MAGDEBURG, Germany, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Local favorite Dimitrij Ovtcharov eliminated the defending German Open champion Fan Zhendong 4-3 here on Saturday in the men's singles quarterfinal.
World No. 1 Fan and the only remaining German hope in the men's singles Dimitrij Ovtcharov were engaged in a pendulum match, with both players winning one game after the other.
Ovtcharov turned the tables after Fan led 3-1 and won two games back to back (12-10, 11-5) to send the match to a decider.
The German was at his absolute best, saving match points in the fifth game against Fan who saved three match points in the decider but could not handle the superb backhand-supported showing of Ovtcharov.
Ovtcharov took the final win 4-3 (9-11, 11-4, 8-11, 10-12, 12-10, 11-5, 12-10) in the 1 hour 15 minute thriller while Fan suffered the first defeat over the past four tournaments.
China's Olympic champion Ma Long progressed in straight forward fashion, as he saw off South Korean Cho Seungmin 11-6, 11-7, 11-8, 11-4. Ma took 19 points from the opponent's service and wrapping up the semifinal spot in 30 minutes.
Xu Xin came through his meeting with team fellow Zhao Zihao without dropping a single game 11-8, 11-3, 12-10, 11-8, and advanced to the semifinal to face Lin Gaoyuan who outplayed Japan's Mizutani Jun.
The "dark horse" Lin made a lighting start in his quarterfinal meeting claiming the first three games 11-6, 11-7, 11-8.
Trailing 0-3, Mizutani saves two match points before going on to win game four (13-11). The Japanese player carried on his momentum into game five and six to grab narrow wins (11-9, 11-9). Lin rediscovered his composure and managed to get over the finish line with a much stronger performance in the decider 11-6.
"It was a tough match. The opponent was down 0-3 and came back to make 3-3. I was nervous, but then the most important thing in my head was that I cannot lose this match and I am glad I made it in the end," Lin said.
