Zhang Jike CONFIRMED and will play singles at Rio Olympics 2016!

After weeks of speculation and various articles surfacing across the web, table tennis fans across the world have been awaiting eagerly on who Team CHINA will select for the singles event at the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio. A popular discussion took place on TTD with many users trying to work out who Liu will pick. Ma Long secured a singles spot with his victory at the Asian Cup. The second singles position has been between Zhang Jike and Xu Xin. Liu Guoliang today announced Zhang Jike will join Ma Long in the singles event and Xu Xin will join the players in the team event.



Men

Singles - Ma Long and Zhang Jike
Team - Ma Long, Zhang Jike and Xu Xin

Women

Singles - Li Xiaoxia and Ding Ning
Team - Li Xiaoxia, Ding Ning and Liu Shiwen

Reigning Olympic Champion Zhang Jike will get a chance to defend his title at the Rio Olympics 2016. Do you agree with the selection?

Zhang Jike will get a chance to defend his title. Relive the moment from London 2012 below by youtuber SpinClips

It doesn't matter if I or anyone else agrees or not; LGL knows better. Though, I have written my thoughts in the other thread, I had predicted this decision and personally I like it.

The list from china site released a couple of days ago, Zhangjike was placed at the second place followed by Malong, which means he will play the men's singles according to the Chinese system. Xuxin will play the team matches.



GO Zhangjike!

With all due respect I don't think that they "rightfully deserve medals". Nobody rightfully deserves anything unless they actually win it. XX and LSW are great but for some reason they lacked a tiny bit of something to gain their coaches' choice.
Of course there could be more spots for each country, but those are the rules and the concept of the Olympic Games is not only the best players to be there, but also as many countries and peoples as possible to be represented.

Yes, you are right, for some athletes it's sad and hard, though I always think Olympics as something different, something much more multi-dimensional, than each sport's World Championships. Maybe top-ranked players or top-ranked countries or at least the reigning champions should be awarded with extra places.
But on the other hand, competitive sports are a matter of one spot, one tournament, one point, one millimeter, one millisecond and that is sometimes unfair but is also part of the sports' magic; you have to fight every single moment cause you don't know if you will be given another chance.

Originally Posted by Sali

ZJK or XX - prefer XX but ZJK can be. But not picking up women ranked no 1 in the world is outrageous. I understand that Liu is not the best regarding nerves but still she deserves much more then ding ning who had the opportunity last time and failed.

There was an Olympic trial tournament. Kong Linghui was very disappointed with Liu Shiwen's performance against Doi Kem. It's the kind of loss that can have coach's scratching their heads. To compound LSW's issues, LXX won the trial. Had Ding Ning won, LSW would have had a chance, but with LXX winning, that was all she wrote.

The same with XX. Losing to CCY at the trials sealed his fate. Had he reached the final, then he could have had a chance.

The one thing I would say about the 2 player max from each country for singles: there is only one country that has more than two players who deserve to go to the singles event. It is sad that that is the case. China has 4 that really could be considered. Most other countries have one that should be considered and another 1 or 2 who would fill out their team so they can play the team event. Japan, Korea, and Germany have 2 players that deserve a shot in the singles event. No other country is even 2 deep on their roster. But Japan and Germany don't really have a 3rd player. And Korea has a few older players who don't play as much, but, who, in some ways may be better than the Korean younger generation. In spite of lower world ranking or not even appearing on the World Ranking because of inactivity the older generation Korean players may still have something over the younger generation.

So, unfortunately, allowing China to send 3 would probably mean 3 medals for China and none for any other country. I don't like the way this has been sorted out. And it would be nice if there was more talent outside China in table tennis. But this is the reality of the situation. It is also why China does not send too many of its provincial players to world events. There are really another several players from China who could be in the World's top 10 if they had the exposure in World Tour play.

So, does anyone have any other ideas of how to run the Olympic Singles Event where all the top players who deserve to be there can play, without one country winning all the medals? It is a testament to the level of talent in China that they have 4 guys who really are better than anyone else entering the event. And really probably could have several more. And no other country can actually field more than 2 that have a shot at placing in the top 4!

Originally Posted by anchorschmidt

I understand what you mean, but I think it's unfair that the bronze medal match in 2012 happened between Chuang Chih Yhuan and Dimitrij Ovtcharov while a player of Ma Long's calibre was sitting out. It also cheapens the medal in my point of view. Timo Boll's and Michael Maze's bronze medals at the WTTC are greater achievements than D.O. Bronze medal for precisely this reason.

Of course there should be a limit but the Olympics were fine when 3 players from each country were playing till 2008. Also, no one really cares about what happens before the round of 32 (where pretty much the same players play that we know of). I can't recall a single memorable match from any Olympic games that happened before the round of 32.

It's a good thing that unknown players get a chance but I think it's a bigger tragedy that players who have worked so hard and are so good have to sit out.

amen.

Also from TableTennista, this is not an official announcement yet...