In the Olympic Singles final against compatriot Li Xiaoxia, Italian umpire Paola Bongelli repeatedly cautioned Ding for her backhand tomahawk serve ^{[clarification needed]}. Bongelli deducted 3 penalty points from Ding leading her to break down in tears in the fourth set. The decision from Bongelli affected the game, Ding's composure and her timing, and caused Ding to lose the final. After the game Ding stated, "I had an obstacle today, and not only from the opponent but from the judge as well. I was affected by the judge. After the first one (point penalty), I tried to keep cool but could not hold it after the second. The judge was too strict. I always serve the ball like this. I have done that for the last two years and, even from the first game of the Olympics, I have served like this. I do not know what to say. As soon as I raised my hand to serve, she sentenced me with a service violation."^{[citation needed]} International Table Tennis Federation president Adham Sharara tried to console Ding, congratulating her on her silver medal before saying he hoped the 22-year-old would return to win gold in Rio in four years time.^[6] He admitted he would have been more flexible saying, “She felt that the umpire was too strict on her and this happens sometimes,” he said. “The umpires can be very strict and the players should adapt. When two players from the same country play each other, the umpire should be a little bit more lenient. If I was the umpire I would have been maybe a little bit more flexible.” ^[7]

Singles (as of 2016)^[8]

• World Championships: Winner (2011, 2015, 2017)
• World Cup: Winner (2011,2014, 2018).
• Pro Tour Winner (11): Kuwait Open (2009); English, UAE, Austrian Open (2011); Slovenian, Polish Open (2012); Austrian, Qatar, Russian Open (2013); China Open (2014); Korea, China Open (2016); China Open (2017)
  Runner-up (4): German Open (2010); Qatar, Harmony China <Suzhou> Open (2011); KRA Korea Open (2012); Kuwait, China, Polish Open (2015); Kuwait, Qatar, Japan Open (2016).
• Pro Tour Grand Finals Winner (1): Lisbon, Portugal (2015)
  appearances: 4. Record: runner-up (2009, 11,12,13).
• Asian Championships: winner (2009).
• Asian Cup: Winner (2014); 2nd (2010); 3rd (2009).
• World Junior Championships: winner (2005).
• Olympics : Silver Medal (2012), Gold Medal (2016)

Women's Doubles

• World Championships: winner (2017), runner-up (2009, 2011,2013,2015).
• Pro Tour Winner (18): Danish, China (Tianjin) Open (2009); Qatar Open (2010); Austrian Open (2011); Hungarian, Slovenian, KRA Korea Open (2012); Austrian, Kuwait, Qatar, Russian Open (2013); China Open (2014); Kuwait, Polish Open (2015); Kuwait, Qatar, Japan, Korean Open (2016); China Open (2017)
  Runner-up (8): China (Nanjing) Open 2007; Qatar Open (2009); Kuwait, German, China Open (2010); English, Qatar, Harmony China <Suzhou> Open (2011); China Open (2012,16)
• Pro Tour Grand Finals appearances: 3. Record: winner (2009,2013,2015).
• Asian Games: runner-up (2010).
• Asian Championships: winner (2009).
• China National Games: winner (2017).^[9]

Mixed Doubles

• World Championships: round of 16 (2007).
• Asian Games: quarterfinal (2010)
• Asian Championships: runner-up (2009).
• China National Games: Winner (2013)

Team

• World Championships: 1st (2012,2014,2016, 2018) ; 2nd (2010).
• World Team Cup: 1st (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018).
• Asian Games: 1st (2010,2014).
• Asian Championships: 1st (2009, 2012, 2013,2015).

Olympic 2012

• (Byes up to Round 3 as Ranked 1)
• Round 3: Beat Daniela Dodean 4–0.
• Round 4: Beat Jiang Huajun 4–1.
• QF: Beat Ai Fukuhara 4–0.
• SF: Beat Feng Tianwei 4–2.
• F : Lost Li Xiaoxia 1–4.

Olympic 2016

• (Byes up to Round 3 as Ranked 1)
• Round 3: Beat Elizabeta Samara 4–0.
• Round 4: Beat Doo Hoi Kem 4–0.
• QF: Beat Han Ying 4–0.
• SF: Beat Kim Song I 4–1.
• F : Beat Li Xiaoxia 4–3.

• Ding Ning at World Table Tennis  
• Ding Ning at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)