Still a champion

JeanMichel Saive plays in his local table tennis club, Logis Ouderghem in Belgium.[Photo by Gao Shuang / China Daily]

The same effect has been seen in China, which has ruled the tables at elite tournaments for some time. Although various committees have attempted to change the regulations to make finals more open for international players, Chinese players remain dominant.

This might make the development and internationalization of ping-pong problematic, Saive says. "Often young European people just see table tennis as a Chinese sport," he laments.

It would be naive, however, to suggest Chinese coaches and players will slow down, or that China will abandon its systematic selection and training of players.

"Instead, as table tennis is China's national sport, their knowledge level is so high, their experience is so rich, it would be wonderful if the Chinese team could share that knowledge with international players," the Belgian says. "That will be more fun for the Chinese players, too, if they can play against others with different styles."

There are other things that have hindered the development of ping-pong in Europe. Saive says that, unlike in China where the sport enjoys political significance, helping to draw a large pool of talent, European players are normally self-sponsored and can easily switch to other sports, so it is very difficult to keep gifted players focused.

Wang says that few senior European players, particularly of Saive's generation, are coaching or passing on their knowledge to the young players.

Ping-pong has enjoyed some progress over the years. The marketing is more professional, while it now has the second-largest sports federation, involving more than 210 countries, second only to volleyball. In Belgium, Saive says they have built a team of five international coaches in the past few years, a large number for a relatively small country.

This summer, Europe will host its first European games, and Saive says events such as this are important to raise the profile of sports such as table tennis.

Wang, who has retired, still coaches Saive once in a while, and they also scout for potential stars at youth tournaments in Belgium.

The former world No 1 also travels to China once or twice a year, either for tournaments or on business trips, and he sometimes features in exhibition matches against Chinese players to promote the sport.

He says it has been an amazing experience for him to witness China's transformation since the 1980s. Wang says it is rare for a European player to receive such adulation from Chinese fans, crediting his appeal to his skill and the fact he is open to other cultures and people.

Asked when he plans to retire from the sport, Saive answers only: "One day. My body and mind will tell me when it's time."