It just wasn't in the cards this time for Liu Shiwen. The defending World Champion, Liu has also won a record five women's World Cup singles championships. Liu lacks only an Olympic singles gold to complete the elusive career Grand Slam. Despite her overstuffed résumé, Liu has struggled to keep pace with the next generation of China's stars. Currently ranked seventh in the world, Liu is ranked sixth domestically. In addition to the ever-advancing tide of younger, hungrier countrywomen, Liu has found her toughest opponent to be her own bum elbow. After losing most of 2020 to the nagging injury, Liu underwent surgery. Declared fit for battle, she was named a member of the 2020 Chinese national Olympic team in teams and mixed doubles, but not in singles. She and countryman Xu Xin settled for silver in the mixed doubles, upset by Japan's Mima Ito and Jun Mizutani. After the match, she confessed she was not 100% to China's women's national team head coach Li Sun. "We asked the delegation's medical group for an immediate diagnosis on Liu," explained Li. "As advised by the medical staff and under the principle of preserving athletes' health, we decided to apply for a P-card replacement." 22-year-old Wang Manyu, who held China's P-card signifying first alternate status, was the beneficiary of Liu's misfortune. "The ITTF has reviewed the documents and confirmed the replacement," the ITTF confirmed. In a sign of China's depth, their bench player will actually be ranked higher than the starter she replaces. Wang is currently listed at world #4. The women's teams event starts today, with China taking on Austria in the round of 16. China have won every gold medal in teams since the event was introduced in 2008. It may not have been in the cards for Liu Shiwen, but it was in the card for Wang Manyu. The P-card.

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