Chinese table tennis fans were in high spirits as both the men’s and women’s singles semifinals at the World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash are set to be all-Chinese affairs. Friday’s quarterfinals at Shougang Park in Beijing saw the host nation’s paddlers dominate, securing all eight spots in the last four.
In the men’s singles, rising stars Lin Shidong and Xiang Peng will battle for a place in the final. Lin showcased his formidable skills with a straight-sets victory over Denmark’s Anders Lind, winning 12-10, 11-8, 11-7, 11-7. Xiang faced a tougher challenge, enduring a gripping seven-game thriller against Sweden’s Truls Moregard.
The match between Xiang and Moregard was a rollercoaster of momentum shifts. Xiang took the lead by clinching the first, second, and fifth games 11-6, 11-9, 11-9. However, Moregard fought back fiercely, leveling the score twice by taking the third, fourth, and sixth games 11-4, 20-18, 11-5. In the decisive seventh game, Xiang regained control, overpowering Moregard 11-5 to secure his semifinal berth.
On the other side of the draw, Liang Jingkun edged out fellow Chinese player Lin Gaoyuan in a closely contested six-game match, finishing 1-11, 14-12, 11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 11-3. Liang will face the seasoned veteran Ma Long in the semifinals. Ma, displaying his trademark consistency, dispatched Brazil’s Hugo Calderano with a commanding 11-7, 11-4, 11-7, 11-7 victory.
Ma Long expressed his satisfaction after the match, saying, “Today’s match was smoother than I had expected. Hugo has improved a lot in recent years, and his performance has been steadily good. He has won a lot of titles and reached the semifinals at the Olympic Games. The competition today went better than I thought.”
Similarly, the women’s singles semifinals will feature an all-Chinese lineup, promising thrilling encounters that will captivate the home fans. The strong performances by China’s top female paddlers underline the country’s dominance in the sport and set the stage for an exciting weekend of table tennis.
With both men’s and women’s singles semifinals comprised entirely of Chinese players, the WTT China Smash is a testament to China’s depth of talent in table tennis. Fans at Shougang Park and viewers worldwide eagerly anticipate the upcoming clashes that will determine who takes home the coveted titles.
Reference(s):
Home paddlers take all spots in both singles semifinals at China Smash
cgtn.com
