INTERNATIONAL: The two mixed pairs of Chinese and American table tennis players on Monday had their first joint training for the upcoming competitions at the 2021 World Table Tennis Championships in Houston. Before the training, the national table tennis teams of China and the United States exchanged jerseys. World Table Tennis Council Chair and president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association Liu Guoliang says they wish to present the world two China-U.S. pairs in mixed doubles at this event that they would carry on the China-U.S. Ping Pong Diplomacy.
The world championships is scheduled for23 to 29 November. To mark the 50th anniversary of Ping Pong Diplomacy, the CTTA and the U.S. Table Tennis Association jointly submitted the request to allow China-U.S. pairs to compete with the International Table Tennis Federation.
CTTA President Liu Guoliang says, "I think this world championships in the United States is of unusual meaning, as while it is a world championships, it also marks the 50th anniversary of Ping Pong Diplomacy between China and America. Our predecessors laid a solid foundation for the China-U.S. Ping Pong Diplomacy 50 years ago. Now how should we sustain it with our action 50 years later? We wish to present the world two China-U.S. pairs in mixed doubles at this event that we'd carry on the China-U.S. Ping Pong Diplomacy. I also hope the players will attract more fans and spectators in the two countries to cheer and applaud for them with their superb performances and exquisite skills."
The players said they are excited to play together and will do their best to achieve a good result.
Chinese Player Lin Gaoyuan says, "This is my first time to pair with a foreign player, and I think it conveys a signal of friendship between the two countries. I'm very glad to be able to participate in the mixed doubles competitions at the world championships with Lily Zhang. We had a discussion just now, and noticed some problems in the training, but we also had good chemistry in many ways. We communicate smoothly as she speaks Chinese, so that's an advantage in our pairing. We look forward to the competitions and will try hard to win the games."
American Player Lily Zhang says, "I'm super excited and happy to have this opportunity to be able to play with Lin Gaoyuan. I think it is such a special moment in history, especially it being the 50th Ping Pang Diplomacy anniversary, as well as the first-ever world championships in the U.S. I'm so honored and humble to be able to have this opportunity. And I think that, even though this is our first time ever pairing together, I hope it will be a good result, and we are going to try our best and fight our hardest."
The 2021 World Table Tennis Championships is the 56th edition of the championships and the first time the competition is held in the United States.
