Site Products

China’s Olympic “Trials”: Qihao Tops Zhendong in Xingtong

(by Steve Hopkins, photo by ITTFworld)

If this event were a true Olympic Trials, the table tennis world might have just been turned on its collective ears. As each of the Chinese Olympic Team members fell to much lower ranked opponents – and if the winner made the team, a relatively unknown Zhou Qihao would now be leading the Chinese Olympic Team.

This week’s 5-day event has been called an Olympic Trial, but the team has already been chosen (in 2020) so this is more a warm-up designed to simulate Olympic conditions and prepare their team for Tokyo. The event included Fan Zhendong, Xu Win, Ma Long (World No. 1, 2, and 3 respectively) as well as Lin Gaoyuan (World No. 5), and Liang Jingkun (World No. 10), and Wang Chuqin (World No. 14), and Zhao Zihao (World No. 23).  Despite that extremely elite company, the winner was….. World No. 122, Zhou Qihao.

The Final just finished (see the video below).  World No. 1 Fan Zhendong fell to Qihao 4-2.

World No. 2 Xu Xin and World No. 4 Lin Gaoyuan both lost in the group stage and failed to make the Quarterfinals.  Xu Xin fell to Lin Shidong, a 15 year old phenom who will likely be finding his way onto the National Team in the next year.  Lin Gaoyuan fell to savvy veteran Fang Bo.  *Lin Shidong fell 4-2 to Fan Zhendong – playing close for three games, but then fading.

Zhou Qihao’s final two matches?  A win over World No. 1 Fan Zhendong and a win over World No. 3 Ma Long.  Qihao isn’t a rising junior, he’s an elite talent who has been inconsistent through his rise and that has kept him off the top tier of the Chinese Team.  Still, despite peaking at World No. 37, since 2018 Qihao has logged wins against Ovtcharov, Chih-Yuan, Samsonov, Franziska, Duda, Jingkin, and (of course) now Ma Long and Fan Zhendong.

China is 80 days away from competing in Tokyo – perhaps the upsets this week will be a wake-up call that will help prevent similar missteps when it really counts.

 

Latest News

MLTT Featured Team: Bay Area Blasters

July 6, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo MLTT) The Bay Area Blasters plan to blast through the upcoming Major League Table… Read More

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Calgary United Sports Table Tennis Association

July 6, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins) Established in 2002, Calgary United Sports Table Tennis Association (CUSTTA) is Alberta’s largest Table Tennis… Read More

Butterfly Players Shine at the 2025 US National Table Tennis Championships

July 6, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo USATT) The 2025 U.S. National Table Tennis Championships is one of the premiere annual… Read More

US Nationals Recap

July 6, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins) The US National Table Tennis Championships is in the books.  One of America’s premiere events… Read More

United States Smash: Qualifiers are Finished and the Main Draw Begins Today

July 6, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo USATT) Americans made waves in the qualifying rounds of the United States Smash, the… Read More

Shorten Your Swing

July 4, 2025
WAIT FUNCTION: Serve short backspin or side backspin to Forehand or Backhand, Robot plays long 1 backspin push… Read More

Bob Chen Attacking Backhand Flick: Butterfly Training Tips

July 4, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) Bob Chen Bob Chen Attacking Backhand Flick: Butterfly Training Tips https://youtu.be/RyFTvjLyHk4 Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly… Read More

Derek May Bowmar Sports Interview

July 3, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Bowmar Sports Interview, Coach Taiwo Adeyinka interviews long time Sponsored player, Derek May.… Read More
View All News

Get the latest from Butterfly

Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.