This would be the 4th consecutive time that zhang beat ml in the 2014-15 season. before the shoulder/back injury was triggered his performance show how confident he was against all ma long patterns. Definitely at a higher level in close to the table exchanges attacking everything off the bounce. Makes one wonder why the CNT didnt let him rest earlier, maybe his career would be prolonged. after the wttc 2015 the injury got worse and his performance/fighting spirit declined. Maybe it was better not to participate in so many pro tours in 2015-2016 . but who knows what the coaching staff and doctors had in mind, zjk included off course
Some of his forehands already seem weird to me in the first 4 games. I have been a long time Jike fan I can tell something's off. In the last 2 games the shoulder pain got so bad that he hit a forehand like this 18:25, and his backhand sometimes even fail to work. This is not Ma Long's best game, and I think he also knows that because he just won Jike in a final and he is not THAT excited.
@@gab5012 I've watched this match too many times, his game play changed I think Zhang finally figured ma long's game just too late. He's normally behind in matches with him but here the trials earlier that year and the trials in 2016 he lead.
@@reinaldopessoa2603 then you better watch it 1000 times again smart ass. that comment is the evidence that you're stupid. keep watching it and stop talking BS to people that actually know what's going on. i can show many comments like this from you in the last few years. hence why i exploded on you the other day. watch and shut up or make your own comments. stop replying to say shit like that.
Until the end of set 4, Zhang was brilliant. The best I ever saw his forehand function against Ma Long. Still can't quite believe he was winning most of the forehand-forehand counter loop rallies. Then....he threw it away. The first and only time I ever saw him do that against Ma Long. Really sad his long, injury-induced decline started fairly soon after this tournament. The ZJK who played here could well have stopped Ma Long's rise to GOAThood.
Staying fit is also important to be a GOAT... Ma Long and ZJK are warriors but one managed to stay healthy and ended up as undisputed GOAT.. Ma has been to 6 consecutive WTTC semifinals which is great and won 3 of them (hatrick)plus an Olympic Gold.. This record is slightly better than ZJK.
@@TheRafaelBond He didn't play like shit.He destroyed Ma Long thrice in the WTTC.In 2013 he was on the brink of retirement yet he dismantled Ma Longs game.Fang Bo and Fan Zhedong are nowhere near Wang Hao.They have poor short game and play like robots with little variation.And Xu Xin is no match for Wang Hao.He even got a courtesy point from old Samsonov.Wang Hao was 16-1 against Samsonov.
Guys! The Party decided that an exemplary athlete should go to the world championship, not a bully... They grabbed their heads when the score was 3:1. After 4:1 in the fourth set, ZJK gives away all the balls
