Honoree calls table tennis fame 'a legacy'

In the late 1940s, next to a dimly lit clock shop on Shanghai's Xinzha Road, it was a common sight to see several young students playing table tennis at night on a chalk-lined rectangle on the sidewalk.

It was on this makeshift ping-pong table that Zhang Xielin, then a second-grader at a local elementary school, began forging his lifelong bond with the sport. He later rose to player and then coach of the Chinese national team, where he witnessed generations of players contribute to the country's table tennis glory.

The 84-year-old recently received the national honorary title of Outstanding Contributor to Sports to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

“Choosing to play table tennis is a decision I don't regret at all,” said Zhang.

In times of shortage he even made his own paddles. He bought old picture frames made from plywood at thrift stores to make a paddle base, then glued rubber to them for a simple paddle.

“The 'clunk' sound when hitting the ball with such a paddle was particularly pleasant,” Zhang recalls.

He formed a team at school called Red Flag, and during holidays they had friendly competitions with ping-pong enthusiasts from nearby factories and schools. He visited several table tennis venues in Shanghai, observed high-level players and learned from them.

Initially preferring a quick attack with a pen grip, Zhang's approach changed when he witnessed the elegant defensive maneuvers of an experienced player at a local ping pong club.

“His movements were so graceful and attractive,” he said. “I then decided to learn the approach.”

Zhang was later widely hailed as the “magic helicopter”, known for his adept combination of consistent chops and unpredictable spins. He gradually made a name for himself in the city's table tennis scene, progressing from district-level competitions to city-level tournaments.

While interning at the Shanghai Turbine Factory Technical School, he was chosen to join the Shanghai Municipal Team in preparation for the first National Games in 1959.

This marked the start of his professional table tennis career. Shortly after the National Games, he earned a spot on the national team.

At the 26th World Table Tennis Championships held in Beijing in 1961, he took third place in men's singles. He also won the first-ever men's doubles and mixed doubles championship for Team China in the history of the World Table Tennis Championships.

In 1975, Zhang became head coach of the Chinese women's table tennis team. At the 43rd World Table Tennis Championships in 1995, Zhang had led the team to victory in 10 team events, nine singles events, eight doubles events and nine mixed doubles events. The team also earned three Olympic gold medals.

Under his leadership, the Chinese team has never missed a women's singles title in Olympic table tennis competitions.

Analyzing the success of the Chinese women's team, Zhang emphasized the importance of “nurturing players based on their unique strengths, given the team's diverse playing styles.”

Table tennis legend Deng Yaping was one of the exceptional athletes noticed and cared for by Zhang.

“Despite her small stature, Deng saw every ball that came her way as an opportunity, a high ball,” he noted. “This allowed her to launch more attacks than others. Moreover, she had a strong hunger for victory and trained exceptionally hard.”

Discussing the continued success of Chinese table tennis, Zhang attributed it to “legacy”.

“We always hold our country in our hearts, while at the same time maintaining a global perspective,” he explained. “Table tennis is not a solo, against-the-wall endeavor. Instead, it thrives on mutual aid, with some excelling and others sacrificing and contributing. We must wholeheartedly embrace patriotism and the spirit of collectivism.”