Xu Xin/Liu Shiwen (front) of China enter the court before the mixed doubles final against Mizutani Jun/Ito Mima of Japan at the 2020 ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open in Magdeburg, Germany on Feb. 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Binh Truong)
The Chinese table tennis team won golds in both the women's and mixed doubles finals, claimed a silver in the men's doubles event, and booked all the four spots for the women's singles semifinals at the ITTF World Tour Platinum Gemran Open on Saturday.
MAGDEBURG, Germany, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese table tennis players booked all the four spots for women's singles semifinals here on Saturday at ITTF German Open, securing the title in advance.
Seven Chinese players are competing in the women's singles last 8. After Ding Ning outplayed Mima Ito from Japan, China had already secured all the semis berths in advance.
Ding Ning of China returns the ball during the women's singles quarterfinal match against Ito Mima of Japan at the 2020 ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open in Magdeburg, Germany on Feb. 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Binh Truong)
The other three quarterfinals encounters took place among the Chinese fellow teammates. World No. 1 Chen Meng was up against her compatriot Wang Yidi and won the match 4-1 (6-11, 11-8, 11-1, 11-5, 11-6) in an exuberant performance here at the GETEC-Arena. In just about 40 minutes, there was a barrage of powerful shots from Chen who won 26 points on her opponent's serve.
The fifth seed Zhu Yuling is flying out there on court, playing very much on the front foot and catching the world champion Liu Shiwen out with her power. Under 15 minutes, Zhu took the 2-0 lead and Liu couldn't fight the way back.
Zhu had strong play and stormed past Liu in straight games 11-3, 11-9, 11-3, 11-2, to book a meeting with top seed Chen Meng in the semi-finals.
Sun Yingsha of China returns the ball during the women's singles quarterfinal match against Wang Manyu of China at the 2020 ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open in Magdeburg, Germany, on Feb. 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Ping)
As for the match between Wang Manyu and Sun Yingsha, Sun has made a fantastic response to losing the first game, winning back-to-back games to move 2-1 ahead (6-11, 11-8, 11-9).
Neither could decide the match after six games and both players maintained their aggressive approach in the final game. It turned out to be Wang who won the match on edges 4-3 (11-6, 8-11, 9-11, 11-8, 12-10, 3-11, 11-8). Wang will face Ding Ning in the last four.
Fan Zhendong of China returns the ball during the men's singles quarterfinal match against Dimitrij Ovtcharov of Germany at the 2020 ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open in Magdeburg, Germany on Feb. 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Binh Truong)
On men's part, local favorite Dimitrij Ovtcharov eliminated the defending German Open champion Fan Zhendong 4-3 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.
Lin Gaoyuan of China celebrates scoring during the men's singles quarterfinal match against Mizutani Jun of Japan at the 2020 ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open in Magdeburg, Germany, on Feb. 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Ping)
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.
Xu Xin/Liu Shiwen (R) of China compete during the mixed doubles final against Mizutani Jun/Ito Mima of Japan at the 2020 ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open in Magdeburg, Germany on Feb. 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Binh Truong)
In the mixed doubles final, China's Xu Xin/Liu Shiwen claimed the title by beating down Ito Mima/Mizutani Jun from Japan 3-1.
In the match between the Asian veteran pairs, Xu/Liu pulled off the first game 12-10, despite being down 9-10. The lead doubled for Xu/Liu, as they won the second game 13-11 in 10 minutes. The top Japanese mixed doubles duo hit back in the third game, winning 11-7.
In the supreme display of their tandem, Xu and Liu kept up their barrage of shots on their opponents, not giving them any room to work with at all and winning the first gold medal here in Germany 12-10, 13-11, 7-11, 11-7.
With the victory though, the Chinese pair seemed not to be satisfied with their performance. "I had some mistakes in responding the serves and did not take control the pace of the games," said Liu, "sometimes I was a bit hesitated but not stable enough at the table."
"We did win the game but not in an easy way," said Xu, "we're a bit nervous in the first world tournament this season. We could have done some details better under the pressure."
Chen Meng (R)/Wang Manyu of China celebrate after winning the women's doubles final match against Hirano Miu/Ishikawa Kasumi of Japan at the 2020 ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open in Magdeburg, Germany, on Feb. 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Ping)
In the women's doubles event, China's pair Chen Meng/Wang Manyu needed four games to see off Japan's Hirano Miu/Ishikawa Kasumi 3-1 in the final to claim the title.
It was a balanced start for the final here in Magdeburg with the scores sitting level at 1-1 after the opening two games. But it's a relatively convincing win for the top seed Chen/Wang who became the champion at last 3-1 (11-7, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8).
"The match was not that easy and we also met a lot of difficulties. I do think we are working better and better together as a team. Manyu had a great performance today, which helped me a lot to get the victory." Chen said.
Cho Daeseong (L, top)/Jang Woojin (R, top) of South Korea compete during the men's doubles final match against Lin Gaoyuan/Ma Long of China at the 2020 ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open in Magdeburg, Germany, on Feb. 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Ping)
South Korean duo Cho Daeseong/Jang Woojin clinched the men's doubles title by defeating the Chinese pair Lin Gaoyuan/Ma Long.
With the opening game of the men's doubles final going to Chinese side by the narrowest of margin (12-10), Cho/Jang responded with the close win in the following game (15-13) to pull level.
Saving the total of five game points in game three and then two in game four, Lin/Ma couldn't prevent the opponents from forcing a decider. The South Korean qualifiers took the final victory 3-2 (10-12, 15-13, 12-14, 14-12, 11-6).
■
