MA Long

Ma Long is, without a doubt, the greatest table tennis player in history. His achievements leave no room for doubt: five Olympic gold medals, three singles world titles and the record for the longest reign at number one on the world rankings.

Ma Long: Rise to dominance and 'Dictator' nickname

This modest and unassuming player's path to table tennis greatness started with triumphs at the Asian and World Junior Championships. In 2006, he was part of the People's Republic of China winning men's team at the World Team Table Tennis Championships, becoming the youngest world champion aged 17. Before his 22nd birthday, the Chinese prodigy had already featured in 11 International Table Tennis Federation finals and won eight of them.

His early promises translated into consistent success, and his dominant style of play earned him the nickname 'The Dictator.' Ma announced that the 2024 World Team Championships would be his last, and he helped China to gold once more, ending his World Championships career as a 14-time champion in team, singles, and doubles events. That included three consecutive singles victories in 2015, 2017, and 2019.