When the line-up for the WTT World Table Tennis (WTT) Star Contenders Goa was introduced and the legendary Chinese Ma Long, two-time Olympic champion and arguably the best desk tennis participant of all time, headlined it, followers Got mad and ran. Book tickets for the occasion.
Then days earlier than the occasion, it was introduced that Long and different prime Chinese, together with ladies’s Olympic champion Chen Meng, had pulled out as a consequence of COVID-19 and accidents. The Chinese had determined to relaxation their core staff forward of subsequent week’s Singapore Smash – the top-level WTT match – and despatched their ‘second string aspect’ as an alternative.
Only males’s World No. 1 Fan Zhendong was seen because the dominant Chinese participant and when he misplaced to Korea’s World No. 193 Cho Daesong on the Road to 32, Chinese dominance was threatened and Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto turned the favorite. Went.
But China confirmed why they dominate the desk tennis world as they managed to win the boys’s and ladies’s singles right here on Sunday.
What was placing concerning the victory was that each the winners weren’t within the preliminary checklist of gamers coming to India for the match. It was solely after Long and Meng had left that he was advised he needed to journey to India.
Ms. Petra Sorling, President, International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF); Cheng I-ching (runner-up in ladies’s singles); Wang Yidi (Winner in Women’s Singles) and Mr. Anurag Thakur, Hon. Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Youth Affairs and Sports
In the ladies’s singles, China’s Wang Yidi beat Cheng I-ching 4-0 (11-6, 11-6, 11-8, 11-4) however the spotlight of the day was the boys’s singles ultimate between the 2 Chinese gamers. Was. The paddlers – teen wunderkid Lin Shidong and 26-year-old Liang Jingkun. The veteran Jingkun gained 4-2 (11-6, Sep 11, 10-12, 12-10, 12-10, 11-9) in a match that totally lived as much as its prime billing.
After profitable the primary sport, Jingkun misplaced the following two video games and was in serious trouble at 1-7 within the fourth sport. But he got here again and saved three sport factors at 7-10 earlier than profitable 10-12. Trailing 10-8, he needed to come again within the subsequent sport as effectively. But the alternative occurred within the sixth. Leading 8-2, the World No. 7 gave Shandong an opportunity to equalize and muster up the braveness to complete the match.
Although Shandong misplaced, it handled desk tennis lovers who traveled from throughout India, primarily Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru and Delhi, for some fascinating motion within the first WTT match held on Indian shores.
Cheng I-ching and Li Yu-jun (runner-up in ladies’s doubles) and Miyu Nagasaki and Miwa Harimoto (winner in ladies’s doubles) on the correct and Shunsuke Togmai and Yukiya Ueda (runner-up in males’s doubles) and Cho Seungmin and An Jaehyun on the left (Winner in Men’s Doubles). (wtt)
As one of many important gamers of the Chinese nationwide staff, Shandong has excessive hopes for him. With his lightning-fast forehand loop and counter-topspin strokes, he’s seen as Long’s successor and has some humble footwear to fill. Jingkun additionally admitted after the ultimate that he regarded Shandong as “a core player in the Chinese team”. To come”.
Paris Games Contenders
Jingkun himself is in wonderful kind and is being seen as a medal contender for the 2024 Paris Olympics. He was in wonderful kind all through the week main as much as the ultimate, scoring spectacular wins over world prime 30 gamers Wong Chun Ting and Lin Gaoyuan. His 3–1 semi-final victory over Harimoto was an exhilarating topspin contest.
When it involves desk tennis, China dominates the world rankings. The top-three males and top-four ladies all come from the nation. They are by far probably the most profitable nation with regards to TT within the Olympics and have gained 60 medals together with 36 gold.
When requested what it’s they do in another way that makes them so influential, Jingkun simply laughed. “There is no secret ingredient. We train very hard as a team. We train together and constantly push each other to be better.”
There’s additionally a never-give-up mentality, one thing Jingkun displayed prominently within the title match.
“My mindset was positive. Although he (Shidong) played really well, because I was mentally strong, I could scrape through for the win. Even if you’re down, the mindset is to come back. You just have to stay positive.” Yes,” Jingkun mentioned.
It could also be his first Star Contender title, having beforehand gained 4 WTT Series trophies, however Jingkun has no time to rejoice. “I want to go home and rest before next week’s event in Singapore,” he mentioned.
He was not seen as a powerful contender for Smash, however with this win, there isn’t a purpose to rule him out.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
