The Greatest Chinese Player of All-Time

Who is the best Chinese player of all time

  • Zhang Jike (2x World Champion, 2x Winner of the World Cup, Olympics Champion in 2012)

    Votes: 20 33.9%
  • Ma Long (Winner of the World Cup, Champion of the China National Games)

    Votes: 14 23.7%
  • Xu Xin (Winner of the World Cup)

    Votes: 2 3.4%
  • Wang Hao (World Champion, Winner of the World Cup)

    Votes: 3 5.1%
  • Fan Zhendong (Chinese National Championship 2014 Winner, World Junior Champion)

    Votes: 1 1.7%
  • Ma Lin

    Votes: 3 5.1%
  • Wang Liqin

    Votes: 7 11.9%
  • Chen Qi

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Kong Linghui

    Votes: 3 5.1%
  • Other (post below)

    Votes: 6 10.2%

  • Total voters
    59
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This can help, Bricephan, TTFrenzy, UpSideDownCarl.

http://tabletennista.com/2012/7/zhang-jike-is-not-as-good-as-ma-long-video/

Some important points: " Using the popular term of IQ, Ma Long rates higher than Zhang Jike in playing Table Tennis. The usual Zhang Jike is actually smart but his understanding is not that enough." Liu Guoliang explained.

In order to better explain his point, Liu Guoliang illustrates: "There are 10 kinds of rotation. Ma Long may understand 9 while Zhang Jike only understands 6 or 7. He relies greatly on his physical qualities".

I think Liu Guoliang is one who understand more accurately than anyone in this forum about ML and ZJK.
 
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This can help, Bricephan, TTFrenzy, UpSideDownCarl.

http://tabletennista.com/2012/7/zhang-jike-is-not-as-good-as-ma-long-video/

Some important points: " Using the popular term of IQ, Ma Long rates higher than Zhang Jike in playing Table Tennis. The usual Zhang Jike is actually smart but his understanding is not that enough." Liu Guoliang explained.

In order to better explain his point, Liu Guoliang illustrates: "There are 10 kinds of rotation. Ma Long may understand 9 while Zhang Jike only understands 6 or 7. He relies greatly on his physical qualities".

I think Liu Guoliang is one who understand more accurately than anyone in this forum about ML and ZJK.

Interesting article but it is from 2012 before the London's OG. Maybe things are different now or maybe Liu Guoliang thinks differently after these 2-3 years.
 
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Interesting article but it is from 2012 before the London's OG. Maybe things are different now or maybe Liu Guoliang thinks differently after these 2-3 years.


Yes. It was before London's OG but it was after ZJK' World Cup and World Championship titles. And it was also after 2 losts of ML in World Championship.
 
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UpSideDownCarl said:
The best Chinese pro player EVER recently jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge for some crazy reason. Rumor has it that it was in an attempt to win the coveted Blade Signed by Waldner, a legend himself in China and something not obtained easily.

Damn Carl, that is one heck of a revelation. :)
 
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Then what do you think if Waldner played Zhang Jike? I find this is pretty pointless to even ask you this question 'coz your imagination will go back again to the ZJK's glories and grandslam stuff, then intimately conclude that ZJK can manage the game better. However, Im sorry, who knows? He is probably even worse and just like amateur playing against Waldner.

Actually I agree with you on this. My point about Waldner had very little to do with Ma Long. I think it was said that the guys of today are better than the guys of yesterday. I think players from the 1990s could adapt to todays game and would not really be behind. I think if Waldner played one of those matches against ZJK he would probably be able to show up his weaknesses just as easily. ZJK would probably come into the match with a bad attitude and get a worse beating.

Also, you should know: I AM NOT A ZHANG JIKE FAN. I actually think he is an arrogant ass with an attitude problem which may be the worst aspect of his game. And I personally wouldn't care how many big titles he wins. It will be an unfortunate thing for table tennis if he does go down as the "best ever". The reason is, he has a complete lack of respect for his teammates and players who he thinks he is better than. I have seen him quit matches because he did not feel like playing and he did not feel like losing. When it is not a big event his attitude is totally lame. In last years China Trails for the Team WTTC, Zhang Jike finished the first round at the top, because he wanted to finish first in that trail. But then he did not even show up to play at the Team WTTC. I can't even remember who he almost lost against. But everyone remembers how badly he played in losing against Dima. Nothing against Dima. But Zhang Jike should be ashamed of himself for his behavior.

You made plenty of good points in the rest of your post Bricephan. I think TTFrenzy's post got at one thing I was saying. Ma Long's short game is not a factor against foreign players. Guys like Wang Hao were just successful at nullifying Ma Long's opening attack with the short game, frustrating him and making him play a game he did not want to. It kept him from winning several big titles.

I personally don't think it is Ma Long's nerves as much as everybody claims but I could be wrong. But, if it is, that is still huge.

But this should not be just about Ma Long. I personally think that Jiang Jialiang SHOULD be on this list. I personally think there are some others who should be but aren't. I also don't think Xu Xin, Ma Long and Fan Zhendong should be considered as the best Chinese player ever, at this stage in their careers. I don't think Zhang Jike should be either because of how bad he is in the tournaments he does not care about in spite of his already winning 2 WTTC and an Olympic Gold.

I do think Ma Lin and Wang Liqin should be considered. And I think Ma Lin may be the best number 2 ever. But, in his career, he unfortunately stood behind Wang Liqin and his 3 WTTC wins and his total domination of the world rankings.

I really think it is a shame that Zhang Jike and/or Ma Long have more votes for best ever than Wang Liqin, Ma Lin and Kong Linghui combined and that Liu Gouliang is not even on the list.

Hopefully my perspective is clear.

By the way, my only point about the world cup was that ZJK was acting like a jerk and not playing for real in most of his matches and he was not really having a good tournament. And, even though, with behavior like that, he did not lose. Yes he eeked out a victory after Ma Long worked to get it to deuce in the 7th. Honestly I wish Ma Long had won. Honestly I wish Ma Long had won at least one of those WTTCs so he could be in the discussion. I like Ma Long way more than ZJK as a person. But I can't say he is the best Chinese player ever because he is not the best Chinese player of today. That is all.
 
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Regarding the greatest player ever:

My personal pick would be either KLH or Liu Guoliang with Zhang Jike and Wang Liqin closely behind. I felt that they had to face opponents not suited for their style as well as tougher competition to achieve their grand slams. The European players back then were not walkovers like they are today. KLH got his Olympic Gold after a very tense and nailbiting game against Waldner (who after all is the G.O.A.T for many people) and LGL also played a nailbiter against Ma Lin in the 1999 WTTC. ZJK's game is more suited against Wang Hao and it was his good fortune to meet him in the finals of his titles.

Regarding the Ma Long vs Zhang Jike debate:

The previous match is not indicative of a clear "better" player. It went to the 7th set deuce. If ML's short play was as bad as you guys say it is, ZJK would have won 4-0. No contest. IMO, ZJK was quite lucky to land that extremely high risk Banana flick at 10-10 after ML played incredibly well under pressure to equalize the score. I was there are the match and both of their hands were shaking during service.

Enough of my analysis, here's Liu Guoliang's analysis of the match

On Zhang Jike: "His psychological qualities there were very good and he was powerful. After the change of the ball, the quality of his attacks did not decline. I think the quality increased. However, his unforced errors in third-shot attacks also increased."

On Ma Long: "It is the opposite for Ma Long. His third-shot attack remained good and his unforced errors were just few. However, his quality clearly decreased compared to the one he had prior the change."

There you go, LGL himself said that ML's defeat was more to do with him adjusting the the plastic ball and he has always said pretty straight if ML lost because of his nerves.

Zhang Jike is still a better player in terms of titles won etc. etc. but I dearly want Ma Long to win against him in a WTTC final or Olympic final. I know that he has it in him and it would wonders for his confidence.
 
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Couldn't agree more :) Well said!

I too really want Ma Long to win in Suzhou, I think now that Wang Hao has gone its mainly FZD and ZJK that will be his rivals. Xu Xin doesnt seem to have adapted to the plastic ball as well as the others, as shown by his performance in the "Road to Suzhou" Matches. It would be good to see any of them win it to be honest. ZJK for a third title to match WLQ. FZD to win at age 17! Or Ma Long, for his first well deserved title. We will see.should be interesting!
 
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