China wins double delight at World Team Table Tennis Championships

The Chinese men's team won the 2022 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships in Chengdu, Sichuan province, beating Germany 3-0 on Sunday, a day after China's women's squad won gold at the finals.

The Chinese men's team proved its strength by avoiding any defeat on its journey to the gold medal. The squad lifted the trophy for the 10th consecutive time and the 22nd time overall in the history of the championships. The last team to stop China in the finals was Sweden in 2000.

"I'm thrilled right now after winning," said Chinese player Wang Chuqin. "The victory does not only belong to our players. The victory is the result of the joint efforts of everyone of the Chinese Table Tennis Association.

"I don't even know how to celebrate now. I just want to thank all the fans who have been supporting Team China," Wang added.

The victory was smooth, but Team China had prepared well for any possible difficulties.

"The journey to the finals was tough for both our team and Germany's. The German team is very young, and their players are all at high levels. We made our best preparation for the toughest situation at the finals," said Team China veteran Ma Long.

On the host's journey to gold, longtime rival Japan gave the Chinese team the toughest challenges in the semifinals on Saturday. Japanese player Tomokazu Harimoto scared Chinese fans by defeating world No 1 player Fan Zhendong and young star Wang consecutively in the semifinals, before Team China managed to win the fifth set, beating Japan 3-2.

"The five-set semifinal at a major world event was actually a very valuable experience for me. It's not an usual situation that Team China was pushed to the fifth set. My coach and teammates helped me a lot when I did not play so well, and they always gave me confidence and encouraged me," said Wang, 22, who now ranks 11th in the world.

On the women's side, the Chinese squad won its fifth consecutive women's team title after sweeping Japan 3-0 on Saturday. It was also the record-extending 22nd time that China has raised the Corbillon Cup.

"I enjoyed the finals so much, and I released my full strength," said Chen Meng, who was a gold medalist at the Tokyo Olympics and now ranks second in the world. "I just want to say thanks for the trust and confidence that everyone gave me. Before the finals, I just told myself no matter how hard it could be, I must win my game."