Fan Zhendong Withdraws from London World Table Tennis Championships; Liang Jingkun Steps In
The Chinese Table Tennis Association officially announced the national team roster for the upcoming London World Table Tennis Championships on April 8, 2026, revealing a surprising shake-up in the men’s lineup. In a move that has captured the attention of the sporting world, star player Fan Zhendong has voluntarily relinquished his spot, paving the way for veteran Liang Jingkun to join the squad.
The final rosters for the powerhouse nation are as follows:
Men’s Team: Wang Chuqin, Lin Shidong, Zhou Qihao, Xiang Peng, and Liang Jingkun.
Women’s Team: Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu, Chen Xingtong, Kuai Man, and Wang Yidi.
The most significant talking point of the announcement is the absence of Fan Zhendong. Despite having already secured his qualification, officials confirmed that the Chinese Table Tennis Association consulted Fan, who expressed a desire to withdraw from the event for personal reasons. This continues a trend for Fan, who has not competed in international play since the conclusion of the Paris Olympics and has repeatedly declined several competition opportunities.
To fill the void left by Fan, the coaching staff recommended Liang Jingkun, who effectively caught the “last train” to London. While Liang provides a veteran presence to help the team defend its title, other hopefuls missed out; notably, rising young talent Wen Ruibo was not included in the final selection, leading to some controversy regarding the omission of the youngster.
The road to London was determined through a rigorous combination of past achievements, world rankings, and internal trials. Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha earned their berths as the singles champions of the 2025 Doha World Table Tennis Championships. Similarly, Fan Zhendong (prior to his withdrawal) and Wang Manyu qualified as the singles champions of the 2025 15th National Games. Lin Shidong secured his position via the world rankings, being one of the top two ranked men as of February 9, 2026.
The remaining slots were decided through a series of high-stakes internal trials throughout March:
- March 6: Chen Xingtong claimed the first women’s selection title.
- March 18: Zhou Qihao topped the first men’s selection trial.
- March 22: Kuai Man emerged victorious in the second women’s trial.
- March 25: Xiang Peng won the second men’s selection trial.
The selection of Wang Yidi followed a more complex path. Although she won the third women’s selection trial on March 26, her spot remained tentative until April 2, 2026. Her inclusion was only finalized after Qin Yuxuan was eliminated from the Macau World Cup; had Qin won the singles title there, she would have received priority entry into the London championships.
With a blend of established champions and trial-proven contenders, the Chinese squad now prepares to head to London. The team’s ability to integrate Liang Jingkun into the men’s rotation will be critical as they seek to maintain their global dominance. For those following the decision by Fan Zhendong to step aside, the focus now shifts to how this modified roster will perform under the pressure of the world stage.
As the tournament approaches, the narrative surrounding the team remains focused on whether the current lineup can replicate the success of previous iterations, especially with the public discourse regarding the roster changes. Regardless, the Chinese team remains the favorite heading into the event.
