Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Lion Japan Open
16-year-old SUN Yingsha (CHN) has defied all odds to take the Women’s Singles title from world number five CHEN Meng (CHN) at the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Lion Japan Open today in Tokyo.
Playing in her first senior event SUN started her giant slaying spree in Tokyo eliminating world number four & number one seed FENG Tianwei (SGP) two-time World Junior Champion WANG Manyu (CHN) en route to face off her teammate CHEN in the final. Trailing 1-3 against CHEN who was the favourite for the Gold medal SUN made an amazing comeback to push CHEN into the seventh game where she prevailed to take her first senior title 4-3 (9-11 11-9 8-11 8-11 11-7 11-9 11-8).
“I’m excited about winning this especially having to come back from 1-3 down at the start. It never crossed my mind that I could win both the Singles & Doubles Gold here in Tokyo ” stated the Chinese teenager. “I think because it’s my first senior event I have no pressure or mental burden. I was just playing my best for each & every match.”
In a rematch of the World Championship’s dramatic final reigning World & Olympic Champion MA Long (CHN) repeated his success against world number two FAN Zhendong (CHN) to finally claim his first Japan Open crown the title that has been eluding him for years.
The 28-year-old completed the feat defeating FAN 4-1 (11-7 5-11 11-7 11-8 11-5) to win his 24th ITTF World Tour title just 2 short of the record of 26 held by Belarussian legend Vladimir SAMSONOV.
“Of course I’m feeling very happy about this title my first Japan Open Singles title. I finished second 10 years ago so it feels great that I finally broke this curse.”
With the conclusion of the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Platinum Lion Japan Open the world’s top table tennis stars will head to Chengdu China for the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Platinum China Open. The China Open will be the third platinum event of the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour which features 12 events across the world in 2017 plus a World Tour Grand Finals which only the top 16 male and female players from the 12 World Tour events qualify for.
