Chinese Table Tennis Stars Call for Reform: Sun Yingsha, Wang Chuqin, and Wang Manyu Lead the Charge for Change
Top Chinese table tennis players, including Sun Yingsha, Wang Chuqin, and Wang Manyu, recently engaged in discussions with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and the World Table Tennis (WTT) core team regarding the world rankings and WTT series tournament rules. The players put forth several reasonable suggestions aimed at improving the current system.

2 February 2025
Led by Liu Guoliang, the chairman of the Chinese Table Tennis Association, the team proposed four key suggestions. Firstly, Liu advocated for the ITTF to research and establish a policy for hiding world rankings, which would allow athletes to take a temporary break from competition without being penalized. This proposal is particularly relevant for Olympic champions and world champions who need time to adjust and plan their next steps after major tournaments.
The second suggestion was to cancel the compulsory participation policy, which Liu believes puts undue psychological and physical pressure on athletes. Instead, the ITTF and WTT could use alternative incentive policies, such as points or prize money, to encourage athletes to participate voluntarily.
The third proposal was to allocate special entry spots for Olympic champions and world champions in the four WTT Grand Slam tournaments and six Champions League events. This would not only demonstrate respect and care for these athletes but also make the events more attractive to fans and organizers.
Lastly, Liu emphasized the need to optimize the WTT calendar, which is currently too dense, to allow for more recovery time, training, and adjustments for athletes. This would also enable national, regional, and club competitions to take place without conflicting with WTT events.
Sun Yingsha, Wang Chuqin, Wang Manyu, and other Chinese team members also shared their thoughts and suggestions with the ITTF and WTT. Sun Yingsha acknowledged the positive impact of WTT on the commercial value of table tennis but expressed concerns about the dense schedule, which leaves athletes with insufficient time for physical recovery and psychological adjustment. She suggested adjusting the schedule to accommodate different levels of tournaments and allowing for more time between matches.
Wang Chuqin proposed increasing the prize money for the WTT Grand Finals, which he believes is currently not commensurate with the event's prestige. He also suggested providing rewards or appearance fees to athletes who qualify for the event, based on their rankings.
Wang Manyu supported Wang Chuqin's proposal and suggested that the prize money for the champion should be increased. She also advocated for more seed protection for high-ranking players in the draw, citing the current random draw system as unfair.
The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has responded to the collective statement made by Chinese table tennis players, including Sun Yingsha, Wang Chuqin, and Wang Manyu. ITTF President Petra Sörling expressed gratitude to the Chinese team and the Chinese Table Tennis Association for their suggestions, emphasizing that athletes are at the core of the sport's development and the construction of its competition system. The ITTF has established a special working group to collect feedback from athletes and review existing regulations.
The working group has been actively collecting feedback from athletes, coaches, member associations, and equipment manufacturers. The group aims to ensure that the decisions made in the future represent the voices of all relevant parties.
The discussions between the Chinese table tennis team and the ITTF and WTT demonstrate a collaborative effort to address the concerns of athletes and improve the sport as a whole. As the table tennis community continues to evolve, it is essential to prioritize the well-being and interests of athletes, while also promoting the growth and development of the sport.
Sun Yingsha suggests that the WTT should adjust the scheduling of different levels of tournaments to allow athletes more time for physical recovery, mental adjustment, and training. This would enable them to better prepare for subsequent competitions. Additionally, she proposes that the single-elimination format be adopted for earlier rounds of singles matches, similar to the 7-game, 4-win format used in later rounds.
Wang Chuqin recommends that the WTT increase the prize money for the year-end Grand Slam tournament, which he considers the most prestigious and highly anticipated event of the year. He also suggests that athletes who qualify for the tournament should receive rewards or appearance fees based on their rankings, which would motivate them to prepare more diligently for the competition. Wang Manyu concurs with Wang Chuqin's suggestion and further proposes that the prize money allocation should be adjusted to give a larger share to the champion.
Wang Manyu also suggests that the WTT should adopt a more equitable seeding system, similar to that used in the Olympic Games and World Championships, to provide more protection for high-ranking athletes. Currently, only the top four athletes are seeded, while the remaining athletes are randomly drawn, which she believes is unfair and does not provide adequate protection for top-ranked players.
Prior to the collective statement by Sun Yingsha, Wang Chuqin, and Wang Manyu, there were some related controversies. For instance, last year, Chinese table tennis players Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng withdrew from the world rankings, triggering a heated debate. They stated that the WTT's regulations regarding fines for withdrawal were one of the reasons for their withdrawal. This incident sparked discussions about the world rankings and WTT series tournaments.

Fan Zhendong's fans believe that he was the first to speak out, and now that Sun Yingsha and other players have also proposed some reasonable suggestions, including adjusting the tournament schedule, increasing prize money, and giving athletes more autonomy. Fans believe that these suggestions can help athletes and the development of table tennis.
Furthermore, Chinese Table Tennis Association Chairman Liu Guoliang also proposed four suggestions, including researching and establishing a policy for hiding world rankings, canceling the compulsory participation policy, allocating special entry spots for Olympic champions and world champions, and adjusting the WTT calendar. These suggestions have been highly valued by ITTF President Petra Sörling, who stated that athletes are at the core of the sport's development and the construction of its competition system, and the ITTF will give high priority to the demands of athletes.
The ITTF has stated that its goal is to promote the development of athletes and the competition system, creating a stronger and more sustainable ecosystem for the sport. The federation is committed to listening to the concerns and suggestions of athletes, ensuring that their voices are heard and represented in the decision-making process.
By establishing a special working group and engaging with athletes, coaches, and member associations, the ITTF is taking a proactive approach to addressing the concerns of the table tennis community. As the sport continues to evolve, the ITTF's efforts to prioritize athlete feedback and welfare will be crucial in shaping its future success.