China's women's table tennis team retains their Olympic title at Paris 2024 Olympic Games after overwhelming Japan 3-0 in the final on Saturday. This victory not only secured China's 37th gold medal of these Games, but also marked a historic milestone - the Chinese delegation's 300th gold in Summer Olympic history. Photo: VCG

Tickets to the semifinals and finals of the World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash were snapped up immediately after they went on sale on Wednesday as premier sports events have been greatly sought after amid a national fever for mass fitness fueled by the Paris Olympic Games.          

The top-flight table tennis event, to be held in Beijing from September 26 to October 6, features world's men's and women's top seeds Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha. Paris Olympics silver medalist Truls Moregard of Sweden and bronze medalist Felix Lebrun of France are also among the list of contestants. 

Although the prices of the finals tickets, ranging from 888 yuan ($125) to 1,688 yuan, caused a stir on Chinese social media, the rapid sales reflect a growing enthusiasm for sports among the Chinese public, especially following the Paris Olympics. 

The Paris Games have indeed sparked a wave of nationwide participation in sports. However, this trend has been significantly driven by broader socio-economic developments in the country, Wang Dazhao, a Beijing-based sports commentator, told the Global Times on Thursday.

As China's economy grows and the quality of life improves, there is a rising awareness among the public about the importance of health and wellness. This growing consciousness has led to increased public interest in regular physical activities and sports, further fueling the popularity of major sporting events, Wang said.

For example, the fighting spirit that Fan Zhendong demonstrated in the Olympic table tennis final against Moregard might serve as a powerful source of inspiration for the general public. People might be motivated to set higher standards for themselves, adopt healthier lifestyles, and engage more actively in sports and other pursuits, contributing to a broader culture of fitness and achievement, Wang noted.

The Chinese delegation finished second in the overall medal table of the Paris Games with 40 golds, 27 silvers and 24 bronzes, achieving its best ever results at an overseas Olympics. The historic sports accomplishments have played a role in fueling the increased interest in sports events, underlining the thriving nature of sports culture and the rising status of major sporting events in China.

According to data from online ticketing platform Damai, there is significant interest in upcoming major sports events in China. The Badminton China Open, scheduled from September 17 to 22 in Changzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province, has attracted 44,000 people who have clicked "interested" on the platform.  

The tennis China Open, scheduled from September 23 to October 6 in Beijing, has also garnered much attention as the organizers announced on Wednesday a star-studded list of players for this year's tournament, which includes China's Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen and world's women's and men's top seeds Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner. 

Wang said that the emergence of more grassroots sports events, such as the Village Super League or Cunchao held in Southwest China's Guizhou Province, will arouse public interest and drive broader participation in sports.