Road to Tokyo 2020: Chinese TT Team

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NextLevel

If Chen Meng is such a riskless choice, can anyone explain why she has absolutely zero major continental or world titles to her name? Because she brings her best game at those moments?

---

Well because we are talking about it from another perspective.
There is only 1 serious threat for the Gold Medal and that is Mima Ito.
She is the only player that can consistently beat Chinese players.
All the other women aren't that big of a threat.

So if you want to select players with the biggest chance of a medal, you would have to select who can beat Ito.

The matches between Chinese women themselves don't count at the Olympics , since you only meet non chinese now. It's not like foreigners won those Olympic,world and continental titles.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NextLevel

If Chen Meng is such a riskless choice, can anyone explain why she has absolutely zero major continental or world titles to her name? Because she brings her best game at those moments?

---

Nonsense. She was the (now defunct) East Asian Games 2013 WS Champion!

Attachment 21021

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NextLevel

If Chen Meng is such a riskless choice, can anyone explain why she has absolutely zero major continental or world titles to her name? Because she brings her best game at those moments?

---

https://03.imgmini.eastday.com/mobil...3b9b4ca_1.jpeg

As LGL put it before WTTC 2019...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll8QcHIgWwU

Quote:

---

那，那个朱雨玲现在遇到的困难是不是有毁灭性的?

我觉得也不会。因为朱雨玲的实力在那放着，他以前的一些这种成绩我们也不会说是通过这段时间来去抹杀。其实他…这个礼拜他们之所以这次落选和陈梦这段时间，其实都是在近半年的时间里头，一个近半年时间里头，陈梦表现得更好一些。那同样在近半年里头，小朱也面临巨大的挑战。你像这个在瑞典的时候，跟那个伊藤那场比赛…决赛，以至后边的一系列比赛、乒超、12强……等等这些比赛里头，??显得……

但这个我认为，竞争是一种动态的，特别是女线上。可能在前一段时间他好点，过一段时间突然间一打开，会好一点。他必须引领一个大赛或一个周期，他才能够真正算得上领军，所以这些队员都是需要持之以恒的，特别是经过一些大赛的洗礼之后，才能够在东京奥运会上担当重任。如果没有这些，仅仅靠一些公开赛，和一些内部的这种选拔赛，那只是衡量技术实力的一个标准，而不是综合作战的一个标准。

---

So, is the difficulty ZYL facing now devastating?

I don't think so. Because ZYL's strength is sitting there, we will not say that some of her previous achievements were eradicated during this time. In fact, she...the reason why she was dropped from the selection and CM this week was actually in the past half year. In the past half year, CM performed better. In that same period, Little Zhu also faced huge challenges. Like back in Sweden, playing Ito in that match...the final, and the subsequent series of tournaments, CTTSL, Marvellous 12, and so on, (inaudible) seems......

But I think the competition is dynamic, especially on women's side. Maybe she was better some time ago, and after a while she suddenly got in the groove, and things would be better. She must lead a major or a cycle before she can truly be a leader, so these players need to be persistent, especially after the baptism of some major tournaments, to be able to shoulder the burden at the Tokyo Olympics. Without these, relying only on some Opens and some internal trials, it is only a standard for measuring technical strength, not a standard for integrated combat.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ZeroTT

Well because we are talking about it from another perspective.
There is only 1 serious threat for the Gold Medal and that is Mima Ito.
She is the only player that can consistently beat Chinese players.
All the other women aren't that big of a threat.

So if you want to select players with the biggest chance of a medal, you would have to select who can beat Ito.

The matches between Chinese women themselves don't count at the Olympics , since you only meet non chinese now. It's not like foreigners won those Olympic,world and continental titles.

---

You aren't answering the question. Why did Chen Meng have a devastating record vs LSW and still lose to LSW in the WTTC finals? The same can be caused about Chen Meng AND Zhu Yuling and their recent records before last year's Asian Cup.

Again not saying that Chen Meng can't win vs Ito. I am a believer in her talent. But saying that when you ignore these things you are not answering the question.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Janard

Nonsense. She was the (now defunct) East Asian Games 2013 WS Champion!

Attachment 21021

---

Poor CM. I just found out EA Games was only a regional event.

So, 0 titles, national, continental, or world.

I believe Mima ITO can fight back against CHEN Meng. She has to train hard against BH low arc topspin, and find out some new serves.

and more importantly, change her attitude next time !

no doubt CHEN is a favourite to win at the moment, but i think the odds can change, Olympics are far...

I have a message for brother Abe. How about hosting the first ever zero-speculator Olympic Games? Every events will be televised and online, including Opening and Closing ceremonies. It’ll be much more realistic to deal with athletes only with well separated villages and protected facilities.
Considering the alternatives, this seems a real good option at the moment.

If you watched the match carefully, you should sense a touch of hopelessness for DN. She got outplayed in almost all aspects of the game. How is it possible for her to improve all of that in just a few months? Yes, there’s a risk with CM due to her lack of big tournament victories. But this risk pales in comparison to the likelihood of DN’s defeat in Mima’s hand.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zeio

She must [have] led a major [tournament] or an [Olympics] cycle before she can truly be [considered] a leader, so these players need to be persistent, especially after the baptism of some major tournaments, to be able to shoulder the burden at the Tokyo Olympics. Without these, relying only on some Opens and some internal trials, it is only a standard for measuring technical strength, not a standard for integrated combat.

---

Attachment 21034

LSW: Hi CM, that's me.

In a 2017 interview, Guo Yan (DN's current national team coach but this was said in the capacity of a provincial coach), gave an honest opinion of DN's playing style.

Quote:

---

“另一个，丁宁性格上很好接触，但球风上很多教练都不太了解。她的技术上看着并不是很先进，有些超前的技术她也驾驭不了，她有她的特点，改起来不是那么容易.”

---

Ding Ning has an affable personality but her style of play leaves many [coaches] befuddled. Specifically, her techniques aren't very advanced, but neither is she able to master some of these advanced techniques. This makes introducing changes to her playing style a very challenging task, but she definitely has her own strengths.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Free bird

If you watched the match carefully, you should sense a touch of hopelessness for DN. She got outplayed in almost all aspects of the game. How is it possible for her to improve all of that in just a few months? Yes, there’s a risk with CM due to her lack of big tournament victories. But this risk pales in comparison to the likelihood of DN’s defeat in Mima’s hand.

---

The same Ding Ning who beat Mima Ito a month prior? IT is easy to overstate the importance of one match in the scheme of things. No matter how bad a beating it is one match. The risk of losing is there with any opponent so it is not just about that.

Note that Ito was similarly hopeless when she played Wang Yidi for example. People thought the CNT had decoded her. TT is not that simple.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NextLevel

The same Ding Ning who beat Mima Ito a month prior? IT is easy to overstate the importance of one match in the scheme of things. No matter how bad a beating it is one match. The risk of losing is there with any opponent so it is not just about that.

Note that Ito was similarly hopeless when she played Wang Yidi for example. People thought the CNT had decoded her. TT is not that simple.

---

Some days you play great, other days are crap. Pros are peeps too.

Road to Nowhere, indeed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NextLevel

The same Ding Ning who beat Mima Ito a month prior? IT is easy to overstate the importance of one match in the scheme of things. No matter how bad a beating it is one match. The risk of losing is there with any opponent so it is not just about that.

Note that Ito was similarly hopeless when she played Wang Yidi for example. People thought the CNT had decoded her. TT is not that simple.

---

My heart agrees with you but my head doesn’t. Just so you know, my head beats my heart most of the time when they’re are in disagreement, no pun intended:)

If MLin were DN’s coach, DN wouldn’t have played against Ito this time. If MLin were Ito’s coach, Ito wouldn’t have beaten DN this way.

So the CNT has been training in Mecca since 3/14. They’re still hoping both Hong Kong Open and China Open would happen, which are unlikely by all indications at the moments. Ito will be #2 in April and the ranking is unlikely to change prior to the Games due to all the delayed events. That means SYS has lost one key argument for her to play singles. CM and LSW are the ones with little doubt now.

Attachment 21047Attachment 21048Attachment 21049

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Free bird

So the CNT has been training in Mecca since 3/14.

---

You mean Macau.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Janard

You mean Macau.

---

Youre right. It’s Macau. I have other embarrassing misspelling as well: gold metal. Will be more discreet in the future.

It looks more and more likely the Olympic Games will be delayed by two years. HT, LYJ, and WCQ will benefit the most. ML, XX and Timo will not even be seen possibly.

Okay. The word from IOC is that the Olympic Games will be on as scheduled.
https://www.olympic.org/news/communi...mes-tokyo-2020

We won’t see much tt tours at all prior to the Games. Good for Ito

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Free bird

Okay. The word from IOC is that the Olympic Games will be on as scheduled.
https://www.olympic.org/news/communi...mes-tokyo-2020

We won’t see much tt tours at all prior to the Games. Good for Ito

---

If things continue the way they are no chance, some Countries might be improving however others not at all, I'm in Australia and feels like things are just starting, our PM said this could last us 6 months, does Tokyo really want our athletes and spectators attending?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MaLin2.0

If things continue the way they are no chance, some Countries might be improving however others not at all, I'm in Australia and feels like things are just starting, our PM said this could last us 6 months, does Tokyo really want our athletes and spectators attending?

---

I know. At this point it doesn’t look good. But I still have not given up hope yet. It seems China has got it under control. Hope within next two months world wide situation will improve to a manageable level

Hong Kong and China Opens postponed due to COVID-19

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vlad Celler

Hong Kong and China Opens postponed due to COVID-19

---

Not suprised at all. The Olympic delay looks inevitable, just a matter of how long the delay will be, one or two years. The CNT should be heading home soon now that the two Opens are delayed.

Agreed !

The postponement has made some winners and some losers.
Winners:
LGL - now he get time to climb out of a deep hole he’s in. It’ll be his priority to have two women singles players occupying top two spots in the rankings before the Olympic Games.
SYS - God send opportunity for her to dominate the games again and position her for the singles spot
WMY and ZYL - all it out. But now a breath of fresh air...
WCQ - one year from now, he can be a legit third player contender.
Losers:
ML - one year older, he’ll have more trouble beating FZD. Also HT and LYJ will become more mature and formidable.
DN - aging become more of an issue. May wind up as the fourth player
LSW - can’t avoid Ito anymore. With aura of a WTTC champion fading, she’ll have to fight for singles spot.
Not Winners Nor Losers: FZD, CM, XX

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Free bird

The postponement has made some winners and some losers.
Winners:
LGL - now he get time to climb out of a deep hole he’s in. It’ll be his priority to have two women singles players occupying top two spots in the rankings before the Olympic Games.
SYS - God send opportunity for her to dominate the games again and position her for the singles spot
WMY and ZYL - all it out. But now a breath of fresh air...
WCQ - one year from now, he can be a legit third player contender.
Losers:
ML - one year older, he’ll have more trouble beating FZD. Also HT and LYJ will become more mature and formidable.
DN - aging become more of an issue. May wind up as the fourth player
LSW - can’t avoid Ito anymore. With aura of a WTTC champion fading, she’ll have to fight for singles spot.
Not Winners Nor Losers: FZD, CM, XX

---

I think CNT winners in general, allows whatever momentum on HT, Mima, LJY and others to go down abit.

CNT get to buy alot of time, domestically their league is the best with great deal of depth, other teams domestic league not as deep in addition you would think alot especially in Europe in Quarantine so won't be training even for months.

Imagine WCQ, SYS, WMY 12 months down the track, could easily overtake their team mates. Ranking pretty much starts from fresh too.

I think when things return to normal alot of changes would of happened.

Attachment 21099

We were too shortsighted and assumed that the three sign meant defending her WTGF WS record three times in a row. CM was actually foregrounding the possibility of becoming the fastest Grand Slammer in Chinese history – Olympics, WTTC and World Cup in 2021 XD

First-ever holder of Grand Slam and Grand Smash...

https://i.imgur.com/4MxKz4C.jpg

now that the OG Will take place in 2021, the winners of 2021 wttc will be selected to play for singles. Therefore XX still has a chance to play in the single event. Ma Long will play anyway (if his physical condition are good enough)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Janard

Attachment 21099

We were too shortsighted and assumed that the three sign meant defending her WTGF WS record three times in a row. CM was actually foregrounding the possibility of becoming the fastest Grand Slammer in Chinese history – Olympics, WTTC and World Cup in 2021 XD

---

FZD has a good chance of doing the same as well. Come to think of it, these two should thank the postponement for a chance to hold a record that will not likely be broken anytime soon. 前无古人，后无来者

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MaLin2.0

I think CNT winners in general, allows whatever momentum on HT, Mima, LJY and others to go down abit.

CNT get to buy alot of time, domestically their league is the best with great deal of depth, other teams domestic league not as deep in addition you would think alot especially in Europe in Quarantine so won't be training even for months.

Imagine WCQ, SYS, WMY 12 months down the track, could easily overtake their team mates. Ranking pretty much starts from fresh too.

I think when things return to normal alot of changes would of happened.

---

HT and LYJ are still teenagers and going up fast. ML is already 32 with an injury ridden knee and past his prime. A one-year time span at this juncture can be devastating to ML.
Mima has the best spot this year as the number 2 player and a legit opportunity to crab the gold. I’m afraid it will be much more difficult next year.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TTLOVE

now that the OG Will take place in 2021, the winners of 2021 wttc will be selected to play for singles. Therefore XX still has a chance to play in the single event. Ma Long will play anyway (if his physical condition are good enough)

---

Interesting point. WTTC can indeed be a dominant factor if it’s held at least two months prior to the Games.

Free bird

.....Mima has the best spot this year as the number 2 player and a legit opportunity to crab the gold. I’m afraid it will be much more difficult next year.

I agree .. China will do everything possible to make it nr.5 ..

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Free bird

HT and LYJ are still teenagers and going up fast. ML is already 32 with an injury ridden knee and past his prime. A one-year time span at this juncture can be devastating to ML.
Mima has the best spot this year as the number 2 player and a legit opportunity to crab the gold. I’m afraid it will be much more difficult next year.

---

1 year is a long time to make calls on who is playing except Japanese team who already said sticking with same 6.

Hopefully this all clears up soon and good lead up towards the games hopefully maybe good 10 months of lead up and tournament play so we can get good indication and idea of where players are at.

ITTF 29.3.2020

.... Freezing of ITTF Ranking lists as of March 2020 and further evaluation of all implications related to the postponement of events, travel restrictions and other complications, with scope for further decisions on potentially necessary adjustments....


Does this mean that the April rating will not be?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vlad Celler

ITTF 29.3.2020

.... Freezing of ITTF Ranking lists as of March 2020 and further evaluation of all implications related to the postponement of events, travel restrictions and other complications, with scope for further decisions on potentially necessary adjustments....


Does this mean that the April rating will not be?

---

I wonder what these adjustments will be, surely rankings is one as mentioned.

Tokyo 2021 will commence July but players might not resume action for maybe another 6 months

Yes, it’s interesting ... After all, the results of Pro-tours cannot be extended indefinitely ....How will they cancel? Gradually? In just a few months?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vlad Celler

Yes, it’s interesting ... After all, the results of Pro-tours cannot be extended indefinitely ....How will they cancel? Gradually? In just a few months?

---

Good question, guess they will discuss that all and try come up with fair solution. BTW this is nothing compared to mess FIFA is in

- local league schedules
- champions league & Europa league schedule
- euro 2021 qualifiers
- world cup qualifers

All delayed, I think ITTF has more simple task not saying not complex

CNT: Ito is going to knock SYS to No. 3 in April. Can't let that happen.
ITTF: Alrighty, we'll freeze the ranking as of March and spin a story.
JNT: ...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by zeio

CNT: Ito is going to knock SYS to No. 3 in April. Can't let that happen.
ITTF: Alrighty, we'll freeze the ranking as of March and spin a story.
JNT: ...

---

Not easy calls considering the circumstances.

Imagine July 2021 comes and players preparation is limited, might have say 5 months of tournament lead up play, how do you determine true rankings. Head to Head SYS is leading Mima
Ranking Mima is/was on track to overtake

This situation is complicated and can imagine whatever solution they come up will be crazy and filled with controversy.

ITTF Rankings update

01 Apr 2020

Due to the current suspension of ITTF events in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rankings for April 2020 will be evaluated and released later in the month, then frozen until activities resume.

The current ITTF Rankings remain the same as those released in March 2020, due to the need to further evaluate all implications related to the postponement of ITTF events, travel restrictions and other complications, with scope for further decisions on potentially necessary adjustments.

As soon as the ITTF Executive Committee passes judgement on the above, expected to be no later than 15 April 2020, the April 2020 ITTF Rankings will be released.

Once released, the ITTF Rankings will be frozen again until activities eventually resume.

The ranking points corresponding to events that took place in March 2020 will be taken into consideration and added to the ITTF Rankings before the April 2020 edition is released.

Regarding the 2020 ITTF Challenge Polish Open, which was suspended after the first stage was completed and before the main draw started, a decision will be made on how the ranking points will be distributed.

Further updates on the ITTF Rankings will be communicated after a new Executive Committee decision is in place.

A separate communication will be released about the ITTF Para Rankings.