Xiang Peng

Career

Xiang Peng joined the Zhejiang team when he was only 11 years old. He was selected after winning two gold medals and a silver medal at the 2014 Zhejiang Games.

Xiang Peng played his first game against Zhang Jike, the Grand Slam winner, at the 2017 National Games. Xiang initially lost 0-7 to Jike in the first singles match of the men’s team group game, won the first game 11-9 and the fourth game 11-4, and eventually lost 2-3 to Jike. After the game, his older rival praised Xiang Peng’s potential, energy, and skill with the ball. Zhang Jike also donated five rubbers to Xiang Peng, which encouraged Peng to work harder so he could be selected for the national team. You can check out our review of the best backhand rubbers to elevate your game.

In October 2017, Xiang Peng participated in the municipal and provincial men’s table tennis competition. He was in fourth place after 3 losses and 6 wins during the first two days of the competition, statistics that made his quest to be among the top three players almost improbable, especially as an underdog. However, his coach encouraged him to keep fighting, and Xiang Peng won 3-1 against Kuang Li and advanced with Liang Panning to the second national team. The two players also finished in the two top positions among 12 players.

Xiang Peng became the champion in the men’s singles and team cadets at the ITTF Oman Junior and Cadet Open that was held on February 8, 2018, in Muscat, China. The same year, Xiang Peng won the singles, doubles, and team events among the cadets at the Italian Junior and Cadet Open and also secured the same three awards at the French Junior and Cadet Open. Additionally, he won a bronze medal in the singles category among juniors.

2018 seemed to be his year as Xiang Peng won a silver medal among juniors and became the singles and team champion among cadets at the Thailand Junior and Cadet Open. It was the same year that he won the cadet titles in the singles, doubles, and team events at the Hong Kong Junior after defeating Hiroti Shinosuka of Japan and Cadet Open, as well as the cadet titles in the singles and team categories at the Nay Pyi Taw Asian Youth Championship in Myanmar.

Kuang Li was Peng’s partner at the 2018 ITTF World Junior Circuit tournaments in France and Italy, but for the Thailand event, the cadet team added Zhu Jiaqi to the line-up.

In May 2018, Xiang Peng, who was seeded number two, defeated Maciej Kubik of Poland in the penultimate round and Adrien Rassenfosse of Belgium, who was seeded number five in the quarter-final stage at the Polish Junior and Cadet Open that was held in Wladyslawowo-Cetniewo. He overcame Kuang Li in the final match of the Cadet singles. Xiang Peng and Kuang Li teamed up in the finals of the doubles event to beat Sergey Ryzhov and Vladislav Makarov of Russia.

Still, in 2018, Xiang Peng participated in the Chinese National Games. He beat Kong Lingxuan and Shang Kun in the first two rounds of the singles event but could not advance further after losing 0-4 to Zhou Yu. This loss denied Xiang Peng direct promotion to the first China national team. However, he was selected for the first national team after his strong performance in February 2019 during the national selection.

Xiang participated in the 2019 Portugal Open, the first ITTF Challenge Plus series event held in Lisbon, Portugal. He reached the final in the under-21 category, losing 1-3 to Togami Shunsuke of Japan. He also lost in the finals of the 1/32 round.

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The Qatar Open 2020 and the German Open 2020 are part of the ITTF World Tour Platinum series. Xiang Peng played in these two tournaments but was eliminated in the third round at the former and the second round at the latter.

Peng won the third position while playing only one match as a member of the Shanghai squad at the Chinese Super League 2020.

Xiang Peng partnered with Kuai Man in the mixed doubles event at the 2020 China Junior Championships held in Baise, Guangxi. Peng was eliminated in the semifinal after Lin Shidong defeated him.

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During the 2021 ITTF World Youth Championships in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, Xiang Peng, the reigning World Junior Champion, emerged victorious in the singles event of the under-19 category. He beat Payas Jain of India 4-1 in the semifinals and advanced to the finals, winning against Samuel Kulczycki 11-9, 11-9, 11-1, 12-10. Kulczycki of Poland was the runner-up for the European Youth Championships, and he defeated Zeng Beixun of China to reach the finals. These consecutive victories over players seeded higher than him made Xiang Peng the first player to win back-to-back world youth crowns.

Playing Style

Xiang Peng is known for his shakehand grip, strong counterattack, and incredible technical strength, which has seen him bounce back from imminent defeat and triumph over stronger opponents.