Ma Long interviews, matches and beyond

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Ma Long recording Ping Ping Pong Pong theme song for WTTC 2019
The lyrics said,
"Right now I want to give myself a big hand.
Many times I felt like giving up but kept fighting in the end.
The power from my heart is formidable,
to make China table tennis invincible."

Ping-pong diplomacy! On Apr 19, Team China and Team USA met in the Main Hall of ITTFWorlds2019 to practice together and tried to help each other on the bidding for ITTFWorlds2021 (Houston, USA) and ITTFWorlds2022 (Chengdu, China).
Ma Long practiced with Kanak Jha. When asked what he discussed with Kanak Jha in English, he said, "I first asked him if he had warmed up (to avoid injury) because we only had 30 minutes and I want to do some hands-on practice with him such as attack after serve." He also commented, "Last year he beat Wong Chun-Ting in the Team World Cup and played tight with Lin Gaoyuan in men's World Cup. I feel Team USA is stronger than I thought during today's training."
Kanak Jha said after the training, "It was a great honor to play Ma Long, obviously. He is the best player in the world. It's really fun, and great experience." He also asked Coach Liu Guoliang, "Who will win if Jan-Ove Waldner and Ma Long played with old ball?" Coach Liu said, "Twenty years ago, Jan-Ove Waldner. Now, surely Ma Long. In ten years, hopefully you!"
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Not an easy draw for Ma Long / Wang Chuqin in men's doubles in ITTFWorlds2019. Can Ma Long get better luck in the upcoming singles draw?

Each team is scheduled to practice once in the Main Hall before ITTFWorlds2019 starts. Ma Long asked Fan Zhendong to be his training partner, "Because he is World No.1"
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For men's singles draw, Ma Long got #48, the same quarter with Hugo Calderano, Jun Mizutani and Lin Gaoyuan. Fan Zhendong and Liang Jingkun are in the same half.
Ma Long thought it halfway to success to attend ITTFWorlds2019 without withdrawal because his injury recovery is better than expected. The competition in the top half is more intense as it is filled with many teammates.
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In the interview after the draw ceremony, he added, "Whoever stands across the table against me might experience the highest pressure."

On Apr 22, Ma Long / Wang Chuqin beat Czech's Tomas Polansky / Pavel Sirucek by 4-1 (8:11, 15:13, 11:9, 11:3, 11:4) in the first round of men's doubles at ITTFWorlds2019. The first three sets were quite intense. In the post-match interview, Wang Chuqin said he was nervous and made many unforced errors as a newcomer to the big event. Ma Long thought the result was normal. They were not familiar with the opponents and the venue. They were prepared for a tough match. Getting through the first three sets, they played more comfortably.
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Next round on Apr 23, Ma Long / Wang Chuqin will face Hong Kong's Lam Siu Hang / Ng Pak Nam. Ma Long will face Serbia's Aleksandar Karakasevic in the first round of men's singles.

On Apr 23, Ma Long beat 43-year-old Aleksandar Karakasevic by 4-0 (11:6, 11:4, 11:6, 11:3) in the first round of men's singles at ITTFWorlds2019. Next round, he will meet Kanak Jha.
Here are some post-match interview Q&As.
Q: You have not played with your opponent before. Have you heard of him?
A: Yes. I have met him in person before.
Q: Do you find his style different from modern style?
A: I don't think a style should be considered out of date in sports. If one can make the best out of a style, he can reach the top level. My opponent may not train systematically due to his age, or his style allows him to play powerfully but also causes a lot of unforced errors.
Q: Your opponent once beat Liu Guoliang at ITTFWorlds1997. What were you doing then?
A: Ask some real questions ... (The journalist insisted) I was watching him beating Coach Liu!
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Ma Long / Wang Chuqin beat Lam Siu Hang / Ng Pak Nam by 4-0 (11:7, 11:8, 11:6, 11:8) in the second round of men's doubles and will meet Chinese Taipei's Chuang Chih-Yuan / Chen Chien-An.
After the match, as Ma Long went to prepare for the next match, Wang Chuqin told the journalist that he was playing better than yesterday. Ma Long tried to make him relaxed and told him not to worry about the placement, just put the ball on the table and Ma Long would take care. Wang Chuqin will try not to drop a set to save Ma Long's energy for singles event.

A tough match against 18-year-old Kanak Jha in R64 while Ma Long won by 4-1 (8:11, 11:6, 11:7, 14:12, 11:6). In the fourth set, Ma Long led 9:5 and called time-out at 9:7 and seemed determined to win the set to ensure 3-1 lead. However, the plan did not work out and Kanak Jha kept catching up and got a setpoint on his serve.What should Ma Long do at this crucial point? CCTV Sports commentators thought he should make a change on receive. Do backhand flick (instead of push) without hesitation. To their surprise, Ma Long made a forehand flickshot. Kanak Jha was as much surprised because Ma Long did not flick ever on the receive before when he reviewed the match in Liebherr Live.
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On Apr 24, Ma Long beat Vladimir Samsonov by 4-1 (11:6 , 7:11, 11:6, 11:3, 11:8) in R32. This is their 13th encounter since 2005 when Ma Long started to play senior tournaments on international stage. Believe it or not, Vladimir Samsonov is the only player outside Team China who beat Ma Long more than 4 times (head-to-head 5-8).
Ma Long / Wang Chuqin booked the quarterfinal position of men's doubles after beating Chuang Chih-Yuan / Chen Chien-An by 4-0 (11:5, 11:6, 11:8, 12:10). They will play against Jeoung Youngsik / Lee Sangsu on Apr 25. Before that, Ma Long will play against Hugo Calderano in the R16 of men's singles.

Ma Long's recap after the match against Kanak Jha.
Q: I felt that your opponent played aggresive and risky during the whole match. Can you comment?
A: I don't think he play aggresive and risky all the time. I gave him too much room. I haven't played with him before but I studied his games and also practiced with him once. He is stronger than I expected.
Q: How do you estimate your form is now?
A: It is hard to estimate. I think it is more important to be focused during the match and solve the problems encountered on the court. I don't think much about whether I am in a good form or a bad form.
Q: What's the main reason to lose the first set?
A: I played too safe. I led 3:0 and tried to control my opponent. His style is more Asian style, well-rounded. I wanted to find his weakness quickly to control but failed. I also had a lot of unforced errors.
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Ma Long's recap after the match against Vladimir Samsonov.
Q: Can you comment on your performance?
A: I played more proactively than yesterday. Samsonov is a gold testing stone for one's form and nerves. He is very good at control. In the first two sets or three, I gave him a lot of room to play aggresive and that's why the match was tight in the first half.
Q: What did Coach Qin Zhijian and you discuss when calling time-out at 9:5 in the fifth set?
A: Slow down the pace. I established advantage in the latter half of the match. I told myself to be patient and not with haste.
Q: How do you prepare for the next round?
A: Most likely I will face Hugo Calderano. He has improved a lot in recent years. Last Grand Finals, he beat Fan Zhendong. I will expect a tough match.

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On Apr 25, Ma Long beat Hugo Calderano by 4-1 (8:11 , 11:8, 11:1, 11:3, 11:8) in R16 and will meet Lin Gaoyuan in the quarterfinal of ITTFWorlds2019 men's singles. In the post-match interview, he said the second set was crucial. He was lucky enough to go through the pressure and take it to tie up. Later he found rhythm to put the opponent into control. When asked how to balance the energy in singles and doubles events, he said at this level of World Championships, the competition is not only about physical energy but also strong will. He will keep going.


Ma Long's recap on the match against Hugo Calderano
Q: Please comment on this match.
A: It is a very tough match. Especially I lost the first set and struggled in the second. When I managed to get through the pressure to win the second set, I made good adjustments.
Q: What specific adjustments?
A: I told myself to play more aggressive and loose. It is not easy to be on fire at the very beginning in this big tournament due to pressure from inside and from the opponent. When I escaped the second set, I know I have to make change.
Q: After you played Hugo Calderano in 2018 World Team Championships, you said he would be a potential threat to Team China. How do you think of his performance today?
A: He is no longer a potential threat but a real threat. Today he made some changes to his routine techniques and tactics. He generally plays backhand flicks. But today he flicked less and tried to control the majority on receive. It made me not comfortable at the beginning.
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Ma Long / Wang Chuqin beat Jeoung Youngsik / Lee Sangsu by 4-2 (7:11, 11:6, 11:5, 8:11, 11:6, 11:9) and reached the semifinal of men's doubles. In the post-match interview, Ma Long said Wang Chuqin played well from the second set and made him play more proactively. They will prepare for a difficult semifinal against Lin Gaoyuan / Liang Jingkun.

On Apr 26, Ma Long beat Lin Gaoyuan by 4-0 (11:8, 11:9, 11:8, 11:4) in the quarterfinal of ITTFWorlds2019 men's singles. He will face Liang Jingkun in the semifinal.
In the post match interview, he said Lin Gaoyuan is a one of the toughest opponents for him so he tried to play proactively from the first set. It was crucial to grasp the opportunities in the second and third set. Reaching semifinal is better result than what he expected before the tournament.

Ma Long / Wang Chuqin beat Lin Gaoyuan / Liang Jingkun by 4-0 (12:10, 11:7, 11:7, 11:5) and reached the final of men's doubles! In the post-match interview, Ma Long said they managed to catch up and turn around the table in the first two sets. He thought Wang Chuqin played very well today. Wang Chuqin said they will prepare for a difficult final but they will fight for the victory.
On Apr 27, Ma Long will play men's doubles final at noon and men's singles semifinal in the early evening. Have a good rest tonight and keep going!

On Apr 27, Ma Long / Wang Chuqin beat Romania's Ovidiu Ionescu / Spain's Alvaro Robles by 4-1 (11:3, 8:11, 11:7, 11:3, 11:5) in the final of ITTFWorlds2019 men’s doubles. What a performance from this new pair!
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Ma Long beat Liang Jingkun by 4-1 (11:8, 6:11, 11:9, 11:9, 14:12) in the semifinal of ITTFWorlds2019 men's singles. On Apr 28, he will meet Mattias Falck in the final. This is his third World Championships final in a row, and a China-Sweden final at World Championships since 1987 between Jiang Jialiang and Jan-ove Waldner.
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Ma Long's recap of the match:
Q: Congratulations! Can you review the match?
A: I think today my opponent and I played a match of top class possible. Although I won by 4-1, in last three sets, I only won by 2-point margin. It seemed really difficult for any of us to win 1 more point. Luckily I managed to win those crucial points.
Q: How do you prepare for the final?
A: I think it will be a challenge no matter who I will play against. I have not played a foreign player in World Championships final. The pressure is higher than playing a teammate. Like what I did in the past two matches against teammates, I will put myself in a low position and take initiative to fight. I am ready for the challenge.
Q: From Qatar Open to Asian Cup to World Championships, how is your form recovered?
A: I don't know. I just play my match one after another.
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Ma Long and Wang Chuqin in the press conference after winning Iran Cup at ITTFWorlds2019
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Ma Long:
(whether he considers himself WR #1 now) “I've never thought about whether I am WR #1.”
“The closed training in the past month is very important to me. Although the amount of my training was not high (due to injury), I made improvements by
concentrating and watching my teammates practice."
"I am happy to win the doubles world championships title again. To be frank, I did not expect that Wang Chuqin and I could win before the tournament. During the closed training, Wang Chuqin mainly focused on doubles practice. On the other hand, I could not spend much time training on the court. We gradually built up form and trust during the tournament, especially after winning the quarterfinal."
Wang Chuqin:
(what he learnt from Ma Long and how Ma Long helped him) "First I am quite touched by Brother Long's spirits. He has mission to play both singles and doubles. He is no longer young and it is consuming to play two matches a day. I am concerned about his physical conditions and injuries. But in doubles match, he always gives me positive energy and encouragements. When I make some mistakes, he tries to release my pressure and tells me to simply put the ball on the table and he will take care afterwards. With him by my side, I feel calm. Even I miss a shot or give the opponents a chance, he can help me get over."

Ma Long wins three World Championships singles champion in a row! This man wins both men's doubles and singles champions at ITTFWorlds2019 after a severe injury who was even not able to run 2 months ago!
This man told the audience that he was not only fighting for himself but also for his team and for his country! He said in English, "I'm made in China!"

But if you don't know what made Ma Long withdraw multiple tournaments and what he has been through in the past 8 months, you can never imagine how deeply this man loves table tennis. A real champion and a real hero!

(There are overwhelming interviews and backstage stories to share, please stay tuned)

Before leaving for Budapest, Ma Long said he was less pressured for ITTFWorlds2019 as number 5 of Team China. After the final, he revealed that he even made himself a nickname "Long 5". While in 2019 May World Rankings, he now becomes world 5.

(Why did Ma Long burst into tears watching Liu Shiwen getting her first singles world champion but did not cry for himself after winning his third? Does Ma Long think he is the best table tennis player? What happened to Ma Long's left knee and what has he suffered before returning to the international stage? Why did Ma Long say, even if he couldn't play at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, even if he couldn't beat his opponent any more, he still wants to play table tennis? Interviews and backstage stories of Ma Long are on the way. Stay tuned.)

If you rooted for Ma Long, were you as nervous and excited as Liu Shiwen when watching him against Mattias Falck in the men's singles final at ITTFWorlds2019?
(Video by Yang_Meng_Ying @ Sina Weibo)


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Let's relive the end of the match and post-match interview. On Apr 28, Ma Long beat Mattias Falck by 4-1 (11:5, 11:7, 7:11, 11:9, 11:5) in the men's singles final.
Commentator Don Parker: It is not that long ago when potentially he thought his career was over, his table tennis, finished. Now he has been on a journey for some seven / eight months. And it accumulates in this point. That's what you can see on the screen, from being possibly written off to being the greatest player ever.
Ma Long: I was excited to win every point. I not only fought for myself but also for my team and for my country. I am made in China. Celebration? I may think of a special celebration. But for now I just want to enjoy the moment. Thank you all for rooting for me, many of you are from China and many of you are from other countries. I want to win the champion and I also want to earn your respect.
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Coach Liu Guoliang practiced with Ma Long before the final because he used to play short pips on the forehand similar to Mattias Falck.
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Here is Ma Long's post-match interview with Zhibo TV.
Q: Can you review the match?
A: I got through the challenge. My performance in terms of techniques and tactics was not as good as the previous two matches against teammates. I wanted to play more freely but it was difficult due to pressure. All in all, I made it.
Q: What did Coach Liu Guoliang tell you before the match?
A: He told me to believe in myself. I did not play against a foreign player in the final of World Championships before and the pressure was high. He said the ability of the opponent cannot be better than my teammates. He tried to reduce my pressure.
Q: Li Xiaoxia is our guest commentator. She said now you have achieved the harmony between yourself and table tennis. What do you think?
A: I think I have not reached that level. She probably reached it then retired due to loss of hunger.
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Liu Guoliang's interview with Zhibo TV on Apr 28
Q: How do you think of Ma Long's third World Championships title in a row?
A: I think Ma Long made a miracle. Before this tournament, no one has really thought about it. He has been severely injured for a long time and whether he could attend the tournament was in doubt. I think Ma Long is such a great athlete, not only judging on his achievements. Other people don't understand what he paid to overcome injuries and how he struggled to come back. His techniques are no longer overwhelmingly advantageous. He has to make better energy management. When others were in closed training, he attended Qatar Open and Asian Cup without a break. Although travel and jet lag made him tired, he still finished with a winner and a runner-up. For World Championships, he played both singles and doubles. I think he is a very positive person. He is fighting against himself.
I feel that he experienced highest pressure before the final. I told him, "The whole world is watching you, to see if you can make a miracle." I tried to encourage him and he made it. After the match, I asked him about the pressure. He said the pressure was so high that he felt stomachache and sick in the morning. Now it is done and I am quite moved by his spirits. He not only wins a victory but also inspires the whole table tennis world.