The 2020 Chinese Super League is now in the books. The most competitive table tennis league in the world saw 90 players gather in the now-standard "bubble' format. Nine women's team's competed in a round robin from December 21-26, as did nine men's teams. The top four in each proceeded to playoffs, which concluded today. Action commenced at 9:00 this morning with the women's final, pitting the 8-0 Shandong Luneng against the 7-1 Shenzhen University. After losing the opening doubles match, Shenzhen University began to turn the tables when world #1 Chen Meng bested Wang Manyu, 3-2. Even at one match apiece, Shenzhen University's Sun Yingsha then outlasted Chen Xingtong, 3-2, to get within one win of the championship. In the fourth match, Shandong Luneng's Wang Manyu was once again on the wrong end of a 3-2 decision, this time to Wang Yidi as Shenzhen University claimed their first championship. At 6:35 in the evening, the men's final got underway with the battle of the Shandongs, Shandong Luneng vs. Shandong Weiqiao. In the opening doubles match, Wang Chuqin of Shandong Luneng continued his winning ways when he partnered with Fang Bo to overcome Lin Yun-Ju and Zhou Qihao, 3-1. The 20-year-old lefty Wang Chuqin (pictured) was the primary reason Shandong Luneng was in the final, having compiled an absurd 19-0 individual record over the nine-day tournament. With the championship on the line, however, the pressure fell on team captain Ma Long, who overcame a spirited challenge from Liang Jingkun in the second match, 3-1. With Shandong Luneng one win from the title, pressure then fell on Fang Bo to seal the deal against Zhou Qihao. His team facing elimination, Zhou Qihao kept Shandong Weiqiao's hopes alive with a 3-0 sweep of Fang Bo to halve the deficit. Up two-one, Shandong Luneng once again fielded the veteran Ma Long. Shandong Weiqiao's survival now rested on the shoulders of Taiwan's Lin Yun-Ju, the only player from outside China among the original nine men's teams. Unfortunately for Shandong Weiqiao, Ma was a less than hospitable host, only allowing Lin 11 combined points over their first two games. The third was a different story, however, as Lin rallied to force overtime. At 11-all, a vintage third-ball forehand crosscourt loop kill from Ma set up championship point. When Ma's backhand flick caught an edge, it was all over. While captain Ma Long capably (if more than a trifle luckily) steered Shandong Luneng across the finish line, it was his teammate Wang Chuqin who did the heavy lifting along the odyssey. In recognition of his herculean heroics, Wang Chuqin was named MVP. Despite all the challenges faced this year, the 2020 Chinese Super League managed to safely showcase the sport at the highest level. For those elite players fortunate enough to participate, it was a chance to sharpen their swords with similarly skilled sportsmen and sportswomen ahead of the Olympics, World Championships and other major table tennis events of 2021. How lucky are we to witness such mastery in action?

More at TT Kharkiv