On the third day of play at the WTT Champions European Summer Series 2022 (ESS 2022) Germany’s Patrick FRANZISKA take a giant step in his career. He beat table tennis G.O.A.T. double Olympic champion MA Long of China (11-7 7-11 11-6 4-11 12-10). In earth-shattering upset Patrick knock top seed to reach the quarterfinal of the Men’s Singles Event.
Never before FRANZISKA managed to take a game from MA but today he beat him completely. The German adds Ma Long to his impressive list of scalps against Chinese opposition with FAN Zhendong XU Xin and LIN Gaoyuan
“It’s definitely the biggest win of my career. Ma Long is probably the best player to ever play the sport and my whole body is shaking after beating him today. I can’t believe it!” said FRANZISKA.”I commenced the match by believing in myself. After I won the first game I felt that he was struggling a bit he didn’t seem to happy with his game. Against these amazing player you have to take every small chance you get. I just played with a lot of confidence risking a lot and playing with variation and in the end it worked.”
In the Round of 16 Kazakhstan’s Kirill GERASSIMENKO’s outstanding run was halted by the hands of 7th seed Darko JORGIC in the closing match of the morning session (11-5 9-11 11-9 11-2). Darko will meet FRANZISKA in next round.
“Darko JORGIC is my teammate and I was joking with him asking if he would rather play me or MA Long! We know each other very well it will be a very awkward game so I will try to prepare as much as possible.”
For the other Europeans it was less successful day; China’s WANG Chuqin recorded a 3-0 win over Swede Kristian KARLSSON (12-10 11-6 11-6). Taipe’s CHUANG Chih-Yuan beat Alexis LEBRUN of France 3-2 (6-11 11-7 10-12 11-9 11-9) to reach the quarterfinals. Japan’s Tomokazu HARIMOTO beat Germany’s DANG Qiu 3-0 (11-8 11-4 11-4). Another Japan’s representative Yukiya UDA defeats Marcos FREITAS 3-1 (7-11 11-6 13-11 12-10) and moves on to the Men’s Singles quarterfinals. In the afternoon program LIN Gaoyuan brought the power and overcame Timo BOLL to claim his spot in the Quarterfinals (11-8 11-6 11-3).
China’s CHEN Meng moves through to the quarterfinals of the Women’s Singles by defeating Margaryta PESOTSKA 3-1 (16-14 11-9 7-11 11-3). PESOTSKA put some pressure on the World No.2 and had multiple chances to take the advantage but the match ended in Chinese stars favor. Japan’s Mima ITO was dominated against Germany’s SHAN Xiaona and secured her place in the next round 3-0 (11-8 11-7 11-2).
World champion Chinese fans as WANG beat Austria’s Sofia POLCANOVA (11-6 11-4 9-11 11-7). POLCANOVA refuses to go down without a fight saving three match points in game four but it’s ultimately not enough.
Japan’s Miyuu KIHARA overcame Romania’s Bernadette SZOCS in a tight match in the Women’s Singles round of 16 (11-6 4-11 11-8 11-9).
