Jang Woojin in a rich vein of form (Photo: Rémy Gros)
Korea Republic’s Jang Woojin emerged the surprise semi-finalist when the day concluded at the Dishang 2020 ITTF Men’s World Cup in the Chinese city of Weihai on the evening of Saturday 14th November.
Making his debut in the tournament, the no.12 seed, he beat Japan’s Koki Niwa, the no.8 seed (11-13, 11-4, 12-14, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 12-10), prior to ousting colleague, Jeoung Youngsik, the no.9 seed (15-13, 11-9, 2-22, 11-6, 7-11, 11-6) to book his penultimate round place.
One surprise semi-finalist but no more; the respective top three names in the guise of China’s Fan Zhendong and Ma Long, alongside Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto, all emerged successful.
Saturday 14th November
Round One
Fan Zhendong (CHN) v Chuang Chih-Yuan (TPE) 11-5, 11-9, 11-8, 11-6
Lin Yun-Ju (TPE) bt Patrick Franziska (GER) 15-13, 8-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 11-2
Jang Woojin (KOR) bt Koki Niwa (JPN) 11-13, 11-4, 12-14, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 12-10
Jeoung Youngsik (KOR) v Hugo Calderano (BRA) 11-8, 14-16, 11-9, 10-12, 11-2, 11-7
Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) bt Robert Gardos (AUT) 11-3, 11-7, 12-10, 11-8
Mattias Falck (SWE) bt Wong Chun Ting (HKG) 8-11, 11-7, 12-10, 10-12, 11-6, 11-13, 17-15
Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER) bt Liam Pitchford (ENG) 12-10, 9-11, 4-11, 11-5, 13-11, 11-13, 11-7
Ma Long (CHN) bt Darko Jorgic (SLO) 11-7, 12-14, 11-9, 11-13, 13-11, 11-3
Quarter-Finals
Fan Zhendong (CHN) v Lin Yun-Ju (TPE) 12-10, 9-11, 11-2, 11-5, 7-11, 11-5Jang Woojin (KOR)
Jang Woojin (KOR) bt Jeoung Youngsik (KOR) 15-13, 11-9, 2-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-5
Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) bt Mattias Falck (SWE) 11-9, 11-8, 11-9, 4-11, 11-9
Ma Long (CHN) bt Dimitrij Ovtcharov (GER) 11-9, 11-4, 11-7, 7-11, 11-5
Sunday 15th November – Semi-Finals
13.00 Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) v Ma Long (CHN)
13.45 Fan Zhendong (CHN) v Jang Woojin (KOR)
19.00 Third Place Match
19.45 Final