After unexpected early exits in the men’s singles competition, China’s top table tennis players showcased resilience at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Singapore Smash on Thursday, securing spots in multiple events.
World No.1 Fan Zhendong, recovering from his singles loss, teamed up with Wang Chuqin to defeat Singaporean duo Quek Izaac and Pang Yew En Koen with scores of 9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-4, advancing to the men’s doubles semifinals. Olympic champion Ma Long, alongside Lin Gaoyuan, also progressed to the semifinals after a thrilling full-set victory over Belgium’s Martin Allegro and Adrien Rassenfosse.
In the men’s singles, Liang Jingkun mounted a remarkable comeback against Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto, overturning a two-set deficit to win 9-11, 12-14, 11-5, 11-6, 11-8.
On the women’s front, Wang Yidi secured a decisive 3-0 victory over South Korean veteran Suh Hyowon, setting up a clash with teammate Qian Tianyi in the next round.
Mixed doubles pair Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, the defending champions, are slated to compete in the day’s final fixture, aiming to continue their title defense.
Reference(s):
Chinese paddlers advance at World Table Tennis Singapore Smash
cgtn.com
