China's Table Tennis Fever Is Raging — Yunqi Capital Backs SJTU Alumni Team to "Recreate" Championship Glory

A week ago (May 10), both China's men's and women's national table tennis teams claimed victory at the World Championships, giving the global table tennis community and fans another chance to witness a Chinese national team moment. As summer approaches, it has once again stirred up a wave of passion, fighting spirit, and triumph around the national team.

At the 2026 London World Team Table Tennis Championships, the Chinese national team once again swept both titles (Image source: Xinhua News Agency)

Behind these highlight moments lies a deep connection between Shanghai Jiao Tong University and table tennis: from Liu Guoliang, Qin Zhijian, Ma Long, and Xu Xin to Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu, a generation of national team stars have all left their academic footprints at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Within the SJTU alumni ecosystem, table tennis has also long served as an important bond connecting passion, collaboration, and a sense of honor. In recent years, the SJTU Alumni Table Tennis Team has continued to organize and participate in various competitions, carrying forward the university's enthusiasm and dedication for the sport through every swing of the paddle.

National team players Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu, and Xu Xin's deep ties to SJTU

Yunqi Capital has deepened its collaboration with SJTU in recent years (seeYunqi Capital donates to SJTU Yuanqi Development Fund — Phase II Yunqi Capital and SJTU launch AI angel fund), and in 2025 formed a connection with the SJTU Alumni Table Tennis Team.

This connection began with Yunqi Capital founding managing partner Mao Chengyu's meeting with Zhao Haijun, executive president of the SJTU Global Alumni Table Tennis Association and vice president of the SJTU Sports Friendship Association. Zhao Haijun has long championed the development of alumni table tennis at SJTU, and the passionate commitment he and his fellow association members have shown gave Yunqi Capital a window into the focus, resilience, and cohesion of the Shanghai Jiao Tong University alumni community.

Mao Chengyu and Zhao Haijun at SJTU's 130th anniversary celebration

In November 2025, Yunqi Capital supported an SJTU alumni competition for the first time, sponsoring the Shanghai alumni team at the "Siyuan Cup" Global Alumni Table Tennis Invitational at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, which went on to win the championship. (See Gathering talent by Siyuan Lake, chasing table tennis dreams to celebrate the anniversary)

In 2026, Yunqi Capital continued to support the SJTU Alumni Table Tennis Team in competitions at home and abroad, witnessing a string of strong results.

At the 2026 "Friendship Cup" 5th Chinese Universities Singapore Table Tennis Team Championship, which concluded on April 26, the SJTU Alumni Table Tennis Team competed against over 20 alumni teams from leading domestic universities including Peking University and Tsinghua University. After a full day of intense, multi-round battles, they claimed the championship title. (See Event highlights | SJTU alumni table tennis team wins Group A championship at 5th "Friendship Cup" Chinese Universities Singapore Table Tennis Team Championship!)

On May 10, the "Century Glory" Table Tennis Friendship Championship Finals were held, where the SJTU Alumni Table Tennis Team broke through the pack to once again finish first among a field of top university alumni teams. (See Event highlights | SJTU alumni team wins "Century Glory" table tennis championship)

A small ball connects not just the matches themselves, but also the growing network of action and innovative energy within the SJTU ecosystem.

Sports and entrepreneurship are not the same, but they share some key qualities: both require maintaining rhythm amid long-term uncertainty, building judgment through continuous competition, having the courage to act under pressure, and moving closer to better outcomes through repeated reflection.

We look forward to the Chinese national team and the SJTU Alumni Table Tennis Team continuing to fight hard and achieve even more!