Liu's 10 "Mosts"

People who influence me the most: There are 3 people who have the most influence on me, and they have helped me greatly at various stages of my development. The first one is my father and my first coach. The second is Yin Shao, my coach since 1989. The third is head coach Cai Zhenhua. My father trained me when I was little, and gave me the excellent foundation to build upon. Coach Yin has taught me a great deal in the technical and mental aspects, and crafted the very fine details of my game. Coach Cai has invested a tremendous amount of energy on me. He was willing to use me in important matches, and provided a lot of opportunities for me.

Most satisfactory match: The Atlanta Olympic final against Wang Tao. Technically I was below Wang, but in this important match, I was able to play at a super high level and win.

Most regretted match: The final in the 43rd (Tianjin) Worlds. I played very well, and was leading 2-1 in games. But I did not seize the opportunity. I feel regret every time I think about that match.

Most treasured friendship: Kong and I are best friends. We grew up together, and have lived together since we were 11 or 12. When we were little, there was very little rivalry, and we developed under a very good system. Now that we are older, we are at about the same level in our team, with similar accomplishments. When there have been conflicts, we have handled them well, and that is due to our honesty. We both feel that sports is fair, that no one can help you on the court, and no one can fix results. Outside of the court we are great friends, but once we step on the court, we are opponents to each other. We have been working so hard for so many years to achieve the highest honors. We will fight hard in every match, and we will not dump a game to anyone. I feel that Kong is a very honest man with very high integrity. He has strong principles, and he is always direct and straight in his approaches. We always encourage each other, especially in doubles. We really do not have any conflicts with each other; we are both world champions.

Most well-kept secret: Waldner has always been the toughest competitor against us. I have not lost to him, and the biggest reason is I have studied him so much. I have always loved to watch him play, ever since I was little. I have become very familiar with his shot placements and his changes during games.

Most admired athlete: Michael Jordan. The NBA has so many great players, and Jordan still plays at a level above everyone. He is honest, and he has a healthy lifestyle. There is no reason not to like him.

The family structure that I favor the most: I like girls who are more traditional. I am a bit of a male chauvinist, and that might have been due to my family's influence. My father is very career-oriented, and my mother takes care of the home. I think this is a very good arrangement, and allows the man to develop his full potential. I think it is better that the wife provides the support behind the stage.

Books I like to read the most: Swordsmen novels by Jin Yong* and Gu Long. (Details skipped.)

Music I like the most: Popular music, rock-and-roll and anything that is pleasant to listen to. Sometimes I go to discos; I don't know how to dance, so I just listen to the music.

Things I want to do the most in the future: I have not given too much though to the future. I have always been in table-tennis, and I love to explore all the intricacies of the game. I feel like I will not leave this sport, after playing for so many years. 

Chung's notes:

Swordsmen novels by the great contemporary Chinese writer Jin Yong are the most popular books among the Chinese all over the world. They combine wonderful story-telling with a very rich account of history, and a strong core based on the traditional Chinese moral values. It is rare to find an overseas Chinese who is not a fan of Jin. These books truly transend political and economic boundarires, and are greatly enjoyed by everyone, from the top of the Communist Party to the elementary school children in Taiwan. They are some of the best books ever written, by anyone, in any language. There is a good English translation of one of Jin's books "The Deer and the Cauldron", translated by John Minford, an English professor in Hong Kong, and published by Oxford University Press (www.oup.com). It is a very literal translation, and well worth reading.

Liu was not a unanimous choice when the national team selected the Atlanta Olympic participants. Ding Song was strongly considered, because he was so good against the likes of Saive and Karlsson. At the end, the coaches picked Liu because it was hard to find a doubles partner for Ding, due to his rare style. Back then, China could only send 4 players. Wang Tao/Lu Lin was the best doubles pair, and Kong was number 1 world-ranked, so there was room for only one more. At the end, the coaches took a gamble with Liu, and started training Liu/Kong as a doubles pair at the last minute, relatively speaking. Liu ended up with two gold medals.