Other Events | 6 Oct 2019
Expected all-Chinese Men’s final, but not this one…
Photo: Courtesy ITTF
2019 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open in Stockholm. Men’s winner to be decided between actual world no.22 WANG Chuqin and no.4 LIN Gaoyuan
It was heavily expected to see Men’s Singles all-Chinese finals at the 2019 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open in Stockholm, but not one between actual world no. 22 WANG Chuqin and no. 4 LIN Gaoyuan. Both finalists upset their compatriots: WANG beat LIANG Jingkun (no. 8) in straight games, while LIN prevailed against FAN Zhendong (no. 2) after six games.
Earlier, in the quarter-finals, LIN was extended to full distance by Germany’s Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (world no. 12). LIANG Jungkun upset no. 1 seed XU Xin in six games, whilst another two encounters were decided in straight games: FAN Zhendong vs. Simon GAUZY, WANG Chuqin vs. ZHAO Zihao (current world no. 64).
Two players, born in late 2000, beat the odds in the Women’s Singles quarter-finals. Mima ITO of Japan prevented all-Cinese semis in the Women’s Singles event, as she upset no. 3 seed WANG Manyu in five games. Another surprise was created by SUN Yingsha (world no. 6, her best so far) who eliminated actual Olympic champion and no. 2 seed DING Ning in straight games. So, the champion will be decided between following semi-finalists: CHEN Meng (no. 1 seed) vs. LIU Fei (world no. 227, beat no. 151 Qian Tianyi) and SUN Yingsha vs. Mima ITO.
Men’s Doubles finalists were composed by China’s players: FAN Zhendong / XU Xin vs. LIANG Jingkun / LIN Gaoyuan 3:2. FAN and XU beat Jakub DYJAS (Poland) / Cedric NUYTINKC (Belgium) 3:0, while LIANG and LIN overcame Nandor ECSEKI / Adam SZUDI (Hungary) 3:2, reversing the secore from 0:2 to 3:2
Women’s Doubles winners are CHEN Meng and DING Ning (China) who defeated Miu HIRANO / Kasumi ISHIKAWA (Japan) 3:1
XU Xin and LIU Shiwen (China) won gold in Mixed Doubles, as they beat Jun MIZUTANI / Mima ITO 3:2 (Japan). XU and LIU overcame Hungarian pair Adam SZUDI / Szandra PERGEL in the semi-finals.
