In a thrilling display of skill and determination, China’s Lin Shidong and Qian Tianyi secured their spots in the semifinals of the World Table Tennis (WTT) Champions Montpellier in France on Saturday.
Top-seeded Lin Shidong faced a challenging quarterfinal match against No. 8 seed Lin Yun-Ju from Chinese Taipei. After dropping the first game 6-11, Lin Shidong rallied impressively to win the next three games 11-8, 11-1, and 11-7, sealing his victory.
“I have played Lin Yun-Ju three times this month, and it felt different on every occasion,” Lin Shidong reflected after the match. Looking ahead, he is set to face fourth-seeded French paddler Felix Lebrun, who defeated his brother Alexis Lebrun in a fierce sibling showdown, scoring 11-6, 7-11, 16-14, 11-9.
“I have played both of the brothers before with wins and losses. I will give my best tomorrow,” Lin added with determination.
In the women’s singles, Qian Tianyi continued her impressive run to reach the semifinals.
Lin’s compatriot, No. 2 seed Liang Jingkun, faced an unexpected exit after being defeated by Germany’s Benedikt Duda in straight games, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7. Duda will compete against fifth-seeded Tomokazu Harimoto of Japan for a place in the final. Harimoto showcased his prowess by overcoming German veteran Patrick Franziska with scores of 11-2, 11-9, 11-9.
As the tournament progresses, fans eagerly anticipate the upcoming semifinals, where top talents will battle for a coveted spot in the finals of the WTT Champions Montpellier.
Reference(s):
Two Chinese paddlers reach semifinals at WTT Champions Montpellier
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