In a stunning turn of events at the World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash in Beijing on Tuesday, Denmark’s Anders Lind delivered a remarkable upset by defeating the world’s top-ranked player, Wang Chuqin of China. Lind triumphed with scores of 13-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-7 in the men’s singles second round.
“It is a moment that I will cherish for the rest of my life, which also gives me a lot of confidence moving forward,” Lind expressed after his victory. “My approach was completely different because I know if I play anything normal, he will destroy me. So I just tried to make it very weird for him, with backhand slices with a lot of spin, and make him have unforced errors. It was somehow successful, and then I kept doing it and won the match.”
Lind’s innovative strategy paid off, showcasing his adaptability and determination on the international stage. His next challenge will be against Kao Cheng-Jui of Chinese Taipei, who advanced by defeating Japan’s Shunsuke Togami with scores of 11-6, 13-11, 5-11, 11-8.
Meanwhile, China’s No. 6 seed Lin Shidong secured his place in the round of 16 after overcoming compatriot Xue Fei. Lin will face Sweden’s Anton Kallberg in his upcoming match, promising an exciting clash between the two talents.
Wildcard entry Xiang Peng delighted the home crowd by knocking out No. 16 seed Omar Assar of Egypt with scores of 11-5, 8-11, 12-10, 11-7. Xiang is set to compete against France’s fourth-seeded Felix Lebrun, who swiftly defeated Australia’s Finn Luu 11-5, 11-4, 11-2.
Sweden’s No. 11 seed Truls Moregard edged out Japan’s Sora Matsushima in a thrilling five-game match, ending with scores of 11-5, 9-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-4. Moregard will face his third consecutive Japanese opponent when he meets No. 8 seed Tomokazu Harimoto, who advanced by defeating Mohamed El-Beiali 11-4, 11-5, 11-8.
The tournament continues to showcase high-level competition, with unexpected victories and intense rivalries capturing the attention of table tennis enthusiasts worldwide.
Reference(s):
World No. 1 Wang Chuqin upset by Anders Lind at WTT China Smash
cgtn.com
