On Thursday at the 15th National Games, Beijing ended a 32-year title drought by defeating Shanghai 3-1 in the men's team final. It marked Beijing's second straight final appearance and provided a fitting stage for table tennis legend Ma Long to seal his career set with a clutch performance.
The final opened with doubles drama: Ma Long teamed up with rising star Huang Youzheng to overcome Shanghai's Xu Xin and Zhou Kai 11-9, 5-11, 11-4, 11-7, giving Beijing an early lead.
Next up, Paris Olympic men's singles champion Fan Zhendong faced Beijing's Wang Chuqin. In a rematch of their recent semifinal showdown, Fan leveled the tie at 1-1 with an 8-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-9 victory.
In the pivotal third match, Ma Long took on Shanghai's Zhou Kai. Controlling play from start to finish, the Dragon secured a 3-0 win: 11-4, 13-11, 14-12, putting Beijing ahead 2-1.
Facing elimination, Shanghai's Xu Xin returned to the table against World No. 1 Wang Chuqin. Despite Xu's relaxed yet focused game, Wang closed out the championship with an 11-8, 12-10, 11-8 win, sealing Beijing's triumph.
The victory not only ends a three-decade wait but also cements Ma Long's legacy as one of the sport's greatest, inspiring a new generation of players across the globe.
Reference(s):
Ma Long seals career set as Beijing win table tennis men's team title
cgtn.com
