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Hugo Calderano Breaks Chinese Monopoly at Table Tennis World Cup
Table of Contents
Macau — May 2, 2024 —
Brazilian player Hugo Calderano secured a historic victory at the 2025 ITTF Men’s World Cup, defeating China’s Lin Shidong in a stunning upset. Calderano’s win marks the end of China’s decades-long dominance in major table tennis singles events adn signifies a major shift in the sport’s landscape. This victory, a testament to skill and strategy, is expected to invigorate future table tennis tournaments.
Hugo Calderano Breaks chinese Monopoly at Table Tennis World Cup
Macau – the 2025 ITTF Men’s World Cup concluded with a stunning upset as Hugo Calderano of Brazil defeated China’s world No. 1, Lin Shidong, 4-1. The victory marks Calderano’s first World Cup title and ends China’s long-held dominance in major table tennis singles events.
The Final Showdown: Calderano vs. Lin
Lin Shidong,the rising star of Chinese table tennis,faced off against Calderano in a highly anticipated final. Despite Lin’s reputation, Calderano displayed extraordinary skill and mental fortitude throughout the match.
Did You Know?
This is the first time a non-European and non-Asian player has won the ITTF Men’s World Cup. [[1]]
Key Moments from the Match:
- Game 1: Lin Shidong started strong, winning 11-6.
- Game 2: Calderano adjusted his serving strategy,disrupting Lin’s rythm and securing an 11-7 victory to tie the score.
- Game 3: Lin failed to capitalize on a 9-7 lead, losing four consecutive points and the game 9-11.
- game 4: Calderano dominated, winning 11-4.
- Game 5: Lin fell behind 1-5, rallied to 4-5, but Calderano called a timeout and closed out the game 11-5, winning the championship.
A Historic Win for Brazil and the Americas
Calderano, currently ranked fifth in the world, has made history with this victory. He is the first South American table tennis player to break into the world’s top ten and has consistently challenged Chinese players in the past few years
.[[2]]
His path to the championship included defeating No.3 seed Zhang Benzhi and no. 2 seed Wang Chuqin, making him the first player from the Americas to reach the World Cup semi-finals. [[3]]
The Brazilian media has hailed calderano as a national hero
, anticipating that this win will inspire more South American players. His world ranking is expected to rise to second place following this victory.
Pro Tip:
Calderano’s victory comes less than a year after he achieved Brazil’s best-ever Olympic table tennis result, finishing fourth at the Paris games. [[2]]
Brazilian President luiz Inácio Lula da Silva congratulated Calderano, stating, This Brazilian player defeated Lin Shidong, the world’s No. 1 Chinese player,and led the American player to the finals and won the championship for the first time.
Calderano responded, It has always been a proud thing for me to represent Brazil and win such an critically important title for our country.
The End of an Era? China’s Dominance Challenged
For the first time since the 2017 World Cup, the Chinese men’s table tennis team has lost in the singles event of a major competition.Timo Boll,an international table tennis star,noted,The Chinese team’s training system can mass-produce the championship,but Hugos are proving that personalized play is also subversive.
Boll is known for being the non-Chinese player with the most victories against Chinese players in the 21st century.
Lin shidong acknowledged his defeat, saying, The opponent performed very well today. I made many mistakes and did not handle the key ball decisively enough.
Head coach Wang Hao added that Calderano’s tactical changes and psychological stability are worth learning from by the Chinese table tennis team
and emphasized the need to focus on developing young players’ resilience.
Controversy in the Stands: Chinese Fans Cheer for Calderano
An unusual scene unfolded during the final, with some Chinese fans reportedly cheering for Calderano. According to Sohu.com,shouts of Come on Hugo
where heard,creating an atmosphere that felt like an away game
for Lin Shidong.
This sparked debate on Chinese social media, with some viewers questioning why fans were supporting a foreign player. Online discussions included entries such as Chinese table tennis really should reflect on
. One netizen commented, Men’s football team can’t play, but now table tennis can’t beat Brazilians.
A fan with the username “Su Xiaodongdong” criticized the selection process for Chinese players, stating, The national table tennis defeat is not as there are selection standards first, but because there are people who want to push them up first, and then formulate standards based on his situation. There is a lack of a fair selection mechanism.
FAQ: Hugo Calderano’s World Cup Victory
- Who is Hugo Calderano?
- A Brazilian table tennis player,currently ranked fifth in the world. [[1]]
- What did Hugo Calderano win?
- The 2025 ITTF Men’s World Cup.
- Why is this win meaningful?
- It marks the first time a non-Chinese player has won the World Cup since 2017 and highlights the rise of table tennis talent outside of China.
