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| Zhang Jike Says the Problem Isn’t Losing, It’s Being Too Used to Winning (Photo: Sohu) |
When Zhang Jike’s name suddenly climbed the Weibo trending list, it wasn’t because of a comeback rumour or a headline-grabbing moment on court. Instead, it was his calm, honest words about pressure, expectation, and the hidden cost of constant victory that struck a nerve across Chinese social media.
In a recent interview, the Chinese table tennis legend addressed the long-standing belief that national athletes are “not allowed to lose”. Zhang Jike flipped that idea on its head.
According to him, athletes are not banned from losing at all. The real issue is that the Chinese national table tennis team has won for so long that defeat feels abnormal to the public. Over time, winning stopped being a goal and quietly became the default expectation.
That unspoken expectation, Zhang Ji Ke explained, is where the pressure truly comes from. It is not just about personal ambition or individual results, but about carrying the weight of history, reputation, and collective pride.
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Every new generation stepping onto the international stage inherits decades of dominance, and with it, the responsibility to protect that legacy.
Zhang Jike also reminded viewers that what fans usually see is only a few minutes on the podium.
The medals, the anthem, the applause.
What stays invisible is the endless training, technical refinement, personal sacrifice, and mental strain that build up long before that moment.
For him, recognising this hidden process is crucial if the public wants to understand athletes as people, not just symbols of national success.
During the same interview, Zhang Jike shared his views on the current state of Chinese table tennis, particularly the men’s team. He noted that while the sport has evolved, with faster speed and slightly reduced spin, he believes his generation was actually ahead in terms of technical innovation and training systems.
In his view, those foundations are still leading even today.
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He also pointed out that current players need to strengthen their ability to think independently about technique and innovation.
Using Fan Zhendong as an example, Zhang Jike suggested that long-term consistency at the top is proof of strong technical thinking, something he hopes the wider team can continue to develop to push results even further.
Zhang Jike admitted that the men’s team has shown more ups and downs compared to the period before 2018. He believes this is partly due to slower technical renewal and the narrowing gap between Chinese players and European rivals, especially as power, speed, and spin become more evenly matched.
In his eyes, a slight dip in results under these conditions is not a crisis, but a natural phase in the sport’s evolution.
Still, Zhang Jike remained optimistic.
He stressed that the Chinese team has the ability to raise every player’s level again, building on its current foundation rather than tearing it down. For him, acknowledging challenges openly is the first step towards improvement.
Netizen reactions to Zhang Jike’s comments have been mixed but intense. Many fans praised his honesty, calling his words “real”, “grounded”, and long overdue. Some said his explanation finally put into words the invisible pressure they had sensed for years.
Others debated his technical opinions, especially his comparison between generations, while a few questioned whether expectations from the public can realistically change.
What’s clear is that Zhang Jike’s remarks hit deeper than a standard sports interview. They sparked reflection not only on performance, but on how success is defined and consumed. Now it’s your turn. Do you agree that being too used to winning can become its own kind of burden? Should fans rethink how they react to losses?