Ma Long facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ma Long
Ma at the 2017 Asian Championships
Personal information
Native name	马龙
Nickname(s)	The Hexagon Warrior; The Dictator; Captain Long; The Dragon
Born	(1988-10-20) 20 October 1988 (age 36) Anshan, China
Playing style	Right-handed, shakehand grip
Equipment(s)	(2023) DHS W968, DHS Hurricane 3 Neo National Blue Sponge (FH, Black), Customized DHS Hurricane 3 Neo (BH, Red)
Highest ranking	1 (January 2010)
Club	Shandong Luneng
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	72 kg (159 lb)
Medal record Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 6 0 0 World Championships 14 1 4 World Cup 11 2 3 Men's table tennis Representing  China Olympic Games Gold 2012 London Team Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro Singles Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team Gold 2020 Tokyo Singles Gold 2020 Tokyo Team Gold 2024 Paris Team World Championships Gold 2006 Bremen Team Gold 2008 Guangzhou Team Gold 2010 Moscow Team Gold 2011 Rotterdam Doubles Gold 2012 Dortmund Team Gold 2014 Tokyo Team Gold 2015 Suzhou Singles Gold 2016 Kuala Lumpur Team Gold 2017 Düsseldorf Singles Gold 2018 Halmstad Team Gold 2019 Budapest Singles Gold 2019 Budapest Doubles Gold 2022 Chengdu Team Gold 2024 Busan Team Silver 2009 Yokohama Doubles Bronze 2009 Yokohama Singles Bronze 2011 Rotterdam Singles Bronze 2013 Paris Singles Bronze 2023 Durban Singles World Cup Gold 2009 Linz Team Gold 2010 Dubai Team Gold 2011 Magdeburg Team Gold 2012 Liverpool Singles Gold 2013 Guangzhou Team Gold 2015 Halmstad Singles Gold 2015 Dubai Team Gold 2018 London Team Gold 2019 Tokyo Team Gold 2023 Chengdu Mixed team Gold 2024 Macau Singles Silver 2014 Düsseldorf Singles Silver 2020 Weihai Singles Bronze 2008 Liège Singles Bronze 2009 Moscow Singles Bronze 2017 Liège Singles WTT Cup Finals Bronze 2022 Xinxiang Singles Asian Games Gold 2006 Doha Team Gold 2010 Guangzhou Singles Gold 2010 Guangzhou Team Gold 2014 Incheon Doubles Gold 2014 Incheon Team Gold 2022 Hangzhou Team Bronze 2006 Doha Doubles Asian Championships Gold 2005 Jeju-do Team Gold 2007 Yangzhou Doubles Gold 2007 Yangzhou Team Gold 2009 Lucknow Singles Gold 2009 Lucknow Doubles Gold 2009 Lucknow Mixed doubles Gold 2009 Lucknow Team Gold 2011 Macau Singles Gold 2011 Macau Team Gold 2013 Busan Singles Gold 2013 Busan Team Gold 2015 Pattaya Team Gold 2017 Wuxi Team Gold 2023 Pyeongchang Singles Gold 2023 Pyeongchang Team Silver 2007 Yangzhou Singles Silver 2013 Busan Doubles Silver 2023 Pyeongchang Doubles Bronze 2005 Jeju-do Mixed doubles Bronze 2011 Macau Doubles Asian Cup Gold 2008 Sapporo Singles Gold 2009 Hangzhou Singles Gold 2011 Changsha Singles Gold 2014 Wuhan Singles Silver 2019 Yokohama Singles ITTF World Tour Grand Finals Gold 2006 Hong Kong Doubles Gold 2008 Macau Singles Gold 2009 Macau Singles Gold 2011 London Singles Gold 2015 Lisbon Singles Gold 2016 Doha Singles Gold 2020 Zhengzhou Singles Silver 2011 London Doubles Silver 2013 Dubai Singles Silver 2019 Zhengzhou Singles Bronze 2007 Beijing Singles Bronze 2007 Beijing Doubles National Games of China Gold 2013 Liaoning Singles Gold 2013 Liaoning Mixed doubles Gold 2017 Tianjin Singles Gold 2021 Shaanxi Doubles Silver 2009 Shandong Singles Silver 2017 Tianjin Doubles Silver 2021 Shaanxi Team Bronze 2005 Jiangsu Singles Bronze 2005 Jiangsu Doubles Bronze 2009 Shandong Team Bronze 2013 Liaoning Team All China Table Tennis Championships Gold 2010 Zhangjiagang Doubles Gold 2011 Jiangsu Singles Gold 2011 Jiangsu Team Gold 2012 Zhangjiagang Mixed doubles Gold 2012 Zhangjiagang Team Gold 2015 Haerbing Doubles Gold 2018 Anshan Team Gold 2020 Weihai Doubles Silver 2004 Wuxi Singles Silver 2006 Nanjing Doubles Silver 2007 Wuxi Singles Silver 2007 Wuxi Doubles Silver 2008 Zhangjiagang Mixed doubles Silver 2014 Hubei Singles Silver 2014 Hubei Doubles Silver 2016 Anshan Mixed doubles Silver 2020 Weihai Singles Silver 2020 Weihai Team Bronze 2006 Nanjing Singles Bronze 2007 Wuxi Team Bronze 2008 Zhangjiagang Singles Bronze 2008 Zhangjiagang Doubles Bronze 2008 Zhangjiagang Team World Junior Championships Gold 2003 Santiago Team Gold 2004 Kobe Singles Gold 2004 Kobe Team Silver 2003 Santiago Mixed doubles Silver 2004 Kobe Doubles Silver 2004 Kobe Mixed Doubles Asian Junior Championships Gold 2004 New Delhi Singles Gold 2004 New Delhi Mixed doubles Gold 2004 New Delhi Team Silver 2003 Hyderabad Doubles Silver 2004 New Delhi Doubles

Ma Long (Chinese: 马龙; pinyin: Mǎ Lóng; born 20 October 1988) is a professional table tennis player from China. Many people think he is the greatest table tennis player ever. He is the only male player to win a "Double Grand Slam." This means he won the Olympic gold medal in men's singles twice, in 2016 and 2020.

Ma Long has won more Olympic gold medals (6) than any other table tennis player. He also holds the record for the most Olympic gold medals won by a Chinese athlete. He was ranked the world's number 1 player for a total of 64 months. This included 34 months in a row starting from March 2015, which is the longest time for any male player.

He won the World Championship in men's singles three times in a row: in 2015, 2017, and 2019. Because of his amazing records, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) gave him nicknames like "The Dictator" and "The Dragon." His name, Lóng, means dragon in Chinese. Since 2014, he has been the captain of the Chinese national table tennis men's team.

Ma Long's Table Tennis Journey

Starting Out: Early Career Success

Ma Long became a world champion at just 17 years old. This happened when he played in the 2006 Bremen World Team Championship. Before that, he had already won both the Asian and World Junior Championships.

He learned a lot from coaches like Wang Hao and Qin Zhijian. By the time he was 22, he had already won 8 ITTF World Tour tournaments. He also won the Asian Cup and World Tour Grand Finals twice.

Even though he was often the world's number 1 player from 2010 to 2014, he was not chosen for the 2012 Olympics singles event. This was because of a small drop in his ranking. At that time, many people thought he was the best player in the world.

Becoming More Consistent: 2013-2015

After a tough loss at the 2013 World Championships, Ma Long had a very successful year. He won the China Open twice and the Asian Championships for the third time. He also won the China National Games.

In 2014, he won the Asian Cup for the fourth time. He played a key role in China winning the 2014 World Team Championship. He also won the China Open for a record fifth time.

The year 2015 was a huge year for Ma Long. He won the Kuwait Open and the German Open. His biggest win was at the 2015 World Championships, where he won the singles title. This was a major step forward for him. He continued his winning streak by taking the China Open for a record sixth time. He also won the World Tour Grand Finals, showing his amazing comeback skills. In 2015, Ma Long lost only once in international competitions.

Achieving the Grand Slam: 2016 Olympics

In January 2016, Ma Long won the German Open. He also helped China win the 2016 World Team Championship without losing a single game. This extended his unbeaten streak in team championships.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Ma Long was the top seed. He played incredibly well, reaching the final against his teammate and rival, Zhang Jike. Ma Long won the gold medal by beating Zhang Jike 4-0. This was the first time an Olympic singles final ended with a 4-0 score.

By winning in Rio, Ma Long became the fifth male player to complete the "Grand Slam." This means he won the World Championships, the World Cup, and the Olympic Games. He was also the first male player to hold all four major titles (World Championships, World Cup, Olympics, and ITTF World Tour Grand Finals) at the same time. He became the first male player to win every important singles competition possible.

Later in 2016, he won his record fifth ITTF World Tour Grand Finals title. This showed his continued dominance in the sport.

Continuing Dominance: 2017-2019

Ma Long started 2017 by winning the Qatar Open again. He then competed in the 2017 World Table Tennis Championships in Düsseldorf. He reached the final and faced Fan Zhendong in an exciting match. Ma Long won the match, securing his second consecutive World Championship singles title. This made him the first male player to win 10 major titles.

In June, he won the Japan Open for the first time. This meant he had won at every major ITTF World Tour location. He also won his second consecutive singles title at the China National Games.

In 2018, Ma Long's world ranking dropped due to a new ranking system. However, he quickly showed his strength. He helped China win the 2018 World Team Cup. He also won the German Open for the fifth time. He continued his success by winning the China Open. Unfortunately, he then suffered a knee injury that kept him out of tournaments for the rest of 2018.

Despite his injury, Ma Long returned strong in 2019. He won the Qatar Open after a seven-month break. He then went on to win his third consecutive World Championship singles title in Budapest. This made him the first player since Zhuang Zedong (in the 1960s) to win three World Championships in a row.

Olympic History and Recent Achievements: 2020-2025

In 2020, Ma Long was the runner-up at the World Cup. However, he ended the year by winning his record sixth ITTF World Tour Finals title, beating Fan Zhendong.

In May 2021, Ma Long was chosen to represent China in the men's singles event at the Tokyo Olympics. At the 2020 Summer Olympics (held in 2021), Ma Long made history. He defeated his teammate Fan Zhendong in the final to win his second consecutive Olympic gold medal in men's singles. This made him the first player ever to achieve this. He also won a gold medal in the men's team event, bringing his total Olympic gold medals to five.

In 2023, Ma Long continued to compete at a high level. He won the men's singles title at the Asian Table Tennis Championships for the fourth time. This ended a "champion drought" in singles that had lasted over two years since the Tokyo Olympics.

In February 2024, Ma Long and his teammates won the 2024 World Team Table Tennis Championships in Busan, South Korea. In April 2024, he won the ITTF Men's World Cup in Macau. He showed amazing skill, beating younger top players like Wang Chuqin and Lin Gaoyuan. He won the World Cup title for the third time, proving he could still win against younger opponents.

On July 24, 2024, Ma Long was chosen as one of the flag bearers for China at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. On August 9, 2024, he won his sixth Olympic gold medal in the men's team event at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. This made him the first Chinese athlete to win six Olympic gold medals. Ma Long officially retired from the ITTF world rankings on December 31, 2024.

On April 23, 2025, Ma Long was appointed as the Vice President of the Chinese Table Tennis Association.

Personal Life

In January 2017, Ma Long married his longtime girlfriend, Xia Lu. On December 10, 2017, they welcomed their son. Ma Long is also good friends with his teammate Liu Shiwen.

Career Records

Here are some of Ma Long's amazing achievements:

Singles

• Olympic Games: Winner (2016, 2020)
• World Championships: Winner (2015, 2017, 2019)
• World Cup: Winner (2012, 2015, 2024)
• ITTF World Tour Grand Finals: Winner (2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2020)
• ITTF World Tour Winner (28 titles)
• Asian Games: Winner (2010)
• Asian Championships: Winner (2009, 2011, 2013, 2023)
• Asian Cup: Winner (2008, 2009, 2011, 2014)
• China National Games: Winner (2013, 2017)
• Chinese National Championships: Winner (2011)
• World Junior Championships: Winner (2004)
• Asian Junior Championships: Winner (2004)

Doubles

• World Championships: Winner (2011, 2019)
• ITTF World Tour Grand Finals: Winner (2006)
• ITTF World Tour Winner (26 titles)
• Asian Games: Winner (2014)
• Asian Championships: Winner (2007, 2009)
• China National Games: Winner (2021)
• Chinese National Championships: Winner (2010, 2015, 2020)

Mixed Doubles

• Asian Championships: Winner (2009)
• China National Games: Winner (2013)
• Chinese National Championships: Winner (2012)
• Asian Junior Championships: Winner (2004)

Team

• Olympic Games: 1st place (2012, 2016, 2020, 2024)
• World Championships: 1st place (2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022, 2024)
• World Cup: 1st place (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2023)
• Asian Games: 1st place (2006, 2010, 2014, 2022)
• Asian Championships: 1st place (2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2023)
• Chinese Super League: 1st place (2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2020, 2022, 2023)
• World Junior Championships: 1st place (2003, 2004)
• Asian Junior Championships: 1st place (2004)

Summary of Accomplishments

• 6x Olympic Champion (2 Singles, 4 Team)
• 14x World Champion (3 Singles, 2 Doubles, 9 Team)
• 11x World Cup winner (3 Singles, 8 Team)
• 7x ITTF World Tour Grand Finals Champion (6 Singles, 1 Doubles)
• 54x ITTF World Tour winner (28 Singles, 26 Doubles)
• 6x Asian Games winner (1 Singles, 1 Doubles, 4 Team)
• 15x Asian Champion (4 Singles, 2 Doubles, 1 Mixed Doubles, 8 Team)
• 4x Asian Cup winner (4 Singles)
• 4x China National Games Champion (2 Singles, 1 Doubles, 1 Mixed Doubles)
• 7x Chinese National Champion (1 Singles, 2 Doubles, 1 Mixed Doubles, 3 Team)
• 5x Chinese Super League Champion (4 Team)
• 3x World Junior Champion (1 Singles, 2 Team)
• 3x Asian Junior Champion (1 Singles, 1 Mixed Doubles, 1 Team)
• 2015, 2016 ITTF Male Star of the Year
• 2016 CCTV Sports Personality of the Year

Head-to-Head Records (vs. other notable players)

• Timo Boll: 17 wins – 4 losses
• Fan Zhendong: 25 wins – 15 losses
• Tomokazu Harimoto: 5 wins – 2 losses
• Liang Jingkun: 8 wins – 1 loss
• Lin Gaoyuan: 9 wins – 2 losses
• Wang Chuqin: 5 wins – 8 losses
• Wang Hao: 30 wins – 27 losses
• Wang Liqin: 32 wins – 12 losses
• Xu Xin: 32 wins – 14 losses
• Zhang Jike: 31 wins – 10 losses

Other Records

• He went unbeaten for 40 singles matches in December 2011.
• He won the World Tour Grand Finals six times, the China Open eight times, the German Open five times, the Qatar Open four times, the Asian Championships four times, and the Asian Cup four times. These are all records for male players.
• He is the first player to win 3 men's singles titles in the World Championships in a row since Zhuang Zedong.
• He is the first and only male player to win two Olympic Gold Medals in singles consecutively.
• He is the first and only male player to become a "Double Grand Slam" winner.
• He is the first and only Chinese athlete to win 6 Olympic gold medals.
• He is the first and only table tennis player, male or female, to win 6 Olympic gold medals.

Images for kids

• 

  Ma at the 2017 Asian Championships

See also

In Spanish: Ma Long para niños