Wang handed ‘honour’ of leading China table tennis, takes captain’s baton from Ma Long
Wang Chuqin to head men’s table tennis team, with Liang Jingkun named vice-captain.
Table tennis star Wang Chuqin had been named captain of the China men’s team, succeeding Ma Long after the veteran’s decade-long stint in the role.
The appointment was announced at an internal debriefing after the 2026 World Team Table Tennis Championships by head coach Wang Hao, who said Wang had “shown the spirit and responsibility of the national team during preparations and competition at the World Championships in London”.
Liang Jingkun was named vice-captain at the same time, and the appointments brought a flurry of congratulations across social media, including from companies such as Thai cosmetics brand Mistine, which has an endorsement deal with the new captain.
“I hope Wang Chuqin can take on the captain’s responsibility and mission, and carry on the baton from captain Ma Long,” Wang Hao said. “This is not only an honour, but also a responsibility and a form of commitment.”
Wang has emerged as a leading figure for the men’s team after Ma retired and Fan Zhendong withdrew from the world rankings following the Paris Olympics.
The 26-year-old won the men’s singles title at the 2025 World Championships and the men’s singles title at the 2026 World Cup, further cementing his status as the world’s best player.