<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-10-04/Five-home-players-reach-men-s-singles-quarterfinals-at-WTT-China-Smash-1xpXueFOb6w/img/78f7638f4f7c46119aca8200cfff75d3/78f7638f4f7c46119aca8200cfff75d3.jpeg' alt='Lin Shidong of China competes in the men's singles match against Anton Kallberg of Sweden at the World Table Tennis China Smash in Beijing, October 3, 2024. /CFP'
Five Chinese players, No. 6 seed Lin Shidong, wildcard Xiang Peng, seventh-seeded Lin Gaoyuan, third-seeded Liang Jingkun and fifth-seeded Ma Long have entered the men’s singles quarterfinals at the World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash in Beijing after beating their opponents on Thursday.
Lin Shidong knocked out Anton Kallberg of Sweden in a close match of five games. The home seed took the first and third games 11-8, but Kallberg prevailed 11-2 and 11-7 in the second and fourth. Lin Shidong sealed the deal with another 11-8 win in the decisive fifth game. He will next face Anders Lind of Denmark who upset World No. 1 Wang Chuqin on Tuesday.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-10-04/Five-home-players-reach-men-s-singles-quarterfinals-at-WTT-China-Smash-1xpXueFOb6w/img/1385d90432374954ab508831059eb0ca/1385d90432374954ab508831059eb0ca.jpeg' alt='Xiang Peng of China reacts after scoring a point in the men's singles match against Felix Lebrun of France at the World Table Tennis China Smash in Beijing, October 3, 2024. /CFP'
Xiang continued his trip as a dark horse by defeating No. 4 seed Felix Lebrun of France 11-9, 10-12, 11-9, 12-10. Xiang will play third-seeded Swede Truls Moregard of Sweden, in the quarterfinals. Moregard came back to eliminate Japanese favorite, eighth-seeded Tomokazu Harimoto, 15-13, 9-11, 4-11, 11-6 ,13-11 to make the last eight.
Lin Gaoyuan and Liang will face each other in the quarterfinals. The former brushed aside Jonathan Groth of Denmark 11-3, 11-6, 11-5; Liang beat his compatriot Zhou Qihao 11-5, 11-6, 10-12, 11-13, 11-7.
Ma defeated Lee Sang-su of South Korea 12-10, 11-4, 12-10 in the round of 16. He will compete with No. 2 seed, Hugo Calderano of Brazil, for a spot in the semifinals on Friday. Calderano beat Darko Jorgic of Slovenia 11-9, 6-11, 11-13, 17-15, 11-2 to set up the eye-catching battle with Ma.
