In 1931, the TTF held the first match between Macao and Hong Kong at the now-defunct Cheng Peng Theatre. By 1923, Macao counted at least five independent table tennis teams followed by its own Table Tennis Federation (TTF), which organised local matches, six years later. It took only a few years for the sport to gain some momentum. The game gradually spread across Europe, and when the Portuguese ventured eastward for exploration and trade, the game made its way to Macao in 1914. According to the UK’s National Army Museum, British officers in India and South Africa in the 1880s developed an early version of table tennis, having created a makeshift game using cigar lids as paddles, wine corks as balls, and books as a net. From its origins in Victorian England to global expansion via Portuguese trade routes, here’s how table tennis became one of Macao’s most popular pastimes.īelieved to have emerged in Victorian England in the late 19th century as a descendant of “Real Tennis” – a cross between tennis and racquetball – ping pong was the after-dinner parlour game of choice among British elites. And with standard 274-centimetre tables in most sports facilities in the city, it’s one of the most accessible, inexpensive games to play.īut ping pong had to come a long way before it became one of the city’s most beloved sports.
The sport appeals to just about everyone thanks to its easy-to-learn rules and approachable nature. Walk by any sports facility after work or on weekends, and you’ll encounter ping pong tables fully occupied by young and old, beginners and pros. While there’s nothing quite like watching world-class athletes in action, a love for table tennis (also known as ping pong) in Macao extends well beyond elite tournaments.
And, though he did not move past the first round, having faced off against current world champion Fan Zhendong, Cheong played a quality match and made the city proud. One of Macao’s first professional table tennis athletes, Cheong Chi Cheng, also competed at the tournament, which took place at the Tap Seac Multisport Pavilion from 19 to 23 January and was co-organised by the Sports Bureau of Macao, World Table Tennis (WTT) and the Macau Table Tennis Association (MTTA). Cheong Chi Chun, right, and his brother are Macao’s first full-time professional table tennis players | Photo by Denzel Calangi
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