Table tennis fans witnessed an epic showdown this Sunday as Shanghai's Olympic champion Fan Zhendong 🥇 outplayed Hainan's rising star Lin Shidong 4-1 to win men's singles gold at China's 15th National Games in the Macao SAR. The victory cements Fan's status as one of China's greatest active players – and proves age is just a number at 28! 💪
From Comeback King to Record Breaker 👑
Fan made history by becoming only the second player ever to defend a National Games singles title, joining legend Ma Long. This win adds to his growing legacy since stepping back from international rankings earlier this year.
Game-by-Game Drama 🎮
The 20-year-old Lin shocked fans by taking an early 9-4 lead in Game 1, but Fan's experience shone through with an 11-9 reversal. Though Lin leveled 1-1 with an 11-8 second game, Fan dominated thereafter with three consecutive wins (11-5, 11-3, 11-4), showcasing why he's still the player to beat.
Beijing's Wang Chuqin rounded out the podium with bronze after defeating Yuan Licen 4-1.
