On May 11, 2024, in the singles semifinals of the WTT Saudi Arabia Grand Slam table tennis event, the men's singles played 7 games in both matches, Wang Chuqin defeated Lin Shidong 4-3, and Germany's Francesca defeated South Korea's Jang Yuzhen 4-3. In women's singles, Sun Yingsha defeated Wang Yidi 4-1, and Chen Meng swept Japan's Hina Hayada 4-0. The final will feature the Sino-German battle between Wang Chuqin and Francesca, as well as the civil war between Sun Yingsha and Chen Meng.
Wow, Chen Meng can be said to have swept the three main Japanese forces in this Grand Slam! First in the quarterfinals against Miu Hirano, then in the semifinals against Miwa Zhangmoto, and finally in the semifinals swept Hina Hayada 4-0. Chen Meng passed the test all the way and defeated all the three main forces of Japan, and his strength was a must. Especially against Hina Hayata, Chen Meng played like a fish in water, and the big score of 4-0 showed her dominance.
Although Chen Meng's performance in this tournament is very eye-catching, the singles quota for the Olympic Games has not yet been finalized. Judging from the current situation, Chen Meng has basically locked in the Olympic singles qualification with his excellent record of winning three consecutive Japanese generals. I don't know if Chen Meng can continue this high fighting power at the Olympics and win the singles gold medal for the Chinese team?
Speaking of Chen Meng, we have to mention her opponent in the women's singles final - Sun Yingsha. As the world No. 1, Sun Yingsha previously defeated teammate Wang Yidi 4-1 in the semifinals and successfully advanced to the final. This Chinese civil war will be broadcast live on CCTV 5, which shows its importance. Both have won one title in each tournament before, with Sun Yingsha winning the mixed doubles title and Chen Meng winning the women's doubles title. Whether it is Sun Yingsha or Chen Meng, whoever can win the women's singles event will be the double champion of this Grand Slam.
The national table tennis won four championships, Chen Meng will be 4-0, and the Olympic singles qualification is yet to be confirmed
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When it comes to men's singles, Wang Chuqin's performance is also worth paying attention to. In the semifinals, he defeated teammate Lin Shidong 4-3, which is a psychological hurdle for Wang Chuqin. Everyone knows that Lin Shidong has always been a psychological stumbling block for Wang Chuqin, and has been reversed by Lin Shidong at critical moments several times. This time, Wang Chuqin finally broke through the psychological barrier on his 24th birthday, fought tenaciously, and finally defeated Lin Shidong.
It is worth mentioning that Wang Chuqin has played three games in this station and has won two championships in men's doubles and mixed doubles. If he can also win the men's singles final, then he will achieve his dream of a triple crown in this Grand Slam. Standing in his way will be Francesca, a German dark horse who reached the final. Francesca passed all the way and defeated strong players such as Ahn Jae-hyun, Fan Zhendong, Qiu Dang, and Zhang Yuzhen, which shows her strength. Therefore, in the men's singles final, it is not easy for Wang Chuqin to realize the dream of a triple crown, and he must go all out.
In the men's doubles event, Wang Chuqin has already taken the lead. He and Ma Long won the men's doubles final by defeating Japan's Hayasuke Togami/Shinozuka Oden in straight games. This is not only the first men's doubles title for Ma Long and Wang Chuqin at a WTT event, but also a shot in the arm for the upcoming Paris Olympics. As we all know, Ma Long and Wang Chuqin are the pillars of the Chinese men's team, and their outstanding performance in this tournament will surely add confidence to the Olympic Games.
Speaking of the Olympic Games, in addition to the men's doubles, the Chinese team is also expected to win another level in the women's doubles event. In the Women's Doubles final, Chen Meng/Wang Manyu defeated South Korea's Shin Yubin/Tian Zhixi in three straight games with a score of 3-0 to win the championship. The duo performed well at the tournament, not only in the singles but also in the women's doubles. For the Olympics, the Chen Meng/Wang Manyu duo will be the leading gold medal for the Chinese team, and they are expected to achieve another great result in Paris.