Zhang Jike: “I Made Table Tennis Popular! I Haven’t Retired—and I Can Still Rank Top 8 in China.”

Recently, Zhang Jike stated during an interview and a livestream that he has never retired and still believes his skills are good enough to place him among the top eight players nationwide. He also emphasized that the rise of table tennis popularity in China was significantly fueled by his influence.

While interacting with viewers, Zhang Jike candidly revisited a past injury:
“In 2016, my ligament was torn, and they still sent me to Shenzhen to compete. My ankle was basically broken, yet they wanted me to play. After two matches, I simply stopped—I couldn’t continue.” His tone carried both frustration and honesty.

He then shifted the conversation to his fan base:
“Back then, every match I played was packed. My fans were incredibly supportive and well-mannered. The surge in table tennis popularity—yes, I boosted it. Don’t argue with that; it’s just the truth.”

Zhang believes that today’s table tennis fans are mostly followers rather than pioneers:
“My early fans were the originators of today’s cheering culture. A lot of what you see now—the live support, the atmosphere—was inspired by what they started.”

He also expressed appreciation to loyal supporters:
“I will continue to repay your support. Goodwill is always mutual, and time will reveal sincerity.”

Although he hasn’t played in an official match since 2018, Zhang insists he will never formally announce retirement:
“I didn’t tell the world when I started playing. So why would I announce when I stop? There won’t be such a day.”

Confident in his abilities, he added:
“With my current physical condition, I can easily compete until 2029. Sun Zheng from Zhejiang trained at my base—he’s a top-eight player in national competitions, and when we train together, our level is similar. Winning a championship may be tough, but making the top 16 or top 8 is absolutely within reach.”