Wang Chuqin talks about losing to Hugo in the World Cup: Every time I recall the picture of the Brazilian flag rising, it is very painful

On July 22, according to the People's Daily, Wang Chuqin recently interviewed by Table Tennis World and talked about several topics that the public is very concerned about, including the elimination of Brazilian player Hugo in the semi-finals of the Macau World Cup, and the experience of defeating Hugo in the Doha World Table Tennis Championships.

In the Macau World Cup Table Tennis Arena in April 2025, Wang Chuqin, the world's second-ranked leader, held a 3-1 lead, but encountered the most dramatic reversal of his career in the semi-finals. Brazilian player Hugo Calderano won three consecutive games and finally blocked the Chinese star 4-3 outside the final. When the Brazilian flag was raised in the middle of the three Chinese flags at the award ceremony, Wang Chuqin on the sidelines looked in his eyes. It showed an unconcealable loss, "This foreign war defeat has hit me very hard." Wang Chuqin admitted in a recent interview with Table Tennis World, "The World Cup loss to Hugo made me go back to the past and recall some shadows." After the Macau defeat, Wang Chuqin fell into deep self-doubt, "I can still recall the scene where the Brazilian flag rose among the three five-star red flags, and remembered it I felt very painful. "He revealed to reporters, "It has a big blow to my heart, and I feel that I am not ready to bear these." The 25-year-old main player of the national table tennis team even began to question his ability: "After losing this game in Macau, I doubted myself, thinking that I don't have the ability to do it well?" At this time, Wang Chuqin, although he was ranked second in the world, has not yet played singles in the three major competitions (World Table Tennis Championships, World Cups, and Olympics) At the top of his eyes, doubts from the outside world surged like a tide

At the critical moment, the wisdom of the coaching team warmed him. Guidance Wang Hao did not blame the team members, but brought everyone together for dinner and chat. In the subsequent closed training, Wang Chuqin continued to communicate with the two mentors Wang Hao and Xiao Zhan. "Communication is more about not technical problems, but about mentality, how to face it, how to transform." He gradually realized: "No one can help." I have to rely on myself."

In just 35 days, fate gave Wang Chuqin the opportunity to save him. On May 25, 2025, in the men's singles final of the Doha World Table Tennis Championships, he faced Hugo Calderano again, the Brazilian who once smashed his dream of championship in Macau. This time, Wang Chuqin's eyes shone with different lights. When he fell behind 7-10 in the first game, he showed amazing tactical execution

Fake action and false action disrupted Hugo's position, suddenly changed the line and mobilized the opponent's center of gravity, resisted the two-board thrust back and forth, grabbed the tennis ball and hit the decisively, and finally completed a major reversal in a single game 12-10; when the last backhand twist forced Hugo back and got off the net, Wang Chuqin completed a perfect revenge 4-1. He not only won the men's singles championship for the first time, but also helped the national table tennis team achieve 11 consecutive championships in the World Table Tennis Championships

At the award ceremony, Wang Chuqin pointed to the back, first pointing to "CHINA" and then to "Wang Chuqin". At this moment, he completed the comprehensive transformation from technology to mentality. "The moment he won, I think it was relief." Wang Chuqin admitted frankly, "I know I have always been in a whirlpool. Many people compared me with Grand Slam athletes. After the Paris Olympics, I will also notice a lot of external voices."

The new world champion revealed his deepest struggle: "I will also feel very tired, because I feel that playing table tennis in this era is not the only answer; I also want to take a free breath, enjoy life, and spend a while with my family..." But the moment when I held up the St. Blade Cup, all the pressure and pain turned into motivation to move forward: "I will still give everything for my goals."