China continued its dominant run at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Mixed Team World Cup in Chengdu, clinching its fifth consecutive victory by defeating South Korea 8-4 on Thursday.
The host nation showcased resilience from the outset. In the opening mixed doubles match, China’s Lin Shidong and Kuai Man overcame a first-game setback to beat South Korea’s Cho Dae-song and Shin Yu-bin with scores of 10-12, 11-7, 11-7, securing a 2-1 lead.
World No. 1 Sun Yingsha faced a tough challenge in the women’s singles against Kim Na-yeong, dropping the first game 12-10. However, Sun quickly regained her form, winning the next two games 11-2 and 11-7 to extend China’s overall lead to 4-2.
In the men’s singles, World No. 1 Wang Chuqin delivered a thrilling performance against Oh Jun-sung. Wang won in straight games with scores of 16-14, 11-8, and 13-11, adding three points to China’s tally and pushing the lead to 7-2.
The decisive moment came in the men’s doubles, where Wang Chuqin teamed up with Liang Jingkun to face An Jae-hyun and Cho Dae-seong. Despite losing the first two games 11-8 and 11-7, the Chinese pair fought back to claim the third game 11-7, securing the crucial eighth point for the team.
This victory follows China’s 8-1 win over Germany on Wednesday and marks their second win in the second phase of the tournament. The team remains undefeated in Chengdu, solidifying their status as strong contenders in the capital of Sichuan Province.
Reference(s):
China beat South Korea for 5th straight win at Mixed Team World Cup
cgtn.com
