China is desperate to regain the men's singles title at the world table tennis championships after missing out at the Athens Olympics.

"Table tennis may be just a sport in other parts of the world, but it is the national pride in China," head Chinese coach Cai Zhenhua said.

"The priority is to retake the men's singles crown at any cost."

China won all four Olympic table tennis golds in Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000 but fell one short in Athens last year. Shanghai hosts this year's championships, which run from April 30 to May 6.

A decade ago the Chinese were serious contenders in only a handful of sports. In Athens their successes were spread over a much greater range, the country winning 32 golds for second place behind the United States in the medals table.