MA LIN World Number 1?

I think Zhang Jike is injured. Because he didn't gave it his all here, that was obvious I think.

agree with wiwa about zhang but yes Ma lin in the china open was electrifying his main chalenge is wango hao lets see

Yeah, it seems that Zhang Jike is injured..
Nevertheless, Ma Lin seems to be on fire and I think the only method to kill his "fire" is Wang Hao. So, we call Wang Hao, the Icecold Water

Ma Lin was awesome at the China Open! Unbelievably good!

yea if you watch Zhang can basically not push off his left leg...I think his knee is injured

Ma Lin might be hot right now but it is interesting that, although we know he wanted to win a world championship, he did not. He is playing well. But I am not sure that he will get to the # 1 slot. The current ranking has him at 4, over 100 points behind Zhang Jike and almost 200 points behind Wang Hao. He would have to cover a lot of ground to pick up that many more points than the three players ahead of him. And the question is, how long will he be hot for. He won the China Open: 1 tournament so far this year? Did he win any other tournaments? One tournament and a good match in the super league would not say much. He would have to win several more tournaments to be #1. Xu Xin won several tournaments at the beginning of the year and everyone was thinking he was on fire and then what happened? I like Ma Lin and the way he plays but I am not sure you will see him ranked #1.

Zhang Jike gained 141 points for winning the world championships but Wang Hao gained 73 points for being in the finals and Timo Boll picked up 56 points for being in the semi-finals. So as long as those guys are all picking up points Ma Lin would have to consistently win a lot of tournaments before he passed them since he is 170 points behind Wang Hao right now. That would mean a few months worth of hot streak.

No sir, thats my answer..
Unless he could play like China Open everytime..

I'm with above. Ma Lin is a great table tennis player, but I don't think he has a consistent 'world number 1' form. He now and then shows us all he still has it by beating everyone, but in the long run a return to world number 1 I believe is a low probability and even if it does happen I can't see it lasting very long at all. No disrespect to Ma Lin hes inspirational to players worldwide and an amazing player, but I don't think he has enough potential left in him to go much higher

Rhydian said:

Yeah, it seems that Zhang Jike is injured..
Nevertheless, Ma Lin seems to be on fire and I think the only method to kill his "fire" is Wang Hao. So, we call Wang Hao, the Icecold Water

Click to expand...

I don't know about claiming Wang Hao as the ice cold water that will cool Ma Lin's fire. Ma Lin has a great record against Wang Hao, despite having a significantly weaker backhand. In big events, Ma Lin out performs Wang Hao all the time.

I have to agree with Carl, he is doing really well, but I don't think he has the drive and the energy to reach number 1 anymore.

As a Ma Lin fan, I of course want him to be no. 1 again...but it will be tough.
2 comments:
-Ma Lin is unexpectedly powerful, may be his rubber is somehow "treated"?
-ZJK: not a consistent and mentally tough player yet.

@scylla24: Indeed, you're right, if we look behind, then Ma Lin has always well perfomed against Wang Hao. The matches are very good and intense!
If we look at his retard in the ranking to the others, then, to become no. 1 again, Ma Lin has to show very good performance for along period. So he gains points and can try to reach the throne again. It won't be easy and, sorry for the Ma Lin fans, but after thinking about it, I presume that Ma Lin won't be number one again unless there happens something ^^

Ma Lin has climbed one spot to no. 3 in the July world ranking.