Wang Hao (table tennis, born 1983)

3.1. Entry into Professional Table Tennis

Wang Hao's entry into professional table tennis was marked by a rapid ascent through the ranks of Chinese table tennis. After joining the Jilin Provincial Table Tennis Team in 1996, his exceptional skills were recognized, leading to his recruitment into the highly competitive Chinese national team in 1998. This move signified his official transition to a professional athlete, setting the stage for his illustrious international career.

3.2. Playing Style and Techniques

Wang Hao employed a penhold grip, a style traditionally favored by Chinese players. He was a representative of a new wave of penhold players, distinguishing himself with exceptional attacking and defensive skills from both the forehand and backhand wings of the table. The greater freedom of the wrist associated with the penhold grip allowed Wang Hao to generate significant spin on his forehand shots.

His most distinctive and influential technique was his nearly exclusive use of the Reverse Penhold Backhand (RPB) for almost all shots on his backhand side. Unlike most traditional penhold players who primarily used a single-sided straight short game, Wang Hao's RPB allowed him to execute powerful backhand drives with remarkable spin and force, comparable to the backhand drives of shakehand grip players. This approach was initially considered unconventional, and when he first joined the national team, many players did not hold his style in high regard. However, Wang Hao's success demonstrated the effectiveness of this technique. He was noted for his stable two-winged counter-play, strength in rallies, and unique, high-quality flick shots from the table. Furthermore, he often employed side-spin serves, a tactic more commonly seen among European players, to set up his two-winged counter-attacks from the forehand.

3.3. Equipment

Throughout his career, Wang Hao used equipment tailored to his unique penhold style. He primarily used a DHS Hurricane Hao blade, which was a special blade designed for him, sometimes referred to as the N656. For his forehand, he used a DHS Neo Skyline III Blue Sponge rubber, often specified as National Hurricane 3 Blue Sponge with a hardness of 40 degrees. For his backhand, where he executed his signature RPB, he used a Butterfly Sriver topsheet on a Bryce sponge, or sometimes a National Hurricane 3 White Sponge with a hardness of 37 degrees.

3.4. Career Progression and Rankings

Wang Hao's career progression was marked by consistent high-level performance and periods at the pinnacle of the sport. He first achieved the world No. 1 ranking on the official ITTF world rankings in December 2004. He then held the top spot for an impressive 27 consecutive months from October 2007 to December 2009, a testament to his sustained dominance. In January 2010, he was briefly surpassed by his compatriot Ma Long, but Wang Hao reclaimed his No. 1 ranking in April 2011. During his career, he appeared a record twelve times in major world competition finals. In men's singles, he won the Asian Championship, Asian Cup, Asian Games, and Chinese National Games at least once.

5.1. Olympic Games

Wang Hao participated in three consecutive Olympic Games, securing multiple medals.

5.2. World Table Tennis Championships

Wang Hao has an impressive record at the World Table Tennis Championships, including a singles title.

5.3. Table Tennis World Cup

Wang Hao is a multiple-time World Cup champion in both singles and team events.

5.4. Asian Competitions

Wang Hao has achieved significant success in regional Asian tournaments.

5.5. Asian Games

Wang Hao has also performed strongly at the multi-sport Asian Games.

5.6. ITTF Pro Tour and Grand Finals

Wang Hao accumulated numerous titles and strong performances on the ITTF Pro Tour circuit and in the year-end Grand Finals. He won the ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals in men's singles twice, in 2003 (Guangzhou) and 2006 (Hong Kong). He was also a runner-up in men's singles at the Grand Finals in 2007 (Beijing) and 2008 (Macau), and in men's doubles in 2004 (Beijing), 2007 (Beijing), and 2011 (London).

Throughout his career, he secured numerous singles and doubles titles at various ITTF Pro Tour events:

• Men's Singles Titles:** 2002 Netherlands, 2002 Egypt, 2003 Croatia, 2004 Greece, 2006 Slovenia, 2007 Slovenia, 2007 Shenzhen, 2007 Japan, 2007 Stockholm, 2008 Changchun, 2009 Tianjin, 2011 Dubai, 2012 Eindhoven, 2012 Poznan.
• Men's Doubles Titles:** 2001 Yokohama, 2003 Denmark, 2003 Sweden, 2004 South Korea, 2004 Changchun, 2005 Qatar, 2006 Croatia, 2006 Qatar, 2006 Japan, 2007 Croatia, 2007 Shenzhen, 2007 Nanjing, 2007 Stockholm, 2008 Kuwait City, 2008 Daejeon, 2009 Seoul, 2010 Doha, 2011 Velenje, 2011 Schwechat, 2012 Shanghai, 2014 Magdeburg, 2014 Stockholm.

5.7. Other Competitions

Wang Hao also achieved success in other significant events:

• World Club Championships:** Champion in men's team in 1999, and runner-up in 2000.
• Asian Junior Table Tennis Championships (1999):** Champion in men's team, runner-up in men's singles and men's doubles.
• Chinese National Games:** Champion in men's team in 2001 and 2009, champion in men's singles and mixed doubles in 2009, and champion in men's team in 2013.

7.1. The "Eternal Silver Medalist" Narrative

Wang Hao is famously known as the "Eternal Silver Medalist" due to his unique record of winning three consecutive silver medals in men's singles at the Olympic Games. In the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, he was defeated by Yoo Seung-min of South Korea in the final, despite having a strong head-to-head record against him. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, he lost to his compatriot Ma Lin in an all-Chinese final. Four years later, at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, he again reached the final but was defeated by another Chinese teammate, Zhang Jike. This remarkable feat of reaching three consecutive Olympic singles finals but failing to secure the gold medal in any of them led to his enduring nickname.

Despite this narrative, Wang Hao's Olympic career is highly distinguished. He holds the record for the most Olympic medals in men's table tennis, with three silver medals in singles and two gold medals in the men's team event (2008 Beijing and 2012 London). He also won a singles gold medal at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, demonstrating his ability to win major singles titles outside the Olympics.

7.2. Pioneer of the Reverse Penhold Backhand (RPB)

Wang Hao is widely recognized as a pioneer and master of the Reverse Penhold Backhand (RPB) technique. While other Chinese penhold players like Ma Lin and Liu Guoliang had achieved international success, their backhand play often relied on traditional short and push shots. Wang Hao, however, revolutionized the penhold style by consistently employing the RPB for aggressive backhand drives, allowing him to generate powerful shots with significant spin, comparable to those of shakehand players. One coach noted that Wang Hao was unique among Chinese penhold players for his ability to execute continuous backhand counter-drives. His innovative use and mastery of the RPB significantly influenced modern table tennis, demonstrating its potential and paving the way for future generations of penhold players. Contemporary players like Xu Xin of China and Wong Chun Ting of Hong Kong continue to utilize and build upon the RPB technique that Wang Hao popularized.

7.3. Overall Contribution and Recognition

Wang Hao's overall contribution to table tennis is immense. He was a central figure in the dominant Chinese men's team of the 2000s, often referred to as one of the "Troika" alongside Ma Lin and Wang Liqin. His consistent performance, particularly his record of appearing in twelve major world competition finals, underscores his enduring presence at the sport's elite level. In recognition of his outstanding career and influence, Wang Hao was inducted into the ITTF Hall of Fame in 2010, solidifying his place as one of table tennis's all-time greats.