Olympics final was Zhang the best choice
Table Tennis Discussion
Last updated 7 years ago
Nagaraj Hegde Asked 7 years ago
Hi Alois and Jeff.
Ma Long recently crushed Zhang Jike in the olympics singles finals, as you guys already know.
i had this thought from the beginning of the olympics, has China made the right decision to let Zhang Jike play in the singles?
i mean, they've got Xu Xin and Fan Zhendong in the top 3, but they still went for their no.4. he had won the gold medal and all, but that was 4 years ago. Weren't the top 3 in better shape? maybe they would have given Ma Long a tough fight? The other 2 would have made it to the finals anyway.
what are your thoughts?
Alois Rosario Answered 7 years ago
Hi Nagaraj,
As we have covered in other areas this was indeed an interesting decision.
I think you are perfectly right that the other two would have also made the final. As to whether they would have been able to challenge Ma Long any better I don't know, but Zhang Jike did look flat in the final.
Be interested to hear other's thoughts.
Thoughts on this question
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Lajos Bana Posted 7 years ago
I wonder how I could download the semifinals and finals? At least I would like to watch them.
I am mostly interested in Samsonov versa Mizutani, which I guess must have been a very interesting battle.
Can you suggest any source to at least see or listen to it. Even if not full match.
Cheers Lajos
Jeff Plumb from PingSkills Posted 7 years ago
The International Olympic Committee is very protective of their digital rights and hence there isn't a central site where these matches can be watched. Each country will have different media outlets that have bought the rights and hopefully in your country they have a way to show these matches.
Nagaraj Hegde Posted 7 years ago
I think youtube does have the highlights, Lajos. not sure where you can find the full matches.
Jean Balthazar Posted 7 years ago
I guess you'll have to be patient and to shut your eyes and ears for a while if you want to see those matches on YouTube without knowing the results. Maybe once everything is over they won't take down such YouTube uploads.
Regarding Zang J.K., here's my "conspiracy theory": the Chinese selectioners thought Ma Long was the most certain to win gold over all the other non-Chinese participants. They also thought that Xu Xin and Fan Zhendong were not certain to win gold over all the non-Chinese players, but they could have been a threat to Ma Long. So, as they could not know that the two Chinese would actually not play against each other before the finals, they played it safe for the gold medal and selected Zang J.K., who was still good enough to have a chance to beat the non-Chinese players and get a medal, but wasn't a threat to Ma Long's gold medal if they had to play each other before the finals.
Lajos Bana Posted 7 years ago
Thanks for answers thus far. I still did not find anything not even highlights either. There will be still team matches also today so I hope to find a streaming site at least. Seems like IOC is really strict and nobody dare to upload anything for me :(
Johan B Posted 7 years ago
They wanted a chance at a grand slam for ma long and a double grand slam for zjk