Chinese Characters

While it is not uncommon for the top Chinese players to be accused of robotic play styles, apparently they are also seen as lacking the "celebrity factor" as well.

In a pair of interesting articles on the ITTF website, Chinese table tennis players are said to be viewed as "uncooperative" by media reporters, "emotionless" on the table, with perfect skills but a failure to perform as individual personalities.

Even Liu Guoliang, China's head coach, has admitted that bad boy Chen Qi (who was sent to a work camp for two weeks after throwing his paddle and kicking a chair in the 2006 Asian Cup) is now a role model for other players, stating that "Chen Qi may be a little bit wild on the court but he impresses the fans a lot."

You can read the full articles on the ITTF website here:
Heroes and Heroines Set the Tone but Characters Promote the Sporting Image

Winning is Not Everything, Liu Guoliang Seeks Personalities

It's interesting that even the unstoppable Chinese juggernaut is possibly starting to realize that the domination of table tennis by a succession of interchangeable, clone-like players with no distinct personalities is not good for the sport as a whole. Whether Chinese table tennis can successfully blend a bit of individualism with their focus on the good of the country before the player remains to be seen, but should be interesting to watch.

And speaking of table tennis personalities, Oceanic fans will soon be able to see more of their own home grown table tennis stars, as well as the world's elite players, thanks to an agreement between the Oceania Table Tennis Federation, the ITTF, and TMS International, who have managed to secure a 3 year agreement with FOX Sports TV, with TMS International providing sponsorship guarantees and helping to bring the presentation of events up to Fox Sports standards. You can find more details on the ITTF website.