Ma Long is considered the greatest male tennis player of all time. He became the first (and second overall) male player in the world to win every single title in table tennis.
Ma Long, Jan-Ove Waldner, Liu Guoliang, Kong Linghui, and Zhang Jike are five players who have completed all Grand Slams in their careers.
Ma Long Information
- Native name: 马龙
- Nickname: The Dictator, The Dragon
- Nationality: Chinese
- Born: 20 October 1988
- Playing-style: Right-handed, shakehand grip
- Highest Ranking: #1
- Height: 5 ft 9in
- Weight: 159lbs
Ma Long’s playing style
Arguably the best forehand attacker in table tennis history, Ma has a playing style conforming to the modern strategy of close-range third-ball play. At the beginning of his career, his play strategy was primarily forehand-oriented, dominating play with powerful forehand loops, with Ma using his backhand only for controlled returns to set up the forehand. He still plays a forehand-oriented style, but his backhand has become more consistent, stable, and powerful as his career has progressed. Compared to when he was younger, he is much more confident using his backhand to attack and defend.
Chinese teammates have remarked that he is a very tactical player and is always searching for a solution. His serves appear to be conventional pendulum serves but are some of the most visually deceptive in the game, with very subtle differences in spin and service motion. He is very quick on his feet, making it very difficult to get him out of position and allowing him to track down balls and recover from situations that most other players couldn’t. Ma is also the most prominent employer of the chop block on the Chinese National Team, which he uses to cross up his opponents. Though he initially used it when he was out of position or to counter slow loops with heavy sidespin, he now uses it as a tactic in games, adding another weapon he can confuse opponents with.
Ma Long’s Titles
Games | Type | Gold Medal | Year |
Olympic Games | Single | 1 | 2016 |
Olympic Games | Team | 2 | 2012, 2016 |
World Championships | Single | 3 | 2015, 2017, 2019 |
World Championships | Double | 2 | 2011, 2019 |
World Championships | Team | 7 | 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 |
World Cup | Single | 2 | 2012, 2015 |
World Cup | Team | 6 | 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018 |
Asian Games | Single | 1 | 2010 |
Asian Games | Double | 1 | 2014 |
Asian Games | Team | 3 | 2006, 2010, 2014 |
Asian Championships | Single | 3 | 2009, 2011, 2013 |
Asian Championships | Double | 2 | 2007, 2009 |
Asian Championships | Mixed Double | 1 | 2009 |
Asian Championships | Team | 7 | 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 |
Asian Cup | Single | 4 | 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014 |
ITTF World Tour Grand Finals | Single | 5 | 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2016 |
ITTF World Tour Grand Finals | Double | 1 | 2006 |
China National Games | Single | 2 | 2013, 2017 |
China National Games | Mixed Double | 1 | 2013 |
All China Table Tennis Championships | Single | 1 | 2011 |
All China Table Tennis Championships | Double | 2 | 2010, 2015 |
All China Table Tennis Championships | Mixed Double | 1 | 2012 |
All China Table Tennis Championships | Team | 3 | 2011, 2012, 2018 |
World Junior Championships | Single | 1 | 2004 |
World Junior Championships | Team | 2 | 2003, 2004 |
Asian Junior Championships | Single | 1 | 2004 |
Asian Junior Championships | Mixed Double | 1 | 2004 |
Asian Junior Championships | Team | 1 | 2004 |
Ma Long Highlights
Ma Long Equipment
Blade: DHS Hurricane Long V
- Number of layers: 5 wood + 2 aryl-carbon
- Weight: 97 grams
- Type: OFF++
- Thickness: 5.9 mm
Forehand: DHS NEO Hurricane 3
No products found.
Backhand: Butterfly Tenergy 05
- The first in the Tenergy line, with both Spring Sponge and High Tension technologies
- This Butterfly rubber is best-suited for offensive all-round play, both near and far from the table
- Get the most out of your game as a looper with easy power and spin from this Japanese rubber sheet
- Pairs best with Butterfly Timo Boll ALC, Viscaria, Zhang Jike Super ZLC, or other Butterfly blades
- Butterfly Free Chack II table tennis glue recommended when assembling Tenergy table tennis rubbers
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