Sports Yearender: China Still Dominates, Warns against Complacency

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, December 17, 2001

Sports Yearender: China Still Dominates, Warns against Complacency

Table tennis has witnessed dazzling rule changes in recent years, and the sport's top powerhouse China took the changes in a fairly calm way -- at least in the year of 2001.

Table tennis has witnessed dazzling rule changes in recent years, and the sport's top powerhouse China took the changes in a fairly calm way -- at least in the year of 2001.

The rule changes include ball size from diameter 38mm to 40, scoring system from 21 points to 11 with services switch every two points instead of five, and a new service rule that requires nothing between the ball and the entire net from the moment the ball is presented in service until the server hits the ball. The first two changes have already taken place respectively since October 1, 2000 and September 1, 2001. The new service rule will come into force on September 1, 2002.

This year's world table tennis championships in the Japanese city Osaka served the best evidence for China's keeping dominance in the sport, the pingpong kingdom was not at all weakened by the series of rule changes.

The Osaka world championships was held from April 23 to May 5 this year, the first time that 40mm ball was used in this tournament. China, who swept all the four table tennis gold medals at the Sydney Olympics using small balls, took seven out of seven titles in Osaka where large balls did hinder some players both from China and other countries.

Men's singles defending champion then and Olympic bronze medalist Liu Guoliang turned out the biggest victim to large ball among Chinese paddlers. He failed to make the top four among men's singles players in Osaka and later in October was ousted early in the singles event at China's ninth national games.

While large ball failed to stop the Chinese from overlooking other pingpong powers at this world championships, the new scoring system and new service rule are still waiting ahead for the Chinese to test themselves on world stages.

As to the new scoring system, Cai Zhenhua, head coach of China's national team, believed that the new system should not be a big problem for China if the players were trained to be able to adapt themselves soon into top form during competition.

Zhang Xielin, former world champion and vice president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, echoed Cai's viewpoint. "The new (scoring) system won't influence our strength or characteristics. The point is how fast we could adjust our tactics and mentality," he said.

The new service rule, however, might be the most difficult aspect of the rule changes for Chinese to deal with. "A good deal of champions could be ousted while the role of umpire becomes all the more decisive," said Cai, who also predicted more backhand services would be seen in the future "just to avoid infringement,"because "when you serve forehand, you just can't remove your arm, your hand, part of your body and T-shirt, completely and absolutely."

"The new service rule," said Lu Yuansheng, deputy head coach of China's national team, "might affect some of our male Chinese players known of tricky services while the women's team is not expected to be affected much. It takes some time for the team to adapt to the new rule."

"Chinese table tennis shall stand the test (of the changes)," said Li Furong, vice minister of the State Sports General Administration, "as long as the players and coaches stick to their battle-proved style of play, continue to take a reformative and creative approach, and timely sum up their experience. I'm confident that we shall continue to lead the world."

Confident of the future, though, the Chinese have been warning themselves against complacency, in case they lose their advantages and honor as long-time pingpong tycoon.

One problem is that more Chinese players of various age groups and technical levels tend to play hand-shaking grip game with reverse rubber rackets, while versatility has been the key to China's long-standing success.

Cai was obviously missing the "old days" when China had many other types of players as pen-holding fast attackers Zhuang Zedong and Li Furong, "Magic Chopper" Zhang Xielin and later Ding Song, who was known for his unique combination of chopping and smashing.

Cai said he was surprised to see, at a recent national junior championships, that more than 85 percent of the youngsters were using reverse rubber rackets. Admitting that the advantage of hand-shaking grip play could help a player succeed more easily, Cai regretted that many Chinese coaches would simply make their smartest kids all hand-shaking grip players.

Cai mentioned Liu Guoliang, who has won a "grand slam" of Olympic, world championships and World Cup singles titles and but is now struggling with large balls, insisting the penholding Liu's success once more proved that the traditional Chinese grip should be maintained.

"We need to raise players of different styles," said Cai. "Our rivals feel it difficult to confront with China, just because we have different types of players. We need versatility in play in our team."

"Versatility and continuous creativity had helped China to lead the table tennis world for many years, and the current situation will definitely hamper a healthier and more sustained development of the sport in China," said vice minister Li Furong.

"We might have to work out preferential policies and measures to encourage other styles of play including the penholding game. We have to adapt ourselves to the constantly changing world."

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