China's table tennis stars delivered edge-of-the-seat drama at the WTT US Smash in Las Vegas, with Lin Shidong and Chen Yi writing new chapters in their rivalry with Japanese opponents. 🌟
Lin's Commanding Performance
World No. 1 Lin Shidong dominated Japan's Yuta Tanaka 4-1 in the men's singles quarter-finals, showcasing why he's the player to beat. After cruising through the first three games with scores that looked straight out of a highlight reel (11-4, 11-6, 11-2), Lin faced a brief challenge when Tanaka snatched the fourth game 11-9. But the 19-year-old phenom regrouped to close out the match 11-5, setting up a semi-final clash with either Lin Yun-Ju or Harimoto Tomokazu.
Chen's Epic Comeback 🎢
The real showstopper came from Chen Yi, who pulled off a reverse sweep worthy of a sports anime. Down 0-3 against Hina Hayata, Chen stared defeat in the face… then rewrote the script. Trailing 3-7 in the fourth game, she unleashed eight straight points to steal the frame 11-9. The momentum shift was palpable as Chen took the next two games 11-7 and 11-2 before sealing the decider 11-9. This after her shock victory over World No. 1 Sun Yingsha earlier in the tournament!
Doubles Drama
In women's doubles, Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu powered through their Korean opponents to set up an all-Chinese final against Wang Yidi and Kuai Man. But there was heartbreak in men's doubles as Wang Chuqin and Liang Jingkun fell 3-0 to French siblings Félix and Alexis Lebrun – proof that family ties can create unstoppable chemistry on the table.
With semi-finals underway, all eyes are on whether China's young paddlers can maintain their dominance in this global showdown. 🏆
