GUANGZHOU - While affairs of the heart remain a contentious issue in Chinese table tennis circles, former world champions Timo Boll and Vladimir Samsonov claim their careers have benefited from having loved ones traveling with them.

"It's great to have wife who understands everything and who can listen to you all the time," 29-year-old Boll, who got married in 2004, said in Guangzhou, where he attended the Volkswagen Cup table tennis challenge.

"As professional players, we have to travel around the world competing and training. It's very demanding. It would be impossible without the support of family. I enjoy spending time with my family very much," the two-time World Cup champion said.