DOHA, May 18 (Xinhua) -- The spotlight at the World Table Tennis Championships on Friday briefly shifted from fast-paced rallies to a moment of technological intervention - one that underscored the sport's evolving relationship with officiating and precision.
China's world No. 2 Wang Chuqin was barely into the second set of his opening-round match against American Nandan Naresh when he was penalized for an alleged service violation. Wasting no time, Wang initiated a "Hawk-Eye challenge," invoking the video review system which was introduced to the World Championships only last year.
All eyes turned to the big screen in the arena. The replay data revealed Wang's toss angle was 24.67 degrees - well within the legal 30-degree limit. The screen confirmed: "Service is legal."
Wang would go on to dispatch his opponent in straight sets, with the incident having little bearing on the final result. But the moment raised broader questions about the application and reliability of Hawk-Eye in a sport known for its speed, subtlety and subjectivity.
"I have confidence in my serve," Wang said afterward. "The review system helps avoid referee misjudgments."
Even so, both Wang and his coach, Wang Hao, expressed surprise at the immediate infraction. "They called me for a fault right away," Wang told his coach. Wang Hao responded: "I thought it would just be a warning."
The episode might have been minor in a first-round match, but in a closely contested final, such a call - even if overturned - could rattle players and swing momentum. Regardless of the outcome of the review, the psychological toll and disruption to rhythm can be significant.
The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) formally adopted the Hawk-Eye system in 2019 but has approached its implementation cautiously. Unlike in tennis or badminton, where Hawk-Eye primarily adjudicates line calls, in table tennis, it often targets service legality - an inherently nuanced and, at times, subjective aspect of the game.
Sun Qilin, an international umpire and tenured professor at China's Shanghai Jiaotong University, noted that serves are one of the most contentious elements in table tennis. "That's why the ITTF has laid out complex rules for service mechanics, and enforcement has tightened in recent years," he said. "Incorporating Hawk-Eye can assist umpires in making fairer calls."
Feng Tianwei, a former world team champion with Singapore and now president of the Singapore Table Tennis Academy, echoed this sentiment in an interview with Xinhua. "Technology in sports is an irreversible trend," she said. "Using Hawk-Eye for service judgment benefits both sides and promotes fairness."
Still, Sun cautioned that video reviews can disrupt the match's flow. "The challenge process - watching the replay and determining the decision - takes time and affects the continuity and spectacle of the game," he said, adding that the system remains in an experimental phase. Differences in referees' experience, positioning, and interpretations will inevitably lead to inconsistencies and debate, he noted, urging a cautious approach to broader deployment.
It's a familiar conundrum for other sports. Tennis has used Hawk-Eye since 2006, but even there, the technology remains contested. Swiss legend Roger Federer once voiced skepticism after a Wimbledon match: "I still believe it's not 100 percent accurate. Sometimes you do feel like there's a mistake."
As the Doha championships continues, more players are likely to reach for the Hawk-Eye challenge. But as Wang Chuqin's case showed, the real challenge might lie in reconciling high-speed judgment with evolving technology - and ensuring that the tool enhances rather than unsettles the game. Enditem
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