Ma Lin returned to Shantao to attend the ceremonies that honored his achievements in the Worlds. This reporter had an exclusive interview with him.
Reporter: When did you start playing table-tennis, and why did you come to Shantao?
Ma: I started playing when I was six. The sports school recruited at my kindergarten. At that time my parents did not want me to play, because that would interfere with school work. But I thought table-tennis was a lot of fun, and my parents gave in after I insisted. At least it was good physical exercise, and would strengthen the body, they said. I came to Shantao when I was 13, because I felt that Shantao would give me more opportunities. The environment and everything else are better than in Liaoning, so I chose here. The facts proved me right.
R: The Worlds was postponed this year, because of war. How did that affect you?
M: (Laughed a little.) I should thank this war. I was not in condition in March and April. If the tournament was held then, I'm sure I would not have played well and would win nothing. I believe you would not be here to talk to me then. Because of the postponement, I got another 4 months to shape up, and my condition peaked at the tournament.
R: Your match against Waldner at the Worlds was wonderful. Can you talk
about that?
M: I played Waldner three times: I lost twice and won once. Before that match, I had watched all the videotapes of Waldner maybe 7 or 8 times, and studied his every motion and all the details of his game very thoroughly. I knew how to adjust to him on the court. I believe Waldner had also studied me, and that was why the first 2 games he was dominating. At 11 to 16 in the 3rd game, all I was thinking of was how to change my strategy to get the last few points. I gambled that I should attack his forehand, since if I did not change I would lose. So I might as well play differently, and I played some points different than I ever played. My gamble won. I won because I believed in myself, and I was tenacious and did not give up.
R: Before the tournament many people, including the media, favored Wang Liqin to win. Wang did not play to his level. What are your thoughts on this? Do you think you can take Wang's place?
M: First let me clarify. Wang Liqin was not better than me. It was just that the media would praise an athlete on the basis of one major tournament. At the 8th National Games, I was second in Mens singles. Back then, the media said I was very good. Wang won the Paris Pro-Tour finals, so the media said Wang was the best. And now they say I have the edge. I feel that the media likes to compare 2 players in the reporting. Wang and I are at the same level, but the nedia has to say who is better; I feel that this is rather pointless. Through this tournament, I could not say I am stronger than Wang. But I could say for sure that I have an advantage that Wang lacks: the intelligence and the good mental game.
R: In the 8th National Games you lost to Wang Tao by 2 points in the fifth game. This time you also lost to Liu by 2 points. You lost the title twice. What are your thoughts?
M: It was a disappointing loss to Liu. At the critical point, I was not tough enough. In the first 4 games, I had the mental edge: Liu wanted so much to win the Grand Slam, and I had no such burden. But in the 5th game, both of us wanted that title. I started to play soft and play safe. Maybe it is fate. But next time if I have this chance, I will not play like that. It will be my turn to win.
R: Kim Taek Soo was the number one penholder in the world. You beat him twice easily. Does this prove you are better?
M: I have always tried to learn from Kim. Although we are both inverted penholder players, our styles are different. Kim plays the European penholder style: big motions, and lots of mid-table to far-table play. That style is very demanding physically. I concentrate on the first 3 balls: quick and ferocious, with backhand using the backside of the blade. From a techniques point of view, I am more advanced, and Kim's style is a little dated. The last two years he has been on a downhill. I should be better than him, because I am younger.
R: What are your thoughts on the perceived table-tennis danger?
M: This time we won all the gold and silver medals. To be honest, that does not help the development of table-tennis. These last few years, the sport had not progressed well. Many foreign players are not as well known in their own countries as they are in China. When they give top-10 athlete awards, table-tennis players are never considered. The foreigners would not pick table-tennis players, no matter what the accomplishments are. Just like Deng Yaping: even if she were to win a few more golds, she would never be a top-10 athlete in the world. So maybe we should not win everything. Maybe we should let other countries win some.