Chen Meng celebrates during the women's singles third round match between Chen Meng of China and Shan Xiaona of Germany at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Han Xu)
DURBAN, South Africa, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Defending champion Wang Manyu of China triumphed in a full-game thriller against Hanna Haponova of Ukraine, securing a place in the women's singles round of 16 at the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships (WTTC) Finals here on Wednesday.
Contrary to the vast disparity in their world rankings, the match was a tough contest. Haponova, ranked No. 213 globally, demonstrated her formidable playing style, taking a 2-1 lead and saving a match point to force a deciding game. However, Wang, the tournament's second seed, found her rhythm and emerged victorious with an 11-3 triumph in the final game.
Reflecting on her performance, Wang admitted that she feared defeat but remained confident. "I would have been completely discontent if I lost at this stage. Despite the pressure, I felt a strong motivation to win," she stated.
In addition to Wang, four other Chinese women players advanced to the round of 16. Top seed Sun Yingsha dispatched Elizabeta Samara of Romania in straight games, while Olympic champion Chen Meng overpowered German veteran Shan Xiaona 4-0.
Wang Yidi won 4-1 against Portugal's 44-year-old Fu Yu, and Chen Xingtong secured a 4-2 victory against Zhu Chengzhu of Hong Kong, China.
Notably, Japan has four players in the women's round of 16 - Mima Ito, Hina Hayata, Miu Hirano, and Miyuu Kihara, along with Adriana Diaz of Puerto Rico, Germany's Han Ying, and Cheng I-Ching of Chinese Taipei.
In the upcoming round, Diaz is set to face Ito. "Mima is one of the best players in the world. I will have to prepare thoroughly," Diaz commented.
On the men's side, second seed Wang Chuqin edged out world No. 19 Yukiya Uda 4-1, marking his second consecutive victory over a Japanese player in Durban.
In the wake of Uda's exit, Tomokazu Harimoto remains the only Japanese player in men's contention, having outplayed Chinese Taipei veteran Chuang Chih-Yuan 4-0.
China's top-ranked Fan Zhendong bested Wong Chun Ting of Hong Kong, China 4-1, while Ma Long overcame Kristian Karlsson of Sweden 4-1. They are joined by their compatriots Lin Gaoyuan and Liang Jingkun, who defeated South Korean Lee Sang-su and Paul Drinkhall of England respectively.
Fueled by African support, Egypt's Omar Assar ousted the 2021 World Championships runner-up Truls Moregard of Sweden 4-2. With the World Championships returning to Africa for the first time since Cairo, Egypt, in 1939, the African champion recognized the significance of this event to the continent.
The reigning mixed doubles champions, Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, advanced to the semifinals after sweeping past Lin Yun-Ju and Chen Szu-Yu of Chinese Taipei 3-0. Their young teammates Lin Shidong and Kuai Man overcame French pair Simon Gauzy and Prithika Pavade 3-1 to meet world No. 2 Harimoto and Hayata in the semifinals.
Additionally, Chen Meng and Wang Yidi reached the women's doubles quarterfinals with a 3-0 victory over Romanian pair Elizabeta Samara and Andreea Dragoman. They are set to face Japan's Ito and Hayata, the runners-up of the previous two editions of the event, in the next round. ■
Wang Chuqin (L)/Sun Yingsha compete during the mixed doubles quarterfinal match between Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha of China and Lin Yun-Ju/Chen Szu-Yu of Chinese Taipei at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)
Liang Jingkun hits a return during the men's singles third round match between Liang Jingkun of China and Paul Drinkhall of England at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)
Wang Chuqin (1st R)/Sun Yingsha (2nd R) and Lin Yun-Ju (1st L)/Chen Szu-Yu compete during the mixed doubles quarterfinal match between Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha of China and Lin Yun-Ju/Chen Szu-Yu of Chinese Taipei at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Han Xu)
Liang Jingkun serves during the men's singles third round match between Liang Jingkun of China and Paul Drinkhall of England at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)
Wang Chuqin (L)/Sun Yingsha compete during the mixed doubles quarterfinal match between Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha of China and Lin Yun-Ju/Chen Szu-Yu of Chinese Taipei at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)
Shan Xiaona hits a return during the women's singles third round match between Chen Meng of China and Shan Xiaona of Germany at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Han Xu)
Chen Meng serves during the women's singles third round match between Chen Meng of China and Shan Xiaona of Germany at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Han Xu)
Chen Meng serves during the women's singles third round match between Chen Meng of China and Shan Xiaona of Germany at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Han Xu)
Harimoto Tomokazu of Japan celebrates during the men's singles round of 32 match against Chuang Chih-Yuan of Chinese Taipei at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Tao Xiyi)
Dimitrij Ovtcharov celebrates scoring during the men's singles third round match between Dimitrij Ovtcharov of Germany and Tomislav Pucar of Croatia at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Yudong)
Chuang Chih-Yuan of Chinese Taipei hits a return during the men's singles round of 32 match against Harimoto Tomokazu of Japan at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Tao Xiyi)
Wang Chuqin (1st L)/Sun Yingsha (2nd L) compete during the mixed doubles quarterfinal match between Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha of China and Lin Yun-Ju/Chen Szu-Yu of Chinese Taipei at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)
Wong Chun Ting (R)/Doo Hoi Kem celebrate after winnning the mixed doubles quarterfinal match between Wong Chun Ting/Doo Hoi Kem of China's Hong Kong and Truls Moregard/Christina Kallberg of Sweden at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)
Wong Chun Ting (R)/Doo Hoi Kem compete during the mixed doubles quarterfinal match between Wong Chun Ting/Doo Hoi Kem of China's Hong Kong and Truls Moregard/Christina Kallberg of Sweden at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)
Tomislav Pucar reacts after winning the men's singles third round match between Dimitrij Ovtcharov of Germany and Tomislav Pucar of Croatia at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Yudong)
Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha (L) celebrate scoring during the mixed doubles quarterfinal match between Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha of China and Lin Yun-Ju/Chen Szu-Yu of Chinese Taipei at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)
Wang Chuqin (top, L)/Sun Yingsha compete during the mixed doubles quarterfinal match between Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha of China and Lin Yun-Ju/Chen Szu-Yu of Chinese Taipei at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Han Xu)
Liang Jingkun (R) receives instructions from coach Wang Hao during the men's singles third round match between Liang Jingkun of China and Paul Drinkhall of England at 2023 ITTF Table Tennis World Championships Finals in Durban, South Africa, May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)
