http://www.xinhuanet.com/sports/2018-11/12/c_1123698654.htm, courtesy of Google Translate
Liu Guoliang: The crisis of Chinese women's table tennis is far more than expected
Xinhua News Agency, Linz, Austria, November 11 (Reporter Liu Xiang) "The two rounds of the Swedish Open and the Austrian Open are very meaningful. The current crisis of Chinese women's table tennis is far greater than what everyone sees and expects." China Liu Guoliang, vice chairman of the Table Tennis Association, told Xinhua News Agency on the 11th after the end of the Austrian Open of the ITTF World Tour.
Japanese player Ito Meicheng won the championship in the Swedish Open at the Swedish Open, including Liu Shiwen, Ding Ning and Zhu Yuling. In the final, Zhu Yuling was defeated 4:0 in the final. These few balls made Liu Guoliang, who was watching the game, feel "shocked". He had some "unexpected" for his opponents and his team members.
Liu Guoliang said that after the Swedish Open, the Chinese team had a new understanding of the level and confrontation between the Chinese and Japanese women's table tennis. "I believe that it is also for the Japanese team. Competitive sports are dynamic, and you can't take the mold of the past."
"I am sitting here and thinking, if this is Tokyo (Olympic Games), maybe we have no time to say goodbye and lose. This situation is possible, but before the two races we can not think of it." Liu Guoliang said.
In the women's doubles final of the day, the Chinese team combination Chen Xingtong/Sun Yingsha lost to the Japanese group Honda Hina/Ito Mei. Liu Guoliang said: "Before the women's doubles match, we know that it is not good to play. We have no advantage. The score of 0:3, we have no chance to win."
Regardless of the technology, the athlete's own temperament, willpower, and upward momentum are no better than the opponent. The Chinese team relies more on their previous successful experiences. They rely more on team and technology to compete with the Chinese table tennis culture. Liu Guoliang said: "Although it is not yet time to sum up the overall planning, but I am very fortunate that these two races, at least let us see a lot."
Japanese women's table tennis has already stepped out of the camps of Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore and other teams. It is higher than these teams and is closely following the Chinese women's table tennis. Liu Guoliang said that the advantage of the Chinese women's table tennis against other opponents is seven or three. After two races, Liu Guoliang and the Chinese team coaching team felt that the variables were large.
Liu Guoliang said that Ito Meicheng has been valued and researched by the Chinese team for more than two years. She is strong and has the ability to grasp the fighters and can compete with any player in the Chinese team. Under the premise of being valued by the Chinese team, she still has such a high winning rate, not accidental. But this does not mean that she can swept the Chinese team.
Liu Guoliang believes that Ito Meicheng has not yet matured and is "in the rising and turbulent period, I don't think she knows what it can be." The Japanese team is also observing, and I don’t know what Ito Meicheng can develop. Ito Meicheng is a variable that may fluctuate up and down. The Japanese team certainly hopes to use this "fire point" to expand to the surface. For the Chinese women's table tennis, how to suppress this very concentrated "fire point."
Compared with women's ping-pong, the male ping pattern has not changed much compared with more than a year ago. The overall strength of Germany, Japan and South Korea is no different.
At the Swedish Open, Ito Meicheng brought shock to Liu Guoliang and prompted Liu Guoliang to choose to change at the Austrian Open and try to exchange male and female coaches. He believes that changes in measures and means can change the mindset of athletes and coaches, coaching habits, and let the whole team live and move.
China Ping Pong has the best team, the best athletes and coaches, and the rich resources and talent pool should be shared. "Resources are here, and if they don't integrate, they won't work." Liu Guoliang chose to change, break thinking and habits, allow trial and error, and not value the wins and losses in the Open. "When you are shocked by your opponent, you must maintain this confidence and lucidity."
Liu Guoliang "returned" in September this year and served as the leader of the preparatory work group for the ninth session of the newly established China Table Tennis Association and presided over the work of the association. "After more than a year, I can't take my past understanding of table tennis and the judgment of the team to determine the future development. The world table tennis competition is dynamic, and there will be a big difference between the team, the coach and the athlete. Change. I am afraid that I am derailed or inaccurate with this dynamic."
Liu Guoliang said that after the observation, there is an accurate positioning, and then think about future development and deployment, and do top-level design and overall planning. If the big directional and strategic things are right, there will be no big problems.
