Sponge Issue on Wang Chuqin’s Table Tennis Racket at 2025 Doha World Championships

On May 19, during the second round of mixed doubles at the 2025 Doha World Table Tennis Championships, Wang Chuqin noticed abnormalities in his racket sponge before the match. By the time he took the court, half of the sponge had peeled off. According to Guo Yan’s analysis, the sponge at the power - generating area likely separated when the referee placed the racket in a kraft paper bag. The International Table Tennis Federation will conduct a thorough investigation.