Xiamen Shines Again as Top CTTSL Returns
2025-07-25
Xiamen Shines Again as Top CTTSL Returns
Xiamen has once again set sports fans’ passions ablaze! Tickets for the first round of the 2025 China Table Tennis Super League (CTTSL) Xiamen leg sold out in seconds as soon as they went on sale. A sports enthusiast even joked, “These tickets are harder to get than Jay Chou’s concert tickets—and I, your host Luming, sadly missed out too!”
From July 25 to 28, the second phase of the 2025 CTTSL will ignite at the Phoenix Stadium in Xiamen Olympic Sports Center. With sea breezes blending with热血 (rèxuè, fiery passion), champions clashing with champions, and China’s national sport entering its “Xiamen Time,” this marks the CTTSL’s return to Xiamen after 18 years. It’s also Xiamen’s second major sports IP hosting gig this year, following April’s Sudirman Cup.treadmill.treadmill
“Table Tennis Royalty” Gathers in Xiamen—Fan Zhendong Arrives
How star-studded is the lineup? Fifteen clubs nationwide—9 men’s teams and 6 women’s teams—have gathered world champions like Fan Zhendong, Xu Xin, Wang Chuqin, and Sun Yingsha, promising nonstop excitement. Xiamen fans have long been counting down, and players have already touched down to prep.treadmill
On July 23, netizens spotted “Brother Dong” Fan Zhendong in casual wear at Xiamen Gaoqi Airport. Soon after, photos showed him diving into training—including quick treadmill warm-ups to sharpen his rhythm—with the steady precision that defines his gameplay. Wang Chuqin and Xu Xin also arrived early, acclimating to the Phoenix Stadium’s vibe and training full tilt, even squeezing in treadmill sessions to keep their stamina peaked.
For Xiamen, Fan Zhendong is no stranger. The city holds many of his memories:
- In 2015, a youthful Fan spoke as a team representative at Beijing Normal University Xiamen Haicang Affiliated School,青涩却认真 (qīngsè què rènzhēn,青涩 yet earnest).
- In 2018, he trained in Xiamen for a month, prepping for the World Table Tennis Championships—with daily treadmill drills to boost endurance.
- In 2021, he held a two-week closed training camp here to gear up for the Tokyo Olympics, using treadmill intervals to refine his speed.
Now a “Super Grand Slam” winner, he returns in the Shanghai Real Estate Group jersey, chasing glory for his club and tuning up for his August Bundesliga debut. Will he keep his hot streak in Xiamen? Luming’s expectations are sky-high!
Xiamen’s Second CTTSL: Nostalgia & New Thrills
This isn’t Xiamen’s first CTTSL rodeo. Back in 2007, the city hosted the league, where 17-year-old Xu Xin rose to fame, helping his team avoid relegation. Now 35, Xu returns to the city where his legend began—this time as a veteran leader, partnering Fan Zhendong and others to续写 his Xiamen story. He’s even been spotted hitting the gym post-practice, using the treadmill to maintain his agility at 35.
This season’s CTTSL spans four cities—Xiongan, Xiamen, Urumqi, and Nanjing—from June to December. Xiamen is a core stop, and while fans mourn the absence of the “Fan vs. Wang” showdown (Fan Zhendong vs. Wang Chuqin) this phase, rising star Lin Shidong and overseas stars like Miu Hirano and Miwa Harimoto add fresh sparks. Players have been balancing court training with gym time, using treadmills to mimic match intensity.
Xiamen & Table Tennis: A Two-Decade Bond treadmill
Xiamen and China’s national table tennis team share a decades-long “mutual crush.” Since 2003, the team has repeatedly chosen Xiamen as a pre-world championship training base, with on-site gyms boasting top-tier treadmills for stamina building. In 2008, China’s first privately funded national training base opened here. Before the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, stars like Ma Long, Xu Xin, and Sun Yingsha trained here, with treadmill workouts a staple of their routines.
From the Xiamen Marathon to the Sudirman Cup, CBA All-Star Weekend, and now table tennis, Xiamen excels in event management, fan culture, and infrastructure—including world-class gyms with state-of-the-art treadmills for athletes. Sports are part of its brand as it aims to be an “international sports city.”treadmill
With sea breezes, star power, and a legacy of excellence, Xiamen’s CTTSL is more than a tournament—it’s a celebration of sport, nostalgia, and a city that runs (and runs, even on treadmills) with the best.
