At the WTT US Smash in Las Vegas, the table tennis stage was set for some seriously exciting action! China's world no.1 Lin Shidong advanced to the semis after a 4-1 win over Japan's Yuta Tanaka. Lin took control early, smashing the first three frames with scores of 11-4, 11-6, and 11-2, leaving fans in awe of his speed and precision. 🏓
Tanaka did mount a spirited resistance in the fourth frame, keeping the match edge-of-your-seat thrilling. However, Lin regained his composure to seal the decisive frame 11-5, earning his spot in the semis where he will face either Lin Yun-Ju or Harimoto Tomokazu.
On the women's side, Chen Yi put on a dazzling display of resilience. Fresh off her stunning upset of world no.1 Sun Yingsha, Chen faced a nail-biting quarter-final clash against Japan's Hina Hayata. After Hayata stormed to a 3-0 lead, Chen rallied with determination—turning the tide by winning the fourth frame 11-9, then clinching the fifth 11-7 and the sixth 11-2 before taking the final frame 11-9 to complete an epic 4-3 comeback. 🎉
In women's doubles, China's pair Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu delivered a strong performance by defeating South Korea's Kim Nayeong and Ryu Han-na in straight sets (11-7, 12-10, 11-5), setting up an all-Chinese final showdown against Wang Yidi and Kuai Man.
Not every match had a happy ending for the home side. In the men's doubles, China's Wang Chuqin and Liang Jingkun were swept 3-0 by the French duo, Felix and Alexis Lebrun, highlighting the intense global competition at the event.
With the semis now shaping up to be full of electrifying moments and fierce competition, fans everywhere are in for a treat. Stay tuned as the US Smash continues to serve up incredible table tennis action!
Reference(s):
Lin reaches US Smash semis, Chen stages comeback against Hayata
cgtn.com
