China's Wang Chuqin (1st R) and Fan Zhendong (1st L) compete in the men's singles final at the Hangzhou Asian Games, Oct. 2, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)
Wang Chuqin clinched his fourth gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games after beating compatriot Fan Zhendong in the table tennis men's singles final.
HANGZHOU, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese paddler Wang Chuqin beat compatriot Fan Zhendong to take his first men's singles Asiad title at the Hangzhou Asian Games, while South Korean duo Jeon Ji-hee and Shin Yu-bin won the women's doubles gold medal here on Monday.
After an extremely tense seven-game battle, Wang emerged victorious over defending champion Fan 4-3 (10-12, 12-10, 13-11, 7-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-8) for the men's crown.
"I didn't expect to win. All I focused is to take every point at a time during the game," said Wang.
Wang Chuqin of China hits a return during men's singles final. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)
With a 9-2 lead across their previous head-to-heads, Fan broke open a 10-10 tie with two points in a row, moving one game ahead with a narrow 12-10 win. Wang weathered the pressure in the next games, winning 12-10 and 13-11 to turn the tide.
Afterwards, both sides traded wins, leading to an overall tie of 3-3. In the deciding game, world No. 2 Wang wrapped up his victory 11-8.
"I gave it my all and played at 120% of my ability, with an exceptional performance," Wang expressed his immense joy in delivering an exciting final alongside with his teammate Fan.
Jang Woo-jin of South Korea and Wong Chun Ting of Hong Kong, China settled for the shared bronze.
Jeon Ji-hee (L) /Shin Yu-bin of South Korea compete in the women's doubles final. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)
In the women's doubles final, South Korean pair Jeon/Shin defeated the DPR Korean duo Cha Su Yong and Pak Su Gyong 4-1 (11-6, 11-4, 10-12, 12-10, 11-3) to lift the trophy.
"I wasn't satisfied with my performance at the beginning of the match, but I gradually found my rhythm," commented Jeon. "This may be my last international-level competition. I want to express my gratitude to my partner, we have a great coordination."
The bronze medal went to Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee of India, as well as Miwa Harimoto and Miyuu Kihara of Japan. ■
