Shanghai — In a riveting day of table tennis at the World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash, Chinese veterans Ma Long and Wang Manyu clinched their spots in the last 16 of the men's and women's singles events, respectively, on Wednesday.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Ma Long, facing a challenge from the rising 21-year-old talent Zeng Beixun, initially fell behind 5-1 but quickly turned the game around to win the match. Despite Zeng's early lead, Ma took the first set 11-8, followed by a second set win of 11-6. Zeng managed to claim the third set, but Ma's experience and aggressive play secured him the fourth set 12-10. "This is the first time for us to meet at major events. I scored the decisive points to seal the victory," said Ma, 35. He praised Zeng's recent progress, expressing satisfaction with the growing talent pool in Chinese table tennis.
On the women's side, world No. 3 Wang Manyu dispatched Germany's Sabine Winter in a swift 17-minute match with scores of 11-6, 11-2, 11-8. Wang's next match is against her 18-year-old teammate Qin Yuxuan. "Chinese young players have shown great momentum, so I need to get prepared in dealing with difficulties next," remarked the 25-year-old Wang after her victory.
The competition also saw significant matches in doubles. In women’s doubles, the wildcard Chinese pair Qin Yuxuan and Zong Geman upset the fifth-seeded team of Wang Manyu and Kuai Man. In men's doubles, the Chinese duo Wang Chuqin and Liang Jingkun overcame the team of Australia's Aditya Sareen and Argentina's Santiago Lorenzo.
Reflecting on his recent performances, top-ranked Wang Chuqin shared insights from his unexpected defeat in the singles round of 32. "After the Paris Olympics, I tried to find the same active state in competition as before. I wanted to have a great performance at the China Smash, but I didn't make a detailed plan in advance. My mindset was not completely settled down. I need to get myself back through doubles matches," he said.
Looking ahead, the competition intensifies as world No. 1 Sun Yingsha faces Liu Weishan, and Ma Long takes on South Korean Lee Sang-su in the pursuit of a spot in the last eight.