The 2025 Table Tennis Europe Cup came to an end on 23 February, and 41-year-old German Chinese veteran Han Ying fought to the end to win the gold medal in the women’s singles: although this is not the first time that Han Ying has won the tournament, it is particularly valuable.
Because just last year, Han Ying had ruptured her Achilles tendon twice, seriously injured, and then took a long time to recuperate, giving up major competitions including the Paris Olympics, until this European Cup to make a comeback, and then came up to win the title, this spirit of not abandoning, not giving up also made countless fans respect: really good!
Born in 1983, Han Ying is a former Chinese table tennis team player who went abroad and naturalised in Germany. As a rare chipper in today’s table tennis world, Han Ying has long been one of Europe’s top players, and once won the silver medal in the women’s table tennis team with her teammates at the 2016 Rio Olympics, which also became the highlight of her career.
As Han Ying had beaten Chinese table tennis team mainstay Chen Xingyong and others, she was listed by the Chinese table tennis team coaching staff last year as the ‘first group’ of rivals for the women’s singles at the Paris Olympics, belonging to the same level as Hayata Hina and other celebrities, but two accidents have cut short her chances of going through to Paris.
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In January 2024, Han Ying fell in the WTT Doha Star Tournament and was diagnosed with a ruptured Achilles tendon in her right foot, which led to a six-month recuperation; in July, in order for the German women’s team to get a good signing for the Olympics, Han Ying couldn’t wait to come back to participate in the WTT Bangkok Star Tournament, but this time, she suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in her left foot, and thus said goodbye to the game once again.
‘As many of you know, a ruptured Achilles tendon can have a devastating effect on an athlete, and Han Ying not only suffered two in six months, but also one in each of her left and right feet, which could have ended her career completely, but she didn’t give in to her bad luck.
Although she didn’t participate in the Paris Olympics, Han Ying never gave up on her return, and after recovering from her surgery, she picked up her racket and started training again, and the Chinese table tennis team also actively supported her participation in the European Cup.
On 25 February Beijing time, Han Ying was ranked 57th in the 9th week of 2025, which is a perfect start for her, although she is still not as good as she was when she was in the top 10 at her peak.
In the end, we expect Han Ying to reach new heights on the court and continue to bring more excitement to the ping pong world with her chipping style of play!
