China’s new table tennis captain Wang Chuqin says role is hard, with ‘nowhere to retreat’
Wang, who was elected unanimously by teammates and coaches, says he will try to emulate the qualities of previous skipper Ma Long
New Chinese men’s table tennis team captain Wang Chuqin has said in an interview that his new role was incredibly difficult, with “nowhere to retreat”.
In an interview with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday, Wang also said the position came with immense pressure, but also provided him with a chance to grow.
“I really don’t think I’m on the same level as Brother Long [previous captain Ma Long],” said Wang, who was elected unanimously by the team’s coaches and players, according to men’s team head coach Wang Hao.
“I never imagined I would become captain – it feels incredibly difficult,” Wang said. “But when you have nowhere to retreat, you try to turn that into a positive mindset, think about the way Brother Long used to play, the qualities we all admired in him, learn from them and make them part of myself.”
Wang’s appointment was announced internally on June 1 at the national team’s first training session after returning to Beijing from the 2026 World Team Championships in London, where they secured a 12th consecutive title.
Wang Hao said: “After the World Championships, we began preparing for the second half of the season. The whole team worked very hard – the players, coaches and support staff – and that effort helped us defend the title.