Singapore Smash still star-studded despite Ma Long, Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng’s absence

SINGAPORE – Olympic champions and crowd favourites Ma Long, Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng will not be in town for the Jan 30-Feb 9 Singapore Smash after

withdrawing from the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) world rankings

in December 2024.

The trio of Chinese players, all of whom are former Singapore Smash winners, are ominously missing from the player list on the US$1.5 million (S$2.04 million) major tournament’s website, even as the organisers announced a star-studded field and wild cards on Jan 23.

Fan, who won Olympic men’s singles and team gold medals in Paris, as well as the 2022 and 2023 Singapore Smash men’s singles titles, posted on Chinese social media platform Weibo on Dec 27 to say that he did not agree with ITTF rules that impose fines on players who choose to skip World Table Tennis (WTT) tournaments.

He added: “I cannot accept it, but I respect the international federation. So I can only withdraw from the world rankings. I am still me, I won’t retire and I will work hard to participate in different competitions.”

However, his career status remains a subject of speculation as he also shared a document he signed to indicate his “retirement from all ITTF-sanctioned events” from Dec 23, 2024.

Ma, Fan and Chen were also omitted from China’s national team for the Feb 19-23 Asian Cup in Shenzhen.

There will still be plenty of stardust in the Singapore Smash as China’s defending men’s singles champion and world No. 1 Wang Chuqin, and reigning women’s singles champion and world No. 2 Wang Manyu have confirmed their participation. So too have all the top-20 singles players, except for China’s men’s singles world No. 9 Lin Gaoyuan and women’s singles world No. 18 Shi Xunyao.

Men’s doubles world No. 1 Alexis and Felix Lebrun from France, and Japanese siblings Tomokazu and Miwa Harimoto, who are third and sixth respectively in the men’s and women’s singles rankings, will also be here at the Singapore Sports Hub.

There will, however, be new men’s, women’s and mixed doubles winners as powerhouses China experiment with new partnerships.

On the home front, men’s singles world No. 81 Izaac Quek leads Singapore’s charge. The 18-year-old reached the last 16 in 2023 after slaying Sweden’s 2019 world championships runner-up Mattias Falck and India’s Commonwealth Games champion Sharath Achanta, and made the men’s doubles quarter-finals with Koen Pang in 2024.

He said: “The Singapore Smash is an event I look forward to every year. Playing in front of the home crowd is always special, and we’ve been putting in the work during training. My aim is to win as many matches as possible and hopefully cause a few surprises along the way.”

The 2023 SEA Games triple gold medallist will be joined by Pang and Clarence Chew in the men’s singles main draw, while Josh Chua and Beh Kun Ting will begin their journey from the qualifying rounds. Quek and Pang have also risen to world No. 7 in the men’s doubles, and will be looking for a deep run in this category.

In the women’s singles, the Republic’s Zeng Jian, Zhou Jingyi and Ser Lin Qian go straight into the main draw, while Zhang Wanling, Tan Zhao Yun, Loy Ming Ying and Chloe Lai start from the qualifiers.

On having to play from the second day of the Chinese New Year, 14-year-old Ming Ying said: “It is never easy as it’s traditionally a time for family and celebration. But qualifying for the Singapore Smash is a privilege and an honour. The festive spirit fuels my determination, and I’m focused on giving my best to represent Singapore well.”

Singapore Table Tennis Association chief executive officer Wong Hui Leng felt that the host’s wildcard nominations offer its athletes a “golden opportunity” to challenge themselves against the world’s best players on home soil.

She said: “We are proud of the dedication and hard work our players have shown to earn their place on this prestigious stage. Singapore Smash is more than just a competition – it’s a source of inspiration for future generations and a moment for all Singaporeans to rally behind our team.”

Other than the five main categories, the Singapore Youth Grand Smash and Para Showcase will also be held during the 11-day event, reflecting the “diversity and calibre of talent”.

Singapore Smash events director Joseph Koh said: “WTT is honoured to host this electrifying display of raw talent, skill, and competitive excellence on Singapore’s grand stage. We look forward to watching these exceptional players captivate fans and elevate the spirit of table tennis to levels unseen.”