Chinese table tennis player Zhou Qihao ended a 2-year relationship with Chen Xingtong, then approved to play for France's Hennebont Club for higher pay and freedom.
A two-year relationship within the Chinese national table tennis team was recently publicly announced to have ended. Chen Xingtong responded with just three words—“I won’t settle, and I won’t look back”—drawing a clear line under their three-year relationship without any disputes.Shortly after breaking up with his partner,
Zhou Qihao finalized the paperwork to play abroad and will join the Hennebon Club in France. His salary there is several times higher than what he would earn in China, and he will not be subject to the daily management constraints of a national team, allowing him greater freedom in his activities.
Zhou Qihao’s career has been far from smooth
this year. Although he won a WTT series title in the first half of the year and secured entry into multiple tournaments, he repeatedly underperformed in crucial matches, gradually eroding the advantage he had built up earlier.Before the Asian Games qualifiers began, he issued a statement explaining that due to an injury and prolonged physical exhaustion, he was voluntarily withdrawing from the competition and relinquishing his spot. At the time, the public widely praised him for putting the greater good first and refusing to tie up team resources that might disrupt overall arrangements.
Subsequent disclosures revealed that there were actually other considerations behind his withdrawal from the competition at that time. It coincided with a critical period when the Chinese national table tennis team was awaiting approval for its application to train abroad, and his previously submitted application to train abroad had unexpectedly been approved, allowing him to play for a club in France.With the fallout from the breakup still fresh, news of his departure from the team followed hot on its heels. As these two timelines converged, previously unknown details came to light.
Adults rarely make choices that are entirely beyond their control; more often than not, they are based on realistic trade-offs. In pursuit of higher salaries, career growth opportunities, and an unrestricted environment, one naturally must set aside corresponding responsibilities and emotional ties.
Many fans have expressed dissatisfaction with him, believing that he failed to seize opportunities when they presented themselves, chose to back down when the team needed him to take responsibility, and based his departure plans entirely on personal interests—making it difficult to offer him sincere best wishes.
Observing this situation, one can’t help but feel a sense of regret,In the world of sports, such decisions that prioritize personal interests and relationships that fizzle out are not uncommon. If one puts oneself in their shoes, it’s hard not to feel a chill, and it inevitably leads one to ponder how young athletes on the rise should strike a balance between personal development, long-term relationships, and team responsibilities.
