On May 6, Beijing time, the third day of the 2024 WTT Saudi Arabia Grand Slam, in the middle of the game, the retirement frenzy suddenly hit. South Korean star Zhu Qianxi withdrew from the women's singles and women's doubles competitions, and the national table tennis rival Miyu Hirano directly profited, and she advanced to the top 16 of women's singles without a fight. In addition, Ionescu/Szox received a retirement gift and advanced to the quarterfinals of mixed doubles. Chen Haohua/Pisteye also won without a fight and advanced to the round of 16 of Men's Doubles.
On the third day of the main competition, a number of players and combinations announced their retirement, and the game was chaotic all of a sudden. Among them, South Korea's Zhu Qianxi's withdrawal had the greatest impact, the multinational pair of Kihara Miyu/Zhu Qianxi withdrew from the women's doubles competition, and Bayo/Kukulova directly advanced to the women's doubles quarterfinals. Subsequently, Zhu Qianxi withdrew from the women's singles competition, and her opponent Miyu Hirano directly advanced to the top 16 of the women's singles.
In addition to Zhu Qianxi's retirement, there are also many pairs of combinations withdrawing. In the mixed doubles, Assal/Meshev withdrew, Ionescu/Szox directly advanced to the quarterfinals of the mixed doubles, and Szokos suffered a first-round tour in both the women's singles and women's doubles, and it was a consolation that the mixed doubles advanced to the quarterfinals. In addition, in the mixed doubles field, the first 11-0 of the main draw, Wong Chun-ting/To Hoi-king swept Lee Yuen Cheung/Liu Kwai Wah 3-0, the second game of the match was 11-0, the other two games were 11-4, and the Hong Kong, China pair easily advanced to the mixed doubles quarterfinals.
In the men's doubles, Pitchford/Jinkhall withdrew, and Chen Haohua/Pigeje directly advanced to the men's doubles round of 16. It's rare for so many retirements to happen in a single match day at a Grand Slam, and individual players should be affected by injuries. This also reminds the national table tennis that while training and competing, we must stay healthy, especially the main players, after all, the Olympics are coming soon.
In the case of a chaotic schedule due to his retirement, African veteran Aruna was admirable, and in the second round of the men's singles, he once again played five games, this time leading 2-0 and was dragged into the deciding game by Lee Sang-so. In the final tiebreaker, Aruna once fell behind 8-10, but he saved three match points and won the tiebreaker 13-11, defeating Lee Sang-so 3-2 and advancing to the men's singles round of 16. Aruna competed alone and fought tenaciously, which was admirable.
So far, Aruna, Zhao Dacheng and Alamiyan have taken the lead in advancing to the top 16 of men's singles, and Yang Xiaoxin, Zheng Yijing and Miyu Hirano have taken the lead in advancing to the top 16 of women's singles. The national table tennis suffered its first defeat, Liang Jingkun lost to Alamiyan 2-3, and missed the men's singles round of 16!