Chen Xingtong performed an amazing recovery (Photo: Rémy Gros)
Emerging from the very edge of defeat Chen Xingtong and Sun Yingsha reserved their places in the women’s final at the World Table Tennis Macao 2020 tournament presented by the Galaxy Entertainment Group, following successes on the evening of Saturday 28th November.
Somewhat differently, in a less dramatic fashion, colleagues Ma Long and Wang Chuqin followed suit.
Matches best of seven games but only in the deciding game needing the two-point margin to seal victory; facing compatriot Chen Meng, the top seed, Chen Xintong lost the first three games. In the fourth she stood level at 10-all, won the point and changed to momentum of the contest (10-11, 1-11, 7-11, 11-10, 11-9, 11-5, 11-7).
Stunning, it was very similar for Sun Yingsha against Wang Manyu, the no.3 seed; Sun Yingsha trailed by three games to one, won the fourth, before in the fifth being level at 10-all. She won the vital point and changed the momentum of the contest (8-11, 11-7, 7-11, 2-11, 11-7, 11-10, 12-10).
Drama, it was less so for the men; Ma Long beat colleague Lin Gaoyuan (11-5, 11-10, 8-11, 11-7, 11-3). Wang Chuqin, the no.7 seed. ended the progress of Sweden’s Mattias Falck, the no.6 seed (11-3, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7)
The finals will be played on the concluding day of action, Sunday 29th November.
Wednesday 25th November
Men’s Singles
Battle One (Seeds no.9 to no.16)
(10) Jang Woojin (KOR) v (9) Liam Pitchford (ENG) 11-9, 4-11, 10-11, 7-11
(16) Fang Bo (CHN) v (13) Robert Gardos (AUT) 11-9, 8-11, 11-3, 11-7
(15) Ahmed Saleh (EGY) v (11) Wong Chun Ting (HKG) 11-8, 10-11, 7-11, 11-9, 9-11
(12) Zhao Zihao (CHN) v (14) Gustavo Tsuboi (BRA) 11-4, 6-11, 8-11, 8-11
Top Four Seed Battle (Seeds no.1 to no.4)
(1) Xu Xin (CHN) v (4) Hugo Calderano (BRA) 4-5, 3-5, 5-1, 5-2, 5-3
(2) Ma Long (CHN) v (3) Lin Gaoyuan (CHN) 3-5, 5-2, 5-2, 5-2
Women’s Singles
Battle One (Seeds no.9 to no.16)
(15) Lily Zhang (USA) v (12) Petrissa Solja (AUT) 11-5, 11-7, 11-8
(9) Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) v (14) Bernadette Szocs (ROU) 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7
(10) Jeon Jihee (KOR) v (11) Adriana Diaz (PUR) 11-6, 11-2, 11-8
(13) Suh Hyowon (KOR) v (16) Liu Weishan (CHN) 11-6, 6-11, 8-11, 8-11
Top Four Seed Battle (Seeds no.1 to no.4)
(1) Chen Meng (CHN) v (4) Ding Ning (CHN) 5-2, 5-3, 4-5, 5-1
(2) Sun Yingsha (CHN) v (3) Wang Manyu (CHN) 3-5, 5-1, 5-2, 3-5, 3-5
Men’s Singles
Battle Two (Seeds no.5 to no.16)
(5) Lin Yun-Ju (TPE) v (16) Fang Bo (CHN) 7-11, 10-11, 11-2, 11-10, 11-13
(6) Mattias Falck (SWE) v (11) Gustavo Tsuboi (BRA) 11-5, 11-10, 11-10
(7) Wang Chuqin (CHN) v (11) Wong Chun Ting (HKG) 11-6, 11-4, 6-11, 11-5
(8) Jeoung Youngsik (KOR) v (9) Liam Pitchford (ENG) 6-11, 11-8, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5
Top Four Seed Battle (Seeds no.1 to no.4)
(1) Xu Xin v (2) Ma Long (CHN) 1-5, 5-2, 5-4, 3-5, 5-2
(4) Hugo Calderano (BRA) v (3) Lin Gaoyuan (CHN) 5-2, 5-2, 3-5, 1-5, 2-5
Women’s Singles
Battle Two (Seeds no.5 to no.16)
(5) Cheng I-Ching (13) v (16) Liu Weishan (CHN) 11-9, 8-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-7
(6) Feng Tianwei (SGP) v (15) Lily Zhang (USA) 11-5, 11-4, 11-6
(7) Wang Yidi (CHN) v (10) Jeon Jihee (KOR) 11-5, 11-2, 11-5
(8) Chen Xingtong (CHN) v (15) Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) 11-8, 11-8, 11-3
Top Four Seed Battle (Seeds no.1 to no.4)
(1) Chen Meng (CHN) v (3) Wang Manyu (CHN) 0-5, 5-4, 3-5, 3-5
(4) Ding Ning (CHN) v (2) Sun Yingsha (CHN) 5-1, 5-2, 1-5, 5-2
Friday 27th November
Men’s Singles: Quarter-Finals
(1) Xu Xin (CHN) v (6) Mattias Falck (SWE) 7-11, 10-11, 11-2, 8-11
(7) Wang Chuqin (CHN) v (4) Hugo Calderano (BRA) 11-10, 8-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-9
(3) Lin Gaoyuan (CHN) v (16) Fang Bo (CHN) 10-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-5
(8) Jeoung Youngsik (KOR) v (2) Ma Long (CHN) 8-11, 7-11, 11-10, 11-9, 5-11
Women’s Singles: Quarter-Finals
(3) Wang Manyu (CHN) v (5) Cheng I-Ching (TPE) 11-3, 11-7, 8-11, 11-3
(7) Wang Yidi (CHN) v (4) Sun Yingsha (CHN) 6-11, 11-10, 3-11, 11-6, 9-11
(3) Ding Ning (CHN) v (6) Chen Xingtong (CHN) 11-10, 11-7, 9-11, 8-11, 12-14
(6) Feng Tianwei (SGP) v (1) Chen Meng (CHN) 10-11, 7-11, 11-10, 3-11
Saturday 28th November
Men’s Singles: Semi-Finals
(6) Mattias Falck (SWE) v (7) Wang Chuqin (CHN) 3-11, 8-11, 8-11, 7-11
(3) Lin Gaoyuan (CHN) v (2) Ma Long (CHN) 5-11, 10-11, 11-8, 7-11, 3-11
Women’s Singles: Semi-Finals
(3) Wang Manyu (CHN) v (2) Sun Yingsha (CHN) 11-8, 7-11, 11-7, 11-2, 7-11, 10-11, 10-212
(8) Chen Xingtong (CHN) v (1) Chen Meng (CHN) 10-11, 1-11, 7-11, 11-10, 11-9, 11-5, 11-7)
Saturday 29th November
Men’s Singles: Finals
(7) Wang Chuqin (CHN) v (2) Ma Long (CHN)
Women’s Singles: Final
(2) Sun Yingsha (CHN) v Chen Xingtong (CHN)