic leagues to follow could have the best players being able to play in different leagues throughout the year to maximise their income or do you prefer a domestic league to last 6-9 months a year and players only being able to play one league per year due to schedule clash with other domestic leagues?

Super league was kindof mostly like this with league and then playoffs as 2 phases.
This is the first time it is 4 phases.
They are avoiding all the majors in the calendar and it is at a super short notice too - with the host city still undecided at the moment.

Some players feel UTT is too long per trip, but it is very clever in getting everyone together and making it an all star weeks as you pointed out. the IPL is a big success (I been to a few matches when it was hosted in South Africa).

For home countries like living in Europe and playing in European leagues, they okay with the long league season, but for international players, it is a bit of a pain to keep traveling. It could be fine if the trip is with WTT matches or maybe there is more than 1 league match to play. But it is a headache to schedule - I know because I am currently scheduling over 20 international players to match with leagues and this is the worse part of the job.

There is also some leagues not allowing double participation (meaning you can't play in more than one league in the same continent or different continent.

 

[JackJohnson]

Super league was kindof mostly like this with league and then playoffs as 2 phases.
This is the first time it is 4 phases.
They are avoiding all the majors in the calendar and it is at a super short notice too - with the host city still undecided at the moment.

Some players feel UTT is too long per trip, but it is very clever in getting everyone together and making it an all star weeks as you pointed out. the IPL is a big success (I been to a few matches when it was hosted in South Africa).

For home countries like living in Europe and playing in European leagues, they okay with the long league season, but for international players, it is a bit of a pain to keep traveling. It could be fine if the trip is with WTT matches or maybe there is more than 1 league match to play. But it is a headache to schedule - I know because I am currently scheduling over 20 international players to match with leagues and this is the worse part of the job.

There is also some leagues not allowing double participation (meaning you can't play in more than one league in the same continent or different continent.

I can definitely see that the international players (those who attend WTT/ITTF events) would prefer the shorter domestic league but if German/French league etc would reduce to a few weeks per year I can definitely see this effect local players (those that don’t attend WTT/ITTF events. So there are pros and cons with both scenarios.

I wonder what the landscape of domestic leagues will be in the future in terms of how long each domestic league will be and how much players can earn. With Saudi Arabia hiring the former Sweden Mens coach will we see another league pop up there similar to UTT with the short domestic league with big earnings potential just like CTTSL and UTT.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Happy to see so many Japanese womens players taking part this season!

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Mens
Shandong luneng
Sora
XYB
Yuan Licen
LDS
Yan An

Shanghai
FZD
Zhou Kai
Zhao Zihao
XX
Zhao Zhaoyan
Sun Zheng

Huangshi
LSD
XP
XF
Liu Guancheng
Huang Xunan

Shandong WQ
WCQ
LJK
LYJ
ZQH
HYZ
Yu Ziyang

Shantou
LGY
Chen Yuanyu
Xu Haidong

Sichuan
WCT
Sun Wen
Chen Junsong
Yan Sheng

Anhui
WRB
Izaac Quek
Ning Xiankun
NGK
Tao Yuchang

Jiangsu
Oh Jun-sung
Liang Yanning
Quan Kaiyuan
Lin Chen
Li Tianyang
Song Zhouheng

Guandong
Baldwin Chan
Wang Yang
Fei Junhang
Fei Junhang
Ao Hualei
Zhou Yu
Tao Yuchang

 

[JackJohnson]

After the WCQ racket incident at Doha WTTC for the CTTSL they are now using transparent A4 Plastic Wallet Box file instead of envelopes so no chance for the rubber to be accidentally peeled off when placing in the envelope. Good decision by CTTA.

 

[BlotOnPaper]

Am i crazy or sponge color on Fan backhand is pink? Like on new zyre rubber. It does not look like 09c to me, but i can be wrong

 

[Snek]

Am i crazy or sponge color on Fan backhand is pink? Like on new zyre rubber. It does not look like 09c to me, but i can be wrong

Yep. Definitely purple zeed/zyre sponge on his bh.

This match

 

[Bollwerk]

Men's Day 1 Results

Session 1:

Huangshi Huaxin - Jiangsu Zhongchao 3:1
Xiang Peng/Xue Fei - Song Zhuoheng/Liang Yanning 3:2 (9,-12,-10,9,11)
Lin Shidong - Quan Kaiyuan 3:0 (11,4,8)
Xiang Peng - Liang Yanning 1:3 (-8,8,-8,-10)
Lin Shidong - Song Zhuoheng 3:0 (3,7,6)

Shandong Weiqiao - Guangdong Chenjing 3:0
Liang Jingkun/Lin Yun-Ju - Zhou Yu/Ao Hualei 3:0 (4,4,13)
Wang Chuqin - Fei Junhang 3:0 (5,8,10)
Lin Yun-Ju - Ao Hualei 3:0 (12,3,4)

Shanghai Zhongxing - Shandong Luneng 3:2
Xu Xin/Zhou Kai - Yan An/Yuan Licen 2:3 (5,-8,5,-8,-6)
Fan Zhendong - Xu Yingbin 3:2 (-8,-9,5,8,6)
Zhou Kai - Yuan Licen 0:3 (-11,-8,-7)
Xu Xin - Xu Yingbin 3:1 (10,9,-3,9)
Fan Zhendong - Yan An 3:0 (7,7,5)

Shantou Mingrun - Sichuan Fenggu 3:0
Chen Yuanyu/Lin Gaoyuan - Wong Chun Ting/Chen Junsong 3:2 (-8,-9,9,6,9)
Xu Haidong - Sun Wen 3:0 (10,7,9)
Lin Gaoyuan - Chen Junsong 3:1 (-3,16,11,6)

Session 2:

Huangshi Huaxin - Shandong Luneng 3:0
Xiang Peng/Xue Fei - Xu Yingbin/Yuan Licen 3:2 (-7,5,4,-9,6)
Lin Shidong - Tang Yiren 3:0 (7,9,6)
Xiang Peng - Xu Yingbin 3:0 (6,8,8)

Jiangsu Zhongchao - Guangdong Chenjing 3:0
Song Zhuoheng/Liang Yanning - Chan Baldwin/Fei Junhang 3:1 (9,-10,5,10)
Quan Kaiyuan - Ao Hualei 3:0 (8,9,5)
Liang Yanning - Fei Junhang 3:2 (-9,9,6,-10,2)

Shandong Weiqiao - Anhui Zhongcheng 3:0
Huang Youzheng/Liang Jingkun - Ning Xiankun/Tao Yuchang 3:1 (6,4,-10,9)
Wang Chuqin - Niu Guankai 3:0 (5,7,4)
Liang Jingkun - Tao Yuchang 3:0 (9,1,9)

Shantou Mingrun - Shanghai Zhongxing 2:3
Chen Yuanyu/Lin Gaoyuan - Xu Xin/Zhou Kai 3:0 (9,6,9)
Xu Haidong - Fan Zhendong 1:3 (-11,-6,9,-7)
Chen Yuanyu - Zhou Kai 1:3 (8,-3,-8,-9)
Xu Haidong - Xu Xin 3:1 (8,-5,9,6)
Lin Gaoyuan - Fan Zhendong 1:3 (-9,-8,9,-3)

FZD is back with 4 wins right away, after a bit of a slow start he ended the day with a convincing victory vs LGY!

 

[schrodingerskoalabear]

A fun point at the end of the FZA Yan An match. Great to see FZD back and smiling during a point

 

[NextLevel]

A fun point at the end of the FZA Yan An match. Great to see FZD back and smiling during a point

Yan An is a retiree and more of a contemporary of the likes of Fang Bo etc. and arguably Ma Long, Zhang Jike etc. FZD as always is all class.

 

[NextLevel]

Men's Day 1 Results

Session 1:

Huangshi Huaxin - Jiangsu Zhongchao 3:1
Xiang Peng/Xue Fei - Song Zhuoheng/Liang Yanning 3:2 (9,-12,-10,9,11)
Lin Shidong - Quan Kaiyuan 3:0 (11,4,8)
Xiang Peng - Liang Yanning 1:3 (-8,8,-8,-10)
Lin Shidong - Song Zhuoheng 3:0 (3,7,6)

Shandong Weiqiao - Guangdong Chenjing 3:0
Liang Jingkun/Lin Yun-Ju - Zhou Yu/Ao Hualei 3:0 (4,4,13)
Wang Chuqin - Fei Junhang 3:0 (5,8,10)
Lin Yun-Ju - Ao Hualei 3:0 (12,3,4)

Shanghai Zhongxing - Shandong Luneng 3:2
Xu Xin/Zhou Kai - Yan An/Yuan Licen 2:3 (5,-8,5,-8,-6)
Fan Zhendong - Xu Yingbin 3:2 (-8,-9,5,8,6)
Zhou Kai - Yuan Licen 0:3 (-11,-8,-7)
Xu Xin - Xu Yingbin 3:1 (10,9,-3,9)
Fan Zhendong - Yan An 3:0 (7,7,5)

Shantou Mingrun - Sichuan Fenggu 3:0
Chen Yuanyu/Lin Gaoyuan - Wong Chun Ting/Chen Junsong 3:2 (-8,-9,9,6,9)
Xu Haidong - Sun Wen 3:0 (10,7,9)
Lin Gaoyuan - Chen Junsong 3:1 (-3,16,11,6)

Session 2:

Huangshi Huaxin - Shandong Luneng 3:0
Xiang Peng/Xue Fei - Xu Yingbin/Yuan Licen 3:2 (-7,5,4,-9,6)
Lin Shidong - Tang Yiren 3:0 (7,9,6)
Xiang Peng - Xu Yingbin 3:0 (6,8,8)

Jiangsu Zhongchao - Guangdong Chenjing 3:0
Song Zhuoheng/Liang Yanning - Chan Baldwin/Fei Junhang 3:1 (9,-10,5,10)
Quan Kaiyuan - Ao Hualei 3:0 (8,9,5)
Liang Yanning - Fei Junhang 3:2 (-9,9,6,-10,2)

Shandong Weiqiao - Anhui Zhongcheng 3:0
Huang Youzheng/Liang Jingkun - Ning Xiankun/Tao Yuchang 3:1 (6,4,-10,9)
Wang Chuqin - Niu Guankai 3:0 (5,7,4)
Liang Jingkun - Tao Yuchang 3:0 (9,1,9)

Shantou Mingrun - Shanghai Zhongxing 2:3
Chen Yuanyu/Lin Gaoyuan - Xu Xin/Zhou Kai 3:0 (9,6,9)
Xu Haidong - Fan Zhendong 1:3 (-11,-6,9,-7)
Chen Yuanyu - Zhou Kai 1:3 (8,-3,-8,-9)
Xu Haidong - Xu Xin 3:1 (8,-5,9,6)
Lin Gaoyuan - Fan Zhendong 1:3 (-9,-8,9,-3)

FZD is back with 4 wins right away, after a bit of a slow start he ended the day with a convincing victory vs LGY!

Xu Yingbin is a problem opponent of sorts, the struggles is not entirely unexpected, happy to see Fan found his best form quickly enough.

 

[Robin0910]

Xu Xin’s level dropped this much after retiring? How much does he trading alongside his business? Even at last year’s super league he wasn’t performing thst well, but today? Almost lost all his matches, even doubles.

 

[Robin0910]

Yep. Definitely purple zeed/zyre sponge on his bh. View attachment 36618
This match

from this angle it it looks like it has the same tone as the rubber itself. Not sure if he changed his backhand rubber

 

[NextLevel]

Xu Xin’s level dropped this much after retiring? How much does he trading alongside his business? Even at last year’s super league he wasn’t performing thst well, but today? Almost lost all his matches, even doubles.

Yet he beat Xu Yingbin. It's not a mathematical science and he is getting older.

 

[Robin0910]

Yet he beat Xu Yingbin. It's not a mathematical science and he is getting older.

And he has a kid and whatnot…
That’s why I wrote almost. That’s the only match he won by beating Xu Yingbin. Age is an obvious factor but I was asking other members who knew more about his current life.

 

[SFF_lib]

And he has a kid and whatnot…
That’s why I wrote almost. That’s the only match he won by beating Xu Yingbin. Age is an obvious factor but I was asking other members who knew more about his current life.

Xu Xin's Xuperman company is a business partner with five other sport company in Beijing and Shanghai, I can't imagine how busy that will be.

Xu Xin's style also means his performance degrade a lot faster with age. Just too much running in a big range. In contrast, Liang Jinkun and ML's style, close to table are affected that much with age.

 

[ZFT]

Mens
Shandong luneng
Sora
XYB
Yuan Licen
LDS
Yan An

Shanghai
FZD
Zhou Kai
Zhao Zihao
XX
Zhao Zhaoyan
Sun Zheng

Huangshi
LSD
XP
XF
Liu Guancheng
Huang Xunan

Shandong WQ
WCQ
LJK
LYJ
ZQH
HYZ
Yu Ziyang

Shantou
LGY
Chen Yuanyu
Xu Haidong

Sichuan
WCT
Sun Wen
Chen Junsong
Yan Sheng

Anhui
WRB
Izaac Quek
Ning Xiankun
NGK
Tao Yuchang

Jiangsu
Oh Jun-sung
Liang Yanning
Quan Kaiyuan
Lin Chen
Li Tianyang
Song Zhouheng

Guandong
Baldwin Chan
Wang Yang
Fei Junhang
Fei Junhang
Ao Hualei
Zhou Yu
Tao Yuchang

I find it very strategic the teams are formed by pairing the foreign players with lower tier CNT members.

The only exception is LYJ - feels like a very calculated move to boost fellow lefthander’s HYZ development and suggests the hierarchy is confident they’ve solved his game enough to allow him to be placed alongside WCQ and LJK.

They could’ve easily “recommended” he join Shantou or Sichuan who have 3 and 4 players respectively.

 

[JackJohnson]

I find it very strategic the teams are formed by pairing the foreign players with lower tier CNT members.

The only exception is LYJ - feels like a very calculated move to boost fellow lefthander’s HYZ development and suggests the hierarchy is confident they’ve solved his game enough to allow him to be placed alongside WCQ and LJK.

They could’ve easily “recommended” he join Shantou or Sichuan who have 3 and 4 players respectively.

I’ve noticed this as well. A win-win situation for both parties. Foreign players can earn money & face the top ranked China players and the lower ranked China players can learn from the foreign players.

I’m glad they got rid of the rule of not allowing foreign players to compete in the league. It makes the league more interesting to watch. It’s better to be found out here than at the Olympics, WTTC, WC or WTT events.

I believe WCQ team is the richest as they also have LJK, HYZ and LYJ and maybe second richest team is FZD and XX.