How many matches (how long) did Wang Hao have when he was "unbeatable", like you said? I do know Ma Long has 560-days win streak every single game on ITTF pro tour, and thats what I call "unbeatable" period already. Anyway, its too much off for this topic. I just wanna cheer for Ma Long and always root for him no matter when he loses or wins. Even though he lost in very tie match against ZJK, but still its not a good time, yet, to attack ML's ability and value of his game
Well, a difference, Wang Hao got Silver in Olympics 3 times, he was in the finals at the at the World Championships 4 times. He came in second 3 times but he won the World Championships too. He only won once, but he won. Ma Long never got to the finals at the World Championships yet. I do think Ma Long is a great player. But, unfortunately he is a great player who has not gotten to the finals in the WTTC yet. He has not broken the barrier. When Ma Long wins his Olympic Gold or WTTC, and he should win one of those, then he can be considered on a higher level than he can right now. Right now he can be considered like Timo Boll or Zoran Primorac as a great player who has not performed so well on the highest stages.
And the difference between the WTTCs and a regular pro tour event is that everybody is at the WTTCs and you have to beat more higher level players to win and everyone wants to win. As of right now, Ma Long is still king of the small tournaments but has not done it on the highest stages. I will be happy when that changes, but that is a reality until he breaks that barrier.
Oh, and Wang Liqin, who won 3 world championships, went a whole year without dropping a game: not a match, not one game in a match. It was the same number of pro tour matches as when Ma Long went undefeated at pro tour events. For Ma Long it was not 560 days, which would have been almost 2 years. It would have been almost impossible for him to not win a WTTC with almost two years undefeated. It was a period of almost 6 months, but 25 pro tour matches. It was a great achievement. But, when Wang Liqin did it (they are tied for number of pro tour matches undefeated) he did not drop one game in one match.
By the way, I believe Wang Liqin went 25 months as number 1, had 3 months out of the number 1 slot and then went another 22 months. However, that was a period of over 4 years where, for only 3 months, he was not number 1, for the rest of that 4 years +, he was ranked number 1 in the world.
One thing that Ma Long does really well, when he plays someone he should beat, he does not mess around, he kills them. He rips through guys who are a level lower than him leaving no doubt.
