Ma Long interviews, matches and beyond

On May 6, Ma Long led Team China to beat Team Germany by 3-0 in the final of 2018 WTTTC. This is the 21st time for Team China to lift the Swaythling Cup and an unprecedented 7th time for Ma Long. Ma Long also wins his 21st world champion title. Only Wang Nan has won more world champion titles (24) than him.
In the first set, Ma Long beat Timo Boll by 3-0 (11:4, 11:8, 11:3). In the second set, Fan Zhendong swept Ruwen Filus by 3-0 (11:4, 11:5, 11:4). In the third set, Xu Xin overcame Patrick Franziska by 3-1 (9:11, 12:10, 11:7, 11:5).









In the post-match interview and press conference, Ma Long was satisfied with his performance. "I always think Timo Boll and I are on par. I watched his matches yesterday and his form was great. Today I played more proactively. Timo Boll's style is very similar to mine. When I played with him, I feel like playing with another self. I feel lucky that I took initiative in the beginning of the match and gave him great pressure when I caught up from 4:7 in the second game." "It is hard to find special techniques and tactics against Timo Boll. I have to excel in the basics and foundations and cannot just wait for his unforced errors."

Reviewing the whole tournament, he said, "I think this is the most nervous WTTTC for me. Like soldiers, the more battles you have experienced, the more you are worried about. I felt tense and Xu Xin, who is my roommate this time, also sensed that." "For this tournament, I tried to tell myself not to think about the record of consecutive 3-0 wins that people discussed about. Sometimes I had the feeling to drop one game when I was behind and get fully settled. I did not play well in the quarterfinal but I am glad I won at last. It reminded me of getting rid of the pressure and avoiding problems in the semifinal and final."

"I thought about the (cradle) celebration gesture before and I felt like doing it in such a big moment after I won." The celebration video went viral on the internet. He said, "I did not expect that. Don't follow me."
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"I am glad to win WTTTC again. It is not only my efforts but also the whole team including the players on the bench. 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games is not too far and not too near from now. I need to make a plan to win the ticket for 2020."
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When Adam Bobrow asked, he is said to be the best table tennis player in the world, does he think so? If not, who is?
Ma Long smiled and answered, "Whoever stands across the table against me is the SECOND best on the planet earth."
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Coach Liu Guozheng thought Ma Long performed exceptionally well and opened up the situation as Team China did not expect the fixture of Team Germany before the match. Ma Long played an indispensable role as the captain, the backbone and the leader of the team. When there were difficulties, he always stood out and fought the first. He is a really great player.
During the commentary, Coach Liu Guoliang mentioned that Ma Long has the best counter-loop, so did Kong Linghui. He joked that Ma Long and Kong Linghui might forget their last name but never forget counter-loop.

Fans holding banners

Ma Long sent his jersey and flower bouquet to the lucky boy who rooted for him at 2017 men's World Cup as well


Successfuly Team Beijing

Mission completed as Team China made history to win World Team Championships for 9 times consecutively and 21 times in total. The news hit the headlines in People's Daily and other mainstream media. The live broadcast of WTTTC 2018 men's team final in CCTV Sports channel topped in viewership rating among all channels.




Ma Long updated his Sina Weibo sharing photos with the whole team and Halmoo and said, "Time flies and another two years passed. We once again defend the title of honor. The process was tough but the result is perfect. Thank you all for the efforts and thank LiNing and DHS for the supporting. We still have a bright future ahead. Let's go."
He posted on 7:21 am with 7 stickers on the photos and 21 emojis in the text. Is it a coincidence or did he plan it out (his 7th WTTTC champion and Team China's 21st WTTTC men's champion)? You decide.






When Ma Long was asked what he wanted to do after winning WTTTC 2018, he said, "Take some rest." How about a sea bath and some beer?

Congratulations to Team China as 21-time World Team Championships winner!



Congratulations to Ma Long as the first ever 7-time World Team Champion and the first ever male 21-time world champion!



When Ma Long was 17 years old, he started the journey of WTTTC. The youngest in the team in 2006 and the eldest in 2018, he has been growing up with the victorious team, from the young blood joining the team to the backbone leading the team. In his 7 WTTTC participation, he played thirty-five times including thirty-two 3:0 / one 3:1/ one 3:2 victories, and one 2:3 defeat. Since 2012, he has served as A/Y player (ABC vs XYZ playing system) in the final of 4 WTTTC, an honor and a duty. He gained WTTTC MVP after scoring twice in the final of WTTTC 2014. He also made a record winning streak of 22 matches without dropping a single game.


2006 Wang Liqin, Ma Long, Chen Qi, Liu Guoliang, Wang Hao, Ma Lin

2008 Ma Long, Chen Qi, Wang Liqin, Liu Guoliang, Wang Hao, Ma Lin

2010 First row, Zhang Jike, Chen Qi (practice partner), Wang Hao, Ma Long, Ma Lin, Xu Xin; second row, Qin Zhijian, Wu Jingping, Liu Guoliang, Li Xiaodong, Xiao Zhan

2012 Ma Lin, Ma Long, Wang Hao, Liu Guoliang, Zhang Jike, Xu Xin

2014 Fan Zhendong, Wang Hao, Ma Long, Liu Guoliang, Zhang Jike, Xu Xin

2016 Zhang Jike, Ma Long, Liu Guoliang, Xu Xin, Fan Zhendong, Fang Bo

2018 Fan Zhendong, Xu Xin, Liu Guozheng, Ma Long, Lin Gaoyuan, Wang Chuqin



WTTTC 2014 MVP

CCTV Daily news (Xinwen Lianbo), one of the world's most-watched TV programmes, reported the result of WTTTC 2018 men's team final on May 7 evening.



Coaches and teammates congratulated Ma Long commenting on his Weibo post. Li Xiaoxia teased him, "Solid, so solid. You must feel lonely being invincible... However, I just want to tell you that you may drop the baby if you hold like that." Coach Liu Guoliang said, "I am waiting for you at Tiananmen Square in Beijing". Coach Qin Zhijian said, "It must be sunny when you come back to Beijing. There will be sun and rainbow when clouds clear up."



Ma Long liked Coach Liu Guoliang's post reviewing Team China's 9 consecutive victories in the past 9 editions of WTTTC. In 2001, Liu Guoliang was one of the players who regained the trophy for Team China. From 2004 to 2016, he was the men's team coach who led Team China to defend the title again and again. In 2018, he was no longer on Team China but still contributed to the sport by commentating on Zhibo TV, and attracted hundreds of millions of viewers watching live.



In Coach Qin Zhijian's Weibo post, he made a lineup of action figures resembling Team China. How do you think? Actually Ma Long started collecting action figures since he received an action figure as a gift from Coach Qin Zhijian.

Team Beijing enjoyed themselves after both victories.





As Ma Long expected, it was sunny when he came back to Beijing on May 8.

Ma Long's best shots at WTTTC2018


On May 10, China National Team was invited to CCTV-1 Saturday Night Show "The Reader" and Ma Long was practicing reading an essay "Walk to the light" written by Chinese writer Zheng Zhenduo in 1926.

During CCTV Sports live interview "Wind Cloud Meeting" on May 10, Coach Liu Guozheng and Ma Long reviewed WTTTC 2018.

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Finally announced, Liu Guozheng is Ma Long's current coach. It was reported that Ma Long's previous coaches Qin Zhijian and Ma Lin have left China National Team since Jan 2018 as a consequence of 2017 China Open incident. Not until mid Apr during the closed training was Coach Liu Guozheng seen working with Ma Long on training.
When host Zhang Bin asked how Coach Liu Guozheng coaches Ma Long, he said, "We rather help each other. I always ask myself, what can I do for him? Whatever he needs from me, I will try my best to do it and make it the best. I think Ma Long is such an outstanding and great player that all of us coaches as well as players shall learn from him, being self-disciplined, responsible and reliable." "Our team is in a great form, young and bound. Ma Long plays a vital role to make the team solidary. He is the captain and the backbone and helps build a cohesive team. With such cohesion, I believe the team will have the power to fight." In response to such compliments, Ma Long said, "That's what the captain should do."






Ma Long also talked about his experiences and changes during the past year. Why he thinks losing 2 games to Robert Gardos is a big relief? What his baby son brings him? What he thinks of making more records? Stay tuned for our full translation of the interview.

Do you know when Ma Long and Liu Guozheng played doubles together?
Hint: must be a long time ago




On May 11, Ma Long shared a photo with Coaches Liu Guoliang, Qin Zhijian, Ding Ning, Fan Zhendong, Liu Shiwen and Wang Chuqin on his Sina Weibo, "Greet friends with tea. The intellectuals drink tea and I am learning. Xu Xin, you had better drink less milk tea in the future."
Coach Qin Zhijian commented that Coach Liu Guoliang made "Champion tea" and Ma Long's gesture of receiving tea is quite standard. He also teased Xu Xin by saying Ma Long is better than him in tea ceremony while he is better than Ma Long in singing. They should drink tea and leave the milk to Baby Dragon.
Ma Lin explained the meaning of the gesture, "Captain Long is improving his level. This gesture expresses gratitude to teacher."
Xu Xin, who is in Shanghai not in Beijing, complained and asked for a get-together in Shanghai to show his level in tea ceremony.
What a happy time!

On May 12, Ma Long shared a video of People's Daily in memory of the devastating earthquake in Wenchuan, Sichuan Province ten years ago and in review of people rebuild home and heal. He said, "Ten years passed and Wenchuan is reborn. Best wishes to Wenchuan. Heroes will be memorized."
When the disaster happened, it was reported that China National Team was attending 2008 China Open in Changchun and was shocked by the news. Coaches and players immediately made donations and sent out their wishes to people in need. Coach Liu Guoliang first donated 100 thousand CNY and so did Olympians Wang Hao, Ma Lin and Wang Liqin. Young players Ma Long and Chen Qi also donated 50 thousand CNY each.
It is the tradition of China National Team to give and share love.

Guess who is Ma Long's opponent in this Super League match back in 2005? Hint: His style may look familiar.
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Ma Long in CCTV Sports live interview "Wind Cloud Meeting" from 2012 to 2018 (usually after major tournaments). Spot the differences



Learn from pain and criticism.
Ma Long in 2006 WTTTC trial, on the way to his first World Team Champion



During the first China National Team trial for WTTTC on air in 2006, Ma Long injured his left ankle during a match against Chen Qi and lost that match. He was criticized by Coach Liu Guoliang in public that he should not lose just because of the injury. From then on, Ma Long barely mentions his injuries.

On May 17, China National Team visited National Museum of China in Beijing for the exhibition The Road of Rejuvenation (China 1840-present).
Ma Long told journalists that as a history lover, he was very excited to see some rare materials and the visit was just too short. Ma Long said he will keep trying to bring glory to the nation and he hopes everyone can do the best job and contribute to the nation's rejuvenation.

Finally the thread is fixed!

20180517 Ma Long interview at National Museum of China
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20180518 Ma Long feeding Xu Chenhao multiball
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20180520 Olympic channel on Sina Weibo asked people to express love on 5.20 as Ma Long did as 5.20 sounds similar to "I love you" in Chinese.
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20180520 Colorful shoes from LiNing




Singaporean singer JJ Lin is one of Ma Long's favorite singers. On May 20 night, Ma Long went to JJ Lin Sanctuary World Tour in Beijing, and wrote on Sina Weibo, "The concert is so high. My throat is dried out." He was seen to leave the concert early as China National Team calls roll on Sunday night





On May 21, China National Team watched movie Goal, which is based on a true story of a soccer team in a primary school in Sichuan recovering and enterprising after 2008 Sichuan Earthquake. Ma Long and Ding Ning sent gifts to the cast.
Ma Long told journalists that he was quite moved by scenes that children grew up with the sport and cheered up each other when training in the rain. He said, "In the movie, sports give children courage in face of catastrophe, and teach them to overcome hardship with positivity and never give up. I feel the same way."

Be careful with Yinhe "Dragon 8S" blade which is advertised as Ma Long's blade and sold for almost 400 USD, without consent!

On May 22, Ma Long wrote on his Sina Weibo to protect his rights from a misleading advertisement by Yinhe. Yinhe used his image to promote a new product "Dragon 8S" stating that it is used by him during Super League, without his consent.
"During Super League, I used the blade of my teammate once. The company made a commercial out of it. I hope you don't get misled by their commercial with my photo as background and some misleading descriptions. It is like edge ball. On the court, we ask umpire to decide disputed edge ball. Off the court, I will consult legal professionals to deal with such unauthorized use."



DHS sports showed a picture of Ma Long's current blade and said, "Table tennis community needs positive energy. DHS will always support China National Team and support Ma Long. Go, Team China". Coach Qin Zhijian also showed his collection of Hurricane Long 5.

ESPN just released 2018 100 most famous athletes in the world, based on search score, endorsements and social media followers.
http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/page/WorldFame/espn-world-fame-100-2018


Once again Ma Long is on the list, #82 in overall ranking. His search score is 100, the same as Cristiano Ronaldo (#1 in overall ranking), ranked #10 among 2018 ESPN Fame 100.

CCTV-1 Saturday Night Show "The Reader" trailer featuring China National Team in celebration of 30-year anniversary of table tennis as a summer Olympic sport since 1988. Ma Long read an essay "Walk to the light" by Chinese writer Zheng Zhenduo and a poem "Vois, cette branche est rude, elle est noire" by Victor Hugo.

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