Latest news with #LinShidong
South China Morning Post
23-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Chinese fans fear for future of men's table tennis after historic doubles defeat
China suffered their worst men's doubles results in 50 years at the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships on Thursday, sending fans into fits of despair and questioning what the country would do if Fan Zhendong did not return to the side. Lin Shidong and Lin Gaoyuan were humbled 3-1 by Chinese Taipei's Lin Yunju and Kao Chengjui in the quarter-finals in Doha. Lin and Kao, the sixth seeds, had also dispatched Liang Jingkun and Huang Youzheng in the previous round. Defeat marked the first time since the 1975 championships in Kolkata, India, that a Chinese team had not made the semi-finals of the men's doubles. Fans took to social media to voice their criticism of the third seeds, with one saying the future was 'hard to predict', asking who the country could count on 'without Ma Long and Fan Zhendong?' One commentator joked that the men's team's setback would continue, but fans should not worry because 'it will be worse, except for the women's singles, which are slightly stable'. Lin Gaoyuan (top left) and Lin Shidong (top right) during the men's doubles quarter-final. Photo: Xinhua Another commentator summed up the general feeling among fans, writing: 'In short, the Chinese men's team is hopeless. Just wait and see. The next Olympics will be a disaster without Ma and Fan.'
Hans India
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Table tennis: Lin Gaoyuan/Lin Shidong eliminated from men's doubles at World Championships
Doha (Qatar): China's table tennis team will not repeat its gold-medal sweep from the Paris Olympics, as third-seeded Lin Gaoyuan and Lin Shidong were eliminated from the men's doubles at the World Table Tennis Championships here on Thursday. The sixth-seeded pair from Chinese Taipei, Kao Cheng-Jui and Lin Yun-Ju, defeated Lin Gaoyuan/Lin Shidong 11-5, 11-9, 5-11, 11-8. Lin/Lin struggled to find a rhythm and showed limited creativity throughout the match. Earlier in the tournament, Kao/Lin had also knocked out China's Liang Jingkun/Huang Youzheng with a 3-1 win in the second round. It marks the first time since 1975 that China has failed to reach the semifinals of the men's doubles event at the World Championships. Meanwhile, Olympic champions Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha overcame a slow start to beat Japan 3-1 in the mixed doubles quarterfinals on Thursday. The second-seeded Chinese pair was able to shine at clutch moments, beating fifth seeds Sora Matsushima and Miwa Harimoto 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9, reports Xinhua. "I had thought we were going to lose this match easily," said Matsushima. "We played better than we had expected. We felt depth and tenacity from each strike by the Chinese. The barrier separating us is really high." Matsushima added that he and Harimoto had seen a glimmer of hope midway through the contest. "If we had taken the third set, we might have had a chance to win the match. But we failed. That's the gap between the Chinese and us." On Wednesday, Lin Shidong shrugged off a stunning morning defeat to win both his men's singles and doubles matches. Lin and Kuai Man, the top seeds in mixed doubles, were upset 3-1 (8-11, 11-5, 13-11, 12-10) by Japan's 16th-seeded pair Maharu Yoshimura and Satsuki Odo, leaving Olympic champions Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha as the only Chinese pair remaining in contention. The third-seeded Chinese duo swept South Korea's Jang Woo-jin and Cho Dae-seong 3-0 (11-5, 11-9, 11-9). Earlier, world No. 1 Lin Shidong overcame a slow start to defeat 74th-ranked Kristian Karlsson of Sweden in five sets (8-11, 11-1, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9).
Qatar Tribune
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
World TT – Doha 2025: Shidong strats strong on day of upsets
Tribune News Network Doha The second day of the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 produced spectacular action and significant upsets as the tournament continues to highlight table tennis excellence from all corners of the globe. Midway through the day, upset results sent shockwaves through the Lusail Multipurpose Hall and Qatar University venues. Among the home paddlers, Teenager Sultan Al-Kuwari battled gamely before falling 1-4 to Belgium's world No. 82 Martin Allegro (11-9, 6-11, 6-11, 1-11, 4-11) at Qatar University Hall. Wild-card Ahmed Korani was out-gunned 0-4 by Chinese Taipei attacker Kuo Guan-Hong (7-11, 7-11, 6-11, 4-11). In the women's draw, Maryam Ali bowed out 0-4 to Chile's Zhiying Zeng (2-11, 7-11, 1-11, 1-11), while Aia Mohamed salvaged a single game yet succumbed 1-4 to Cuba's Rosalba Aguiar (3-11, 7-11, 8-11, 11-7, 8-11). In mixed doubles, Mohammed Abdulwahhab/Aia Mohamed fell 0-3 to Thailand's Thitaphat Preechayan/Kulapassr Vijitviriyagul (5-11, 6-11, 6-11), ending Qatar's interest in the discipline. Lin Shidong makes statement Top seed Lin Shidong of China made a powerful start to his Men's Singles campaign, dispatching England's Liam Pitchford 4-0 (11-9, 12-10, 11-2, 11-9) in a commanding performance that demonstrated why he's considered the favourite for the title. France's Lutz stuns Korea Republic star In what must be considered one of the event's most stunning upsets so far, France's Charlotte Lutz produced a sensational performance to defeat Korea Republic's highly-rated Lee Eunhye 4-2 (7-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 12-10, 11-8). After dropping the first two games, Lutz showed remarkable mental fortitude to win four consecutive games. Czech Republic's Matelova Dismantles 27th Seed The Czech Republic's Hana Matelova delivered a clinical performance to eliminate Egypt's 27th-seeded Dina Meshref in straight games (11-7, 11-3, 11-3, 11-7), sending a clear message that rankings count for little at this elite level of competition. Australian duo stuns German Stars The 15th-seeded Australian pair of Bae and Sareen pulled off a remarkable victory against the German combination of Franziska and Ovtcharov. The young Australians, featuring ITTF Hopes Programme alumnus Aditya Sareen, dominated proceedings with a straight games 3-0 win, highlighting the effectiveness of the ITTF development pathway. African excellence shines through Madagascar's Hanitra Raharimanana produced one of Day 2's standout performances, defeating Singapore's Loy Ming Ying in a six-game thriller. Meanwhile, Egypt's duo of Abdelaziz and Alhodaby decisively handled Australia's Bae and Psihogios with a commanding 3-0 victory. Harimoto siblings shine Japan's teenage sensation Miwa Harimoto (5) lived up to expectations in her World Championships Finals debut, defeating Ukraine's experienced Margaryta Pesotska 4-1. Her brother Tomokazu Harimoto (4) claimed a convincing 4-1 victory over Korea Republic's Lim Jonghoon in their highly-anticipated clash. Croatia's Arapovic wins marathon match In one of the day's most gripping contests, Croatia's Hana Arapovic edged Kazakhstan's Zauresh Akasheva 4-3 (8-11, 11-7, 11-1, 6-11, 4-11, 11-9, 11-8) in a match that showcased the fighting spirit that defines championship table tennis. European march European champions continue to make their mark, with Germany's Ying Han and Sweden's Christina Kallberg securing impressive victories. The Lebrun brothers of France survived a scare in their Men's Doubles opener, coming from 0-2 down to win 3-2 against Spain's Berzosa and Perez. Asian domination Japan's top-seeded Women's Doubles pair Odo and Yokoi dominated their Ukrainian opponents, while the Harimoto/Matsushima Men's Doubles pairing looked equally impressive in their 3-0 victory, while China's Shi Xunyao delivered a flawless 4-0 performance against Hong Kong, China's Lam Yee Lok.
South China Morning Post
24-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Who is Hugo Calderano, Brazilian table tennis star who finally beat the Chinese?
In 2022, Hugo Calderano vowed he would be 'better than the Chinese' table tennis players – and, on Sunday, he was true to his word. Advertisement Victory over world No 1 Lin Shidong in the World Cup final in Macau may have sent Chinese fans into a period of reflection , but for 28-year-old Calderano it was just his latest achievement as he continued to break new ground for South American table tennis. Ranked at world No 5 going into the tournament, Calderano won it the hard way as he overcame third-ranked Tomokazu Harimoto in the last eight and No 2 Wang Chuqin in the semis before beating Lin in the final. Victory saw Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva extend his congratulations. 'Very pleased with the unprecedented feat achieved by Hugo Calderano in Macau, at the table tennis World Cup,' Lula wrote on social media. 'In a tournament between 48 of the world's best international players, the Brazilian became the first player from the Americas to reach the final and win the tournament by beating China's Lin Shidong, the world No 1, this Easter Sunday. 'Fantastic work by a top-five-in-the-world athlete who, for almost 15 years, has been supported by the federal government's athlete grant. Congratulations, Hugo Calderano. Immensely proud.'
South China Morning Post
21-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Bring back Fan Zhendong, Ma Long? Chinese table tennis fans rue Lin's Macau loss
Chinese table tennis fans voiced despair about the country's men's performances on Monday after Lin Shidong's shock loss at the ITTF World Cup in Macau, with many calling for the return of Ma Long and Fan Zhendong. Advertisement World No 1 Lin's 4-1 reverse against Brazil's Hugo Calderano in Sunday's final saw the hashtag 'Chinese table tennis really needs to reflect' shoot to the top of Weibo's trending list with more than 100 million views. 'Chinese table tennis should indeed reflect on itself, or more precisely, the Chinese men's table tennis team should seriously reflect on itself,' one of the top comments read, lamenting 'legacy issues such as Ma Long and Fan Zhendong' and suggesting 'changes in the entire environment'. Ma, last year's World Cup winner, and popular Olympic singles champion Fan withdrew from the World Table Tennis rankings in December over a dispute about fines for players withdrawing from competitions, clearing the way for 19-year-old rising star Lin to claim the No 1 slot. Brazil's Hugo Calderano poses with his trophy after beating Lin Shidong in the final. Photo: Xinhua Advertisement Olympic champions – such as Fan and Ma – were permitted to enter some tournaments even if they were not ranked, and exemptions were granted to allow players to miss events without being fined. This, however, has yet to lure back the pair.
