Players
Biographies and playing styles of the greatest table tennis players, from Jan-Ove Waldner to Ma Long
PlayersBrazilian table tennis players who shaped the sportThe best Brazilian table tennis players: Hugo Calderano, Hugo Hoyama, Claudio Kano, Bruna Takahashi, Bruna Alexandre and other names from BrazilPlayersBruna Alexandre: the player who competed at both Olympics and ParalympicsThe story of Bruna Alexandre, the Brazilian class 10 table tennis player with medals at three Paralympics who also played the Paris 2024 OlympicsPlayersClaudio Kano: the player who paved the way for BrazilWho was Claudio Kano, the Brazilian table tennis player with 12 Pan American Games medals, two Olympics and a title-winning doubles pair with Hugo HoyamaPlayersDeng Yaping: the small giant of table tennisDeng Yaping's table tennis career: four Olympic golds, six world titles, eight years as world No. 1 at 4 ft 11 in and a PhD from CambridgePlayersFan Zhendong: the Olympic champion who completed the Grand SlamFan Zhendong's table tennis career: Paris 2024 Olympic champion, two world titles, four World Cups, his playing style and his move to the German leaguePlayersFélix Lebrun: France's penhold prodigyFélix Lebrun's table tennis career: Olympic bronze at 17 at Paris 2024, his penhold style, doubles with brother Alexis and the 2026 European titlePlayersHow much do table tennis players earn?How much do professional table tennis players earn? Club contracts, WTT prize money, sponsors, grants and coaching, and why pay varies so muchPlayersHow to become a professional table tennis playerHow to become a professional table tennis player: club and coach, tournaments and rating, junior national team, youth events, pro leagues and the WTT tourPlayersHugo Hoyama: Brazil's Pan American Games record holderHugo Hoyama's table tennis career: six Olympics, ten Pan American Games golds, his doubles pair with Claudio Kano and his years as Brazil's women's coachPlayersJan-Ove Waldner: the career of the Mozart of table tennisJan-Ove Waldner's table tennis career: the first Grand Slam, Olympic gold at Barcelona 1992, two world titles and his fame as a genius in Sweden and ChinaPlayersLily Zhang: America's leading table tennis playerLily Zhang's table tennis career: four Olympics, six U.S. national titles, Pan American medals and a historic 2021 world mixed doubles bronze in HoustonPlayersMa Long: the career of table tennis's greatest playerMa Long's table tennis career: six Olympic golds, three straight world titles, the double Grand Slam, his playing style and his exit from the world tourPlayersManika Batra: the player who made history for IndiaManika Batra's table tennis career: four 2018 Commonwealth Games medals, Asian Games and Asian Cup bronze, long pips rubber and a historic Paris 2024 runPlayersMarty Reisman: the ping pong showman who inspired a movieWho was Marty Reisman, the American table tennis player with 1949 world medals, money matches and a hardbat paddle, who loosely inspired Marty SupremePlayersAchanta Sharath Kamal: the legend who transformed Indian table tennisAchanta Sharath Kamal's table tennis career: five Olympics, seven Commonwealth Games golds, Asian Games medals, ten national titles and his 2025 farewellPlayersSun Yingsha: the two-time world champion leading women's table tennisSun Yingsha's table tennis career: two world singles titles, three straight World Cups, Olympic golds at Tokyo and Paris and her fast attacking stylePlayersTimo Boll: the lefty who took Germany to the topTimo Boll's table tennis career: first German world No. 1, eight European titles, two World Cups, four Olympic medals and his famous act of fair playPlayersTomokazu Harimoto: Japan's record-breaking prodigyTomokazu Harimoto's table tennis career: youngest-ever records, Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze, Asian and WTT Finals titles, his famous shout and fast stylePlayersWang Chuqin: the lefty who became world championWang Chuqin's table tennis career: 2025 world champion over Hugo Calderano, two Paris 2024 golds, his partnership with Sun Yingsha and his lefty stylePlayersXu Xin: the left-handed penhold showmanXu Xin's table tennis career: left-handed penholder, world No. 1, two Olympic team golds, five world doubles titles and spectacular ralliesPlayersZhang Jike: the champion who completed the Grand Slam in 15 monthsZhang Jike's table tennis career: London 2012 Olympic champion, two-time world champion, a Grand Slam in just over a year and his famous backhand