<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-10-05/Home-paddlers-take-all-spots-in-both-singles-semifinals-at-China-Smash-1xrF6pxMSbe/img/9d6f4ba0e3ac4357b043980f2343beaa/9d6f4ba0e3ac4357b043980f2343beaa.jpeg' alt='Ma Long of China hits a shot against Hugo Calderano of Brazil in the men's singles quarterfinals at the World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash in Beijing, October 4, 2024. /CFP'
Both the men’s and the women’s singles semifinals at the World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash will feature clashes among four players representing the host nation, after Friday’s quarterfinals set up a pair of last-four brackets sure to delight the fans at Shougang Park in Beijing.
Lin Shidong and Xiang Peng will compete for one spot in the men’s singles final. Lin defeated Anders Lind of Denmark 12-10, 11-8, 11-7, 11-7 in the quarterfinals, while Xiang claimed a tough seven-game win over Sweden’s Truls Moregard.
Xiang led twice after taking the first, second and fifth games 11-6, 11-9, 11-9, but Moregard managed to tie the match on both occasions, after claiming the third, fourth and sixth games 11-4, 20-18, 11-5. In the decisive seventh game, Xiang outplayed his opponent 11-5 to progress.
In the other half of the bracket, Liang Jingkun edged his compatriot Lin Gaoyuan 1-11, 14-12, 11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 11-3 in the quarterfinals. His opponent in the semifinals will be veteran Ma Long, who secured a routine win over Hugo Calderano of Brazil 11-7, 11-4, 11-7, 11-7.
“Today’s match was smoother than I had expected,” Ma told reporters. “Hugo has improved a lot in recent years and his performance has been steadily good. He has won a lot of titles and reached the semifinals at the Olympic Games. The competition today went better than I thought.”
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-10-05/Home-paddlers-take-all-spots-in-both-singles-semifinals-at-China-Smash-1xrF6pxMSbe/img/555ab69c6b5040d59319ae5963e4e522/555ab69c6b5040d59319ae5963e4e522.jpeg' alt='Sun Yingsha of China hits a shot against Mima Ito of Japan in the women's singles quarterfinals at the World Table Tennis (WTT) China Smash in Beijing, October 4, 2024. /CFP'
Sun Yingsha maintained her dominance in the women’s singles division with a sweeping win over Mima Ito of Japan 11-4, 11-6, 11-4, 11-5 in the quarterfinals. She will face Fan Siqi, who knocked out Cheng I-Ching of Chinese Taipei 11-9, 11-8, 11-4, 4-11, 5-11, 7-11, 11-4.
“It’s a very fierce and close match,” Fan said after the match. “I led 3-0, but then saw it wiped away. But I think winning the decisive seventh game is the best representation of myself.”
The other women’s singles semifinals will feature Chen Xingtong going up against Wang Manyu. Chen knocked out Suh Hyo-won of South Korea 11-9, 11-5, 11-4, 11-5. Wang defeated her compatriot He Zhuojia in a five-game match 11-13, 11-5, 11-4, 11-5, 11-9.
