China’s table tennis team, long considered the gold standard in the sport, faced unexpected challenges at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals in Fukuoka, Japan. On the opening day, the Chinese men’s team experienced four consecutive losses in both singles and doubles events.
In men’s singles, Lin Gaoyuan was defeated 3-0 by Slovenia’s Darko Jorgic. Shortly after, top-seeded doubles pair Xiang Peng and Yuan Licen were swept 3-0 by Singapore’s Pang Yew En Koen and Izaac Quek, ending their title hopes prematurely.
Liang Jingkun followed with a 3-1 loss to Japan’s world No. 7 Tomokazu Harimoto, marking another early exit for China. The duo of Lin Gaoyuan and Lin Shidong also fell 3-0 to Japan’s Hiroto Shinozuka and Shunsuke Togami in men’s doubles.
These surprising defeats leave China with only two men’s singles players, Lin Shidong and Wang Chuqin, who are set to compete on Thursday.
In women’s doubles, top seeds Sun Yingsha and Wang Yidi were unexpectedly defeated 1-3 by Japan’s defensive pair Hitomi Sato and Honoka Hashimoto.
There was brighter news in women’s singles, where Qian Tianyi advanced with a straight-sets victory over Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz. Wang Yidi also secured her spot by defeating Cheng I-Ching of Chinese Taipei 3-1.
The unexpected outcomes have sparked discussions about the evolving competitive landscape in international table tennis, as fans eagerly anticipate the rest of the tournament.
Reference(s):
Chinese big hitters suffer shocking early exits at WTT Finals Fukuoka
cgtn.com
