Liu Guoliang, Former World Champion, now Chinese Head Coach

Liu Guoliang was born in Xinxiang of Henan Province in China on July 10, 1976. He started playing table tennis when he was six years of age and was included in the national team in 1991, when he was 15. Liu Guoliang was the first Chinese player to win all the titles at major tournaments of the world, including Olympic Games, World Championship and Olympic Games. He announced his retirement in 2002. He felt that the new rules imposed by the ITTF at that time about service and about a bigger ball use did not suit his style of play. He was appointed as the head coach of China’s national team in 2003, at the young age of 27. Liu Guoliang had a penhold grip and was terror to many opponents with his superb service and the pimple rubbers on his blade.

His hidden services were highly effective and his close-to-table fast attacks on both wings made counterattack very difficult. He won 4 World Championships singles titles and one World Cup title, apart from 2 gold medals, 1 silver medal and 1 bronze medals at the Olympic Games. He had also won 4 World Championships doubles title and several team titles.

In 1999, when Liu Guoliang beat his compatriot Ma Lin in Men’s World Championship finals in Eindhoven, Netherlands, he completed a table tennis ’Grand Slam’ of Olympic, World Cup and World Championship singles titles. Liu Guoliang took the first game at 21-16. However, Ma Lin managed to win the next 2 games at 21-19 and 21-19. In the fourth game Liu Guoliang executed strong forehand smashes consistently to win 21-16. The fifth game was evenly fought and went to 22-all before Liu Guoliang triumphed at 24-22.

After his victories in 1993 and 1995 at the World Championships, Liu Guoliang participated for the first time in an Olympic Game in 1996, when it was held in Atlanta. In the semifinals, he defeated Jorg Rosskopf of Germany by 3 games to 1. In the finals, his opponent was fellow Chinese player Tao Wang. They fought with equal vigor and the first 4 games ended 2-all. The decisive fifth game was taken by Liu Guoliang at 21-6, when his power play was in full display. Later, Liu Guoliang partnered Linghui Kong to win the doubles also by 3 games to 1.

In the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, Sweden’s Jan-Ove Waldner beat Liu Guoliang 3 sets to nil and he ended up with a bronze. In the doubles finals, he played with Linghui Kong against compatriots Liqin Wong and Sen Yan, and won a silver. At that time, he became the only table tennis player who had won the most medals in the entire history of Olympic Games.

Liu Guoliang described his style of play as more ’vicious’. His side-spin serves had great spin ranges. The opponents found the serves very difficult to return. He obtained most of his points from his services. On the other hand, he admitted that his weakness was poor rallying abilities, lack of strong power and lesser overall skills, when compared to a player like Ma Lin. His keen analysis of the game and his experience at the top level are standing in good stead in his new role as chief coach for the Chinese team.