In the third round of the women’s singles table tennis event at the Paris Olympics, a captivating match unfolded between Sun Yingsha (China, world number 1) and Ni Xialian (Luxembourg, world number 68). The match concluded with a decisive 4-0 victory for Sun Yingsha. However, remarkably, despite her loss, Ni Xialian jumped up with a radiant smile at the final point. What’s the story behind Ni Xialian’s reaction?
“My first dream was to participate in the Olympics. My second dream was to win a match here, and my third dream was to compete against Sun Yingsha. I have achieved all three dreams, so I am very happy.”
This is how Ni Xialian, the Luxembourg-based athlete of Chinese descent, describes her feelings following the Paris Olympics. At 61, Ni Xialian has consistently drawn public attention with her extraordinary achievements and inspiring story.
Known as the “Grandma of table tennis” by the Chinese media, Ni Xialian shows that age is merely a number, and it doesn’t diminish her enjoyment of the sport or her competitive spirit.
“Sun Yingsha is incredibly strong, and I was thrilled to compete against her. I hoped to perform well and make the match exciting for all the spectators. This is my greatest passion and desire. Age is just a number,” Ni Xialian said with tears of joy after the match.
Indeed, the 61-year-old athlete lived up to that spirit. She received continuous applause from the audience at the South Paris Arena throughout the match and was warmly celebrated as she left the court after the game.
Ni Xialian, with her beaming smile, punches the air every time she scores; she occasionally performs spontaneous “no-look shots” and lets out an expressive “aiyah” to show her frustration when she misses a point.
Particularly, the moment she enjoyed a sip of sparkling water during a break and then shared a kiss with her husband and coach, Tommy Danielsson, went viral on Chinese social media. Ni Xialian’s enthusiasm and enjoyment of the game have captivated everyone.
At 61, Ni Xialian is one of the oldest competitors at the Paris Olympics. This is her sixth Olympic Games. Remarkably, she remains the highest-ranked Luxembourg player on the world rankings, surpassing the next player by 23 places.
Born in 1963, Ni Xialian began playing table tennis at age 7. She was recruited to the Chinese national team as a teenager and won gold medals in the women’s team and mixed doubles at the World Championships by age 20. In 1989, she moved to Germany and later settled in Luxembourg. Notably, even at 58 in 2021, she secured a bronze medal in women’s doubles at the World Championships.
Since the 2008 Olympics, Ni Xialian has represented Luxembourg. At the Paris 2024 Games, she won 4-2 against Sibel Altinkaya (Turkey, world number 92) in the second round.
Notably, Ni Xialian had proactively asked to train with Sun Yingsha to help the Chinese player prepare for the Olympic mixed doubles final against the North Korean team. Her left-handed grip and long pimpled rubber technique mirrored the style of North Korean players, whom Sun Yingsha was less familiar with.
Following this, Sun Yingsha and Wang Chuqin triumphed 4-2 against the North Korean pair, securing the gold medal for China.
“I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to give back to the Chinese table tennis team. I’m thrilled that I was able to do that,” Ni Xialian excitedly shared.
