On January 5, the WTT Doha Men's Finals started the last day of competition, and Lin Gaoyuan, who fought on both fronts, partnered with Lin Shidong to win the men's doubles runner-up, and the men's singles lost to Fan Zhendong to stop in the semifinals. Although he failed to win the championship in the end, for Lin Gaoyuan, this trip to the finals has gained a lot and made a good start for himself in 2024.
In this finals, Lin Gaoyuan played in men's singles and men's doubles, which is also an affirmation of his achievements last year. Men's singles, Lin Gaoyuan and Ma Long are in the same 2/4 area, the two sides have played each other in the international arena seven times before, Lin Gaoyuan has not won a single one, and the outside world is a little more worried about his men's singles prospects in this finals. In the men's singles 1/4 finals, Lin Gaoyuan once again stood in front of Ma Long, this time the victory belonged to Lin Gaoyuan, after five rounds of competition, he defeated Ma Long 3-2 and entered the semifinals. This victory not only overcame the mountain of Ma Long, but also won the singles points for himself for the Paris Olympic Trials for the first time.
In addition to the men's singles, Lin Gaoyuan partnered with Lin Shidong in the men's doubles field and also reached the semifinals. In the men's doubles semifinals, Lin Gaoyuan/Lin Shidong lost three straight games 11-8, 11-9, 12-10, and defeated the Durban World Table Tennis Championships and Hangzhou Asian Games double champion Fan Zhendong/Wang Chuqin 3-0 to advance to the final. In the men's singles semifinals, Lin Gaoyuan played against Fan Zhendong again. This time, Lin Gaoyuan lost four games in a row 6-11, 6-11, 7-11, 9-11, and lost to Fan Zhendong 0-4 and missed the final.
Lin Gaoyuan/Lin Shidong face their teammates Yuan Licen/Xiang Peng in the Men's Doubles final, who fought hard in five games to beat France's Lebrun brothers 3-2 in the semi-finals. In the men's doubles final, Lin Gaoyuan/Lin Shidong lost to Yuan Licen/Xiang Peng 8-11, 2-11, 8-11, and won the runner-up. At this point, Lin Gaoyuan ended his journey to the finals.
In this finals, Lin Gaoyuan not only won the first victory against Ma Long in the international arena and got the singles points in the Paris Olympic Trials, but more importantly, he proved that he is still very competitive. With the end of the finals, Lin Gaoyuan also ended his 2023 season, this season Lin Gaoyuan created 4 firsts: the first time he defeated Ma Long in the international arena, the first time he defeated the world No. 1 (defeated Fan Zhendong in the regular challenge Zagreb to win the championship), the first time he won the WTT series (Star Challenge championship), and the first time he won more than 80% of the WTT series in the whole year, and it is 83% so far.
Among the five main forces of national table tennis, Lin Gaoyuan has the lowest ranking in the world and cannot play in the knockout round of the team competition; his overall strength is also considered to be relatively weak, and his psychological quality has been criticized, and he has faintly been caught up by rookie Lin Shidong. The 2024 Busan Team World Table Tennis Championships will be held in February, and Lin Gaoyuan used his performance in the finals to prove that he deserves a place. He will also play in the men's singles, men's doubles and mixed doubles at the WTT Stars Challenge Doha and the mixed doubles at the regular challenge in Doha.