Table Tennis World in Shock as Top 3 Player Announce Retirement
The table tennis world is reeling today as three of the sport’s top players, Ma Long, Fan Zhendong, and Xu Xin, have announced their retirement from professional competition, effective immediately.
The news comes as a surprise to fans and the table tennis community, as all three players were considered among the best in the world. Ma Long, the reigning Olympic champion, was widely regarded as the greatest table tennis player of all time, with 5 World Championship titles and 26 World Tour titles to his name.
Fan Zhendong, the 2019 World Champion, was considered one of the most dominant players in the sport, with 12 World Tour titles and 4 World Cup titles. Xu Xin, a 2-time World Championship silver medalist, was known for his incredible skill and consistency, with 10 World Tour titles and 3 World Cup titles.
The three players made the announcement in a joint statement released earlier today, citing their desire to focus on their personal lives and pursue other interests.
“After much consideration and discussion, we have decided to retire from professional table tennis,” the statement read. “We are grateful for the incredible experiences we’ve had in this sport and the opportunities we’ve been given. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished and we’re excited to see what the future holds.”
The news has sent shockwaves through the table tennis community, with many fans and players taking to social media to pay tribute to the three legends.
“This is an incredible loss for our sport,” tweeted Chinese national team coach Liu Guozheng. “Ma Long, Fan Zhendong, and Xu Xin are not just great players, they are ambassadors for our sport. We will miss them dearly.”
“The table tennis world is going to miss these three incredible players,” tweeted Japanese player Jun Mizutani. “I’ve had the privilege of playing against them many times and I’ve always been impressed by their skill and sportsmanship.”
The retirement of these three players marks a significant change in the table tennis landscape, as they were considered among the dominant forces in the sport. However, there are many young and talented players emerging from China and other countries who will be looking to fill the void left by these legends.
**REACTING TO THE NEWS:**
* International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) President Thomas Weikert: “We are deeply saddened by this news. Ma Long, Fan Zhendong, and Xu Xin have been incredible ambassadors for our sport and will be deeply missed.”
* Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA) President Liu Guoliang: “We are grateful for everything these three players have given to our sport. We will always cherish the memories we’ve made with them.”
* Table Tennis World Champion Dimitrij Ovtcharov: “This is a huge loss for our sport. These three players have been my idols and role models for many years. I will always look up to them as a benchmark for excellence.”
