Sato hitomi

World Table Tennis: The 2024 World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals continued with World No. 1 Wang Chuqin advancing to the men's singles final, while Wang Manyu and Chen Xingtong set up an all-Chinese showdown in the women's singles final here on Saturday. From the singles semifinals onward, the tournament adopts a best-of-seven format. In the men's singles, China's Lin Shidong faced Japan's Tomokazu Harimoto. Historically, Lin had been at a disadvantage in their previous matchups.

Teenager Lin displayed excellent form in the first two games, capitalising on Harimoto's inconsistent serves to score multiple points on the counterattack, quickly taking a 2-0 lead with scores of 11-6 and 11-3. Trailing behind, Harimoto adjusted his strategy, incorporating more forehand play and varied shot placement to level the match. Each player then claimed another game, leading to a decisive seventh game, reports Xinhua.

In the final game, the two traded leads, reaching a 9-9 tie. Lin earned a match point at 10-9 but failed to capitalize, allowing Harimoto to rally and win three consecutive points, sealing the match 12-10 and advancing with a 4-3 victory. "Trailing 0-2, I tried to rely more on forehand shots and adjusted my tactics. I brought everything I had, my skills, and my strategies into this match. This was probably the most intense game I've ever played; I feel like I've used up all my mental and physical energy. It's exhausting!" Harimoto remarked post-match.