Chinese ping pong diplomacy comes to Dubai

The Chinese national table tennis team, which includes the world's number one player Ma Long, were in Safa Park in Dubai to encourage people to take up the sport

Ping Pong Dubai is installing free-to-use table tennis tables at five public parks in Dubai, including Safa Park, as part of a community imitative to help increase the popularity the sport. Sarah Dea Show more

DUBAI // For a city that already has an indoor ski slope, the idea of outdoor table tennis should not have too much trouble taking off.

But just to make sure, some of the world’s greatest ping-pong players were in Dubai this week to encourage more people take up the sport.

The Chinese national team, officially sponsored by Dubai, was already in the city for the International Table Tennis Federation World Tour Grand Finals.

Including the world’s top-ranked player, Ma Long, and Olympic medallists, the team took time out from training to play exhibition games against UAE players and fans at Safa Park.

The event on Wednesday was to launch Ping Pong Dubai, a non-profit venture between the UAE Table Tennis Association, the Dubai Sports Council and Falcon and Associates.

The project will have tables installed at five Dubai parks, where residents can play for free if they bring their own paddles.

The first tables have already been set up in Safa Park. The programme will soon be rolled out in Al Mamzar, Mushrif, Al Wasl and Al Barsha parks.

Li Xiaoxia, who won a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, described the attractions of the game.

“It is a very relaxing game,” Li said. “It does not involve physical conflict like some other sports and it is a friendly game and a good chance to meet people.

“I really enjoy these kinds of events. They are very important to involve the community.”

Also there were Zhang Jike, who won the men’s gold medal in London, and Liu Shiwen, the world’s top-ranked female player.

Then there were the London silver medallists in the men’s and women’s contests, Ding Ning and Wang Hao.

For Hussain Al Lawati, 40, and Ghassan Al Ghassani, 21, meeting the Chinese athletes was a dream come true.

They had driven from Oman to meet the players and had only expected to be able to watch them play from a distance. Instead, they collected the players’ autographs and shared a few rallies with them.

“We were expecting to see them from afar and watch how they play,” said Mr Al Lawati, 40, a statistician. “We never imagined we would play with them.”

“We are addicted to this sport,” said Mr Al Ghassani, a university student.

Theirs was just the kind of response organisers had been hoping for.

“This is a great opportunity for people to know more about table tennis,” said Majd Al Balooshi, one of four UAE nationals on the country’s female team. “I hope more people will show interest in the sport and try to play.”

Al Balooshi, 21, who took up the sport in 2001, practises five times a week. She will have the chance to take on the Chinese players at Al Nasr Sports Club.

But you do not need to be a professional to enjoy table tennis, the architecture student said.

“It’s a great sport, easy to try,” she said. “It is a game that suits anyone. People can come to the parks and try the sport, and maybe some will love it and decide to join one of the clubs.”