Wang Chuqin Falls 2–4 to Fan Zhendong’s Comeback, Admits: “He’s Become Even Stronger — My Mindset Slipped”

Beijing time on November 15, men’s table tennis fans witnessed a high-stakes showdown as Wang Chuqin faced longtime rival Fan Zhendong. Despite leading twice and showing flashes of dominance, Wang was ultimately overturned, falling 2–4 and missing out on the final. After the match, he offered a candid reflection on his performance.

Coming into this encounter, the head-to-head numbers clearly favored Fan Zhendong. In their 32 previous meetings, Wang trailed with just 7 wins against 25 losses. Yet the recent trend told a different story—over the past two years, Wang had been the one with the upper hand, even defeating Fan 3–1 in their most recent clash.

Nearly eleven months later, the two giants returned to the same stage. Wang opened the match strongly, taking the first game. Fan responded quickly, leveling the score in the second. Wang surged ahead again in the third game, only for Fan to claim the fourth 11–7 and pull the match back to even.

Those repeated missed opportunities proved costly. Despite holding the advantage twice, Wang was unable to maintain control. In the fifth and sixth games, his mindset wavered, disrupting his rhythm and decision-making. The final game was particularly dramatic—Wang raced to a 4–0 lead, only to concede six straight points and eventually lose 7–11.

As the world No. 1 in men’s singles, Wang has now reached the National Games semifinals three times and fallen at this stage each time. Speaking after the match, he gave an honest assessment: “I think I handled the first three tight games quite well. But later on, I feel the issues came from my own mindset.”

He added, “There were many points where I didn’t stay patient enough.”

Wang also acknowledged Fan Zhendong’s remarkable form: “You can really feel how good his condition is right now. Playing against him, you can sense that many of his shots and abilities have become significantly stronger than before.”