Ma Long celebrates after beating compatriot Fan Zhendong in the men's table tennis singles final at the Tokyo Olympics on Friday. Photo: VCG

Against ages, against injuries, against all odds, Ma Long finally made it.

"Don't ever underestimate the heart of a champion."

Former Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich's famous quote has turned out to be true once again.

Ma, captain of the world-leading Chinese table tennis team, won back-to-back Olympic titles in the men's singles event after overcoming fellow Chinese Fan Zhendong on Friday, a feat that no male player has ever achieved before.

After the win, Ma put two arms over his head and gestured a "heart" toward the stand, which he later explained as a move for his family, child and the team.

But maybe more connotative, Ma displayed the "heart" of a champion.

With four gold medals, Ma has tied the record as the most decorated paddler in Olympic history, and first among male players.

"Records are made to be broken," Ma said after winning a record-­extending sixth International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Finals title in November 2020.

"It feels like a dream," he added while waiting for the tournament's award ceremony after winning his first trophy in 15 months.

Already a World Championship and the World Cup winner, Ma achieved his Grand Slam feat after winning the Rio 2016 gold medal. The 32-year-old also has the Asian Games, Asian Championship, Asian Cup and China's ­National Games titles under his name.

But the veteran was wary about the topic of his era continuing.

"First I have to keep a winning mentality. This is the most precious thing and the reason why this team offers huge support to me. I think I can continue to play and compete with those rivals," he said.

After first playing for the national team at the age of 15, Ma won his first world title in the 2006 World Team Championships in ­Bremen, Germany three years later. Now he has 25 world titles under his belt after his latest Olympic gold medal.

But Ma's road back to Olympic glory wasn't easy.

After having become the first male player in over half a century to win three straight world championship titles with the latest in Budapest, Hungary in April 2019, Ma decided to have surgery on his knee in August 2019 to be fully fit for the Tokyo Olympics.

Starting from scratch



Before the surgery, Ma shaved his head, manifesting a Chinese saying that says "going bald" represents starting from scratch.

Returning from his knee surgery, Ma failed to win a singles title for over a year, arousing doubt over whether he still had what it takes to perform at the delayed Tokyo Olympics.

Due to the cancelation and postponement of international competitions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, players faced great challenges in keeping their concentration and motivation during behind-closed-doors training sessions.

"With some tournaments canceled, players might not be able to keep their concentration at a certain stage. Because there are no matches, and we train in an isolated environment every day, we might lose our sharpness," he recalled in an interview back in May.

But Ma's tireless efforts to come back paid off. After standing on top of the world again, he continued his favorable form and became the World Table Tennis Macao champion one week later.

At the Tokyo Olympics, Ma faced a stern test in the semifinals, where he eventually emerged victorious after full sets.

"Sometimes in competitions, it's about the last point and who can hold their ground, who has more willpower," said Ma after defeating his longtime German rival Dimitrij Ovtcharov.

"Undisputed GOAT [Greatest Of All Time] Ma Long Breaks New Ground in Tokyo," read the headline of the ITTF's article commenting on Ma's achievement.

"I feel quite lucky to be among the best," he said after the match.

Now Ma has his sights set on the Olympic team event which started on Sunday. "It's a bigger target for the Chinese team, and I will make my contribution as an important part of the team," he said.