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Table Tennis World Magazine Interview: How does Ma Long prepare for 2018 WTTTC? Drink Tea, Read History and Practice English!
Q: Who is your roommate during this year's closed training camp? Who was your former roommate(s)?
Ma Long: Previously Cui Qinglei was my roommate most of the time. This year I stayed with him at the beginning and then Wang Chuqin.
Q: Which dish do you have most frequently during the closed training? (Or first food that comes to your mind?)
Ma Long: I don't have anything specific that I stick to or I don't eat. The menu keeps changing every day in the food court. Tomato juice and cucumber juice come to my mind first.
Q: What incident in the shared room do you remember best? Do you try out anything new?
Ma Long: It is the first time that I share a room with Wang Chuqin. I feel everything remains the same as before except that I drink tea instead of red wine.
I also talk with the foreign physical coaches in English, not aiming to learn English, but trying to communicate with them and get them involved. I gradually get used to chatting with them in English.
Q: How do you relax in your spare time?
Ma Long: When I wake up in the morning, I drink tea. Some people like to have unprotected sleep but I don't. I spend this period of time drinking tea and reading news. It is a new way for me to relax. I also listen to music.
Q: What do others say to you most often during the closed training?
Ma Long: Foreign physical coaches ask me every day, “How do you feel today?”. (Foreign physical coaches comment on Ma Long: Great.)
Q: Can you summarize in a few words what you have improved during the closed training?
Ma Long: Physical strengths.
Q: What have you made biggest progress on during the closed training?
Ma Long: Physical training is the best among all closed training camps. The training is more systematic with the foreign physical coaches. Although I feel tired every day after the training, I keep on physical training even on holidays. It helps prevent injuries and sickness.
Q: What do you feel most different from previous closed training camps?
Ma Long: Obviously this closed training camp is short. It was already late March when I came back from German Open. In every closed training, I feel very tired. However, towards the end, I realize that how time flies and I haven't finished certain plans. Every time it is the same feeling. Actually technical and tactical abilities are ready to keep as we practice every day. The major preparations during closed training are to stock up mental and physical strengths, to make ourselves maintain high focus. I am very devoted to the training this time although short.
Q: How do you adjust your mood and form when you meet difficulties?
Ma Long: Read books. Knowledge is power. When I am down, I read books on history. There are way more people in history who faced greater difficulties than you.
Q: If three active foreign players can form a best international team, who do you choose?
Ma Long: Timo Boll, Dimitrij Ovtcharov and Jun Mizutani.
