Chinese paddlers stunned at WTT 2024 Saudi Smash
The WTT 2024 Saudi Smash witnessed a series of upsets for the Chinese table tennis team as Ma Long, Liang Jingkun, Lin Gaoyuan, and Wang Manyu all suffered defeats in the round of 32 on Monday.
Reigning men's Olympic champion Ma Long suffered a straight-set loss to South Korea's Jang Woo-jin, 11-13, 6-11, 8-11, while Lin Gaoyuan was eliminated by Danish player Jonathan Groth, losing 11-8, 11-7, 12-14, 13-11 despite a brief comeback in the third game.
World No. 4 Liang Jingkun was also upset in the men's singles second round, giving away an early lead to lose to Iranian veteran Noshad Alamiyan 12-14, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9, 11-5. After falling behind 1-7 in the decisive fifth game, Liang narrowed the gap to 5-8, but Alamiyan clinched the match with three straight points.
Conversely, top-ranked Wang Chuqin showcased his prowess by smoothly defeating Romanian player Ovidiu Ionescu 3-0 (11-5, 11-3, 11-6), progressing to the next round.
In the women's side, Wang Manyu, the runner-up at the Macao World Cup and seeded second in the tournament, suffered a 3-1 defeat to Indian player Manika Batra.
Meanwhile, Olympic champion Chen Meng cruised to victory against Canadian player Zhang Mo with a 3-0 scoreline, securing her spot in the next round. Wang Yidi also delivered a solid performance, defeating South Korean player Kim Na-yeong 3-0 to advance to the round of 16.
In the mixed doubles, the top-ranked duo of Sun Yingsha and Wang Chuqin easily moved into the quarterfinals with a decisive 3-0 victory, maintaining their strong form in the tournament.