Grand Slam in table tennis

[Xylit]

To win the grand slam in table tennis you have to win gold at olympic games, wttc and world cup. When Zhang Jike won the olympic games 2012 he was reigning champion of wttc (2011) and world cup (2011) so no doubt this was a grand slam, same applies for Ma Long right now.

But why would it have been the second grand slam for ZJK if he won the olympic games a few weeks ago? He won the world cup 2014 and WTTC 2013 but not the last world cup in 2015 and last wttc in 2015. Does that mean you have to win WTTC and world cup once every four years (between olympic games), no matter when, and the olympic games for a grand slam?

Or does a grand slam only mean that you have won gold once at all three big events? For example, a player wins gold at olympic games 2020, is injured 10 years and wins WTTC and world cup in 2031, still grand slam?

 

[Steven]

There isn't really a definition of 'grand slam' within table tennis, but I guess most people would say that the time span doesn't matter. So in that case, the answer to your last question would be yes.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

There is a definition of grand slam in table tennis in Mandarin, not sure about English.

For ZJK, he has 2 WTTC, 2 World Cup and nearly 2 OG Gold, so that is why he almost had double grand slam
He is a 2nd olympic gold short of this double grand slam
This is commonly known within CNT, Chinese TT media and it has been called grand slam for as long as I recall (in LGL's days)

 

[Xylit]

So there is no time span in which all three events have to be won? Like in tennis, you only achieve a grand slam when you win all four grand-slam-tournaments within one and the same year.

 

[TTHopeful]

I don't think there is no time span, if ZJK won Rio he would have two grand slams. Like Tony said: if he won Rio ZJK would have, 2 WTTC, 2 World cups, 2 Olympics

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I don't think there is no time span, if ZJK won Rio he would have two grand slams. Like Tony said: if he won Rio ZJK would have, 2 WTTC, 2 World cups, 2 Olympics

Correct, there is no time span as like tennis

In TT, we have WTTC once every 2 years, WC every year, OG every 4 years
It is near impossible to have WTTC, WC and OG inside 2 years, ZJK was the first one

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

One thing to note, in tennis, even though a Grand Slam means same calendar year, they have two other terms:

1) Winning the four majors in consecutive tournaments but not in the same year is known as a Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam

2) ...while winning all four majors at any point during the course of a career is known as a Career Grand Slam.

Just so you know, they still view both of those as an achievement. And I guess, a tennis player who has 2 wins at each of the 4 majors of tennis, would have 2 Career Grand Slams.


Sent from Inside The Chamber of Secrets by Patronus

 

[TTHopeful]

Correct, there is no time span as like tennis

In TT, we have WTTC once every 2 years, WC every year, OG every 4 years
It is near impossible to have WTTC, WC and OG inside 2 years, ZJK was the first one

Thanks Tony, that 2 year period ZJK was unstoppable

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Thanks Tony, that 2 year period ZJK was unstoppable

Yes indeed.
And I doubt we will ever see it again.
To simply just win one of those gold medals is difficult, yet alone all 3

WC every year, big chance
WTTC every 2 year - if you messed up the one year, then wait another 2 years
OG every 4 year, if you messed up the one year, then wait another 4 years - and pray you will make the team

IMO, TT grand slam winners will be very limited
So for us to all witness ZJK do it in that time frame, we can all one day tell our grand children it
ZJK desires to have Super Grand Slam title for doing it inside 2 years