Ma Long takes last train to London

Recently, Ma Long was selected to be the Chinese delegate for the Asian Olympic Qualifier. This also means that if he would win in the trials, he will enter into the list for the Chinese Men lineup in London. With this, the current world's number one said that he hopes to ultimately participate in London and to achieve good results. Meanwhile, Ma Lin, as a sportsman himself, unconditionally accepted with the decision of the coaches.

Ma Long was in a very powerful state in the recently concluded World Team Championships in Dortmund where he didn't lose a single set in all six matches that he played. Particularly in the most critical point in the tournament where China encountered Germany, Ma Long maintained a powerful performance and completed another sweep victory against Dimitrij Ovtcharov despite the pressure from the crowd.

"I was both nervous and excited because in a big competition like this, every person has this kind of feeling. This is already my second time to be in the finals of the World Team Championships. I lost the first time so I was able to grasp the right mental state." Ma Long said in review of his performance in Dortmund.

In the Beijing Olympics, Ma Long was just a sparring partner. This year, Ma Long tries to be in the lineup and his first step towards such goal is the Asian Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

"Having to participate in the Olympic Trials also proves such strength to myself. I just hope that through my efforts, I will be able to go to London and have good results." Ma long admitted.

Meanwhile, after not being eligible for the qualification, the reigning Olympic champion Ma Lin unconditionally submitted with the arrangement of the coaching staff. In the finals of the World Team Championships in Dortmund, Ma Lin shouldered the task of a sparring partner. He said that the Olympics is the greatest game where they can represent the glory of their motherland and upholding such glory should be their ultimate goal.
This is a copy paste from this page:
Source:http://tabletennista.com/2012/4/ma-l...ain-to-london/

Originally Posted by PlasmaLight

so ma long for team event and not singles ...
germans discuss about this topic in a forum, too liu guoliang failed ...

What? Really? Wang Hao gets a chance of not being number two forever? Nice...

its not decided yet who will play which position. Ma long still can be in the singles part of olympics. May 13 (i think) is the day liu guoliang will announce who will play and in what.

It seems there are conflicting reports on whether Ma Long's participation in the Asian qualification means he can only play in the team events. The rules apparently are rather complicated.

If Ma Long cannot play in the singles, and the results all go according to world ranking then Zhang JK and Wang H will meet in the final. That means there will be a new grand slam winner (world cup/world/olympics) either case. Furthermore, if Zhang wins, then he will have done it without having to face Ma Long at all.

Ma Long deserves to be in the singles event.

Originally Posted by azlan

If Liu is constantly over looking Ma Long for the individual events, even though he is the no 1...if I was him, I would just switch allegiance and play for an European country hahahaha

If he does that, Zhang will beat him easily within a year though Both have many years to come, and unless Xu Xin gets that bit of extra they will be meeting each other in all finals for the coming championships. I'm also curious about the coming Olympics though xD. There is a sort of tradition that China sends always sends a penholder, I don't know if they are gonna stick to that when there are only 2 places available. The best thing would be that China doesn't win the Olympics singles title and then maybe countries get to send 3 players again.

Originally Posted by Carl Horowitz

I truthfully think the Olympics should be the best battling it out and that whoever the best players are, they should be able to go. It should not matter how many players from a particular country go. The Olympics is about the best athletes in the world competing against each other. It is unfortunate that they have done this. And China will still probably win 2 of the three medals in the singles event.

I absolutely agree. There is such a big difference in quality between the WTTC and the Olympics, just because of the system. The only factor in favor of the Olympics is the massive pressure because it is only once every 4 years, and the players representing their countries are expected to lift their level to the maximum. In the end it is all gonna come down to one or two matches to decide who will be the champion. 4 years of preperation are a big burden to carry when you are playing those.

I think many of you miss the point why ma long can not be in the single team (i prefer zhang jike ma long single as well)

the point is:

If wang hao is switched out of single, he can NOT even play in the team event. that's why ma long has lost the chance long time ago. and really i hate ittf or wtever it is behind this very much. because it means the olympic games wont be as fun.

the options liuguoliang has:
either
(1) zhang jike, wang hao, team: ma long

or
(2) ma long, zhang jike, team: ma lin/xu xin (NOT wang hao, wang hao is out in this case)

what you guys have been hoping for is irrelevant. Liu is definitely not stupid.

Yes, this is the best explanation so far why Ma Long is unlikely to play Singles.

I just do not understand why the rules are such. Why not the simplest approach of letting each country submit the names (singles and team) a short but reasonable time before the Games? Why make them name 2 players so far ahead, and limiting the ability to substitute. To make the rules more complicated, there really should be good reasons.