Trailing 0-2, Liang Jingkun faced elimination. But the 29-year-old Chinese table tennis veteran clawed back to win the third set 15-13, the fourth 12-10, and then dominated the decider 11-2 to complete a stunning 3-2 comeback victory. It was a performance that brought tears to many fans’ eyes.
After securing the final point, Liang threw down his racket, jumped into the air, and roared with both fists clenched. His intense celebration reflected the emotional release of a player who had been battling injuries and criticism for months.
Liang’s form had dipped significantly over the past half-year due to injuries. His world ranking slipped, and he lost several matches against foreign opponents. In the World Cup singles group stage, he finished last after two straight losses. At this team World Championships, he had already lost three matches before the semifinal.
Despite the doubts from many fans and pundits, head coach Wang Hao never wavered in his support for Liang. Wang kept faith that “Big Fat” (Liang’s nickname) would find his form when it mattered most.
Liang had already shown signs of recovery in the quarterfinal against South Korea, sweeping past An Jaehyun 3-0 to help China avenge an earlier group-stage loss and reach the semifinals.
In the semifinal against France, China faced a serious challenge. France was widely considered one of the biggest obstacles to China’s title defense. Wang Chuqin won the first match 3-2 against Jules Cotten, but Lin Shide lost 0-3 to Felix Lebrun in the second. Liang then stepped up for the third match.
Liang lost the first two sets 3-11 and 1-11, seemingly heading for a sweep. But from the brink of defeat, he sparked a remarkable turnaround. The third set went deep into deuce, with Liang finally taking it 15-13 after saving multiple set points. In the fourth, he handled Alexis Lebrun’s tactics better, edging it 12-10. By the fifth, Alexis’s composure had cracked, and Liang stormed to an 11-2 victory.
Wang Hao and Liang’s teammates erupted in cheers from the sideline. Liang himself celebrated wildly, pumping his fists repeatedly. It was one of the most dramatic comebacks in Chinese men’s team World Championship history.
Wang Chuqin then closed the match by defeating Felix Lebrun 3-1, giving China a 3-1 overall victory and a spot in the final against Japan. Liang Jingkun had risen from the ashes, showing the relentless fighting spirit that Wang Hao always believed in.