In the fierce 2024 WTT Saudi Arabia Grand Slam table tennis event, the showdown between double Olympic champions Chen Meng and Wang Manyu is eye-catching. Chen Meng won the game with two consecutive matches, while Wang Manyu suffered a big comeback against India's Batra and temporarily fell into a slump. Who will finally win the women's singles championship of this top tournament will become the focus of the court.
Chen Meng is in excellent form
Chen Meng showed excellent form in the first two rounds of this Saudi Grand Slam. In the first round against Romania's Adina Diaknu, Chen Meng showed precise landing control, varied spin and unpredictable line balls in both serve and return to completely overwhelm her opponent. With a score of 11-5, 12-10, 11-3, she swept her opponent in straight games and easily advanced to the next round.
In the round against American player Zhang Mo, Chen Meng's state is still maintained at a very high level. She is extremely fast, powerful, and versatile on the offensive end, and overwhelms her opponents. In the defensive link, Chen Meng also showed extremely high adaptability and excellent backhand quality, swinging all kinds of attacks from Zhang Mo. Chen Meng won again with an aggregate score of 3-0, did not lose a game in two consecutive games, and steadily advanced to the quarterfinals.
As a seasoned Olympic champion, Chen Meng showed great concentration and tenacious fighting spirit in these two competitions. She is very well prepared for the game, has the right technique and tactics, and is in the right condition, so she can be comfortable on the field. The careful guidance of the coaching staff, as well as Chen Meng's own desire to win the championship, are important reasons for her good start.
Wang Manyu encountered a trough
Wang Manyu, who is also an Olympic champion with Chen Meng, has a very different performance in the Saudi Grand Slam this time. In the first round against Thailand's Olawan Palanam, Wang Manyu won in straight games, but some problems were exposed in the game, such as the lack of consistency in the offensive end and the passive reaction when defending.
The real crisis came in the round, when Wang Manyu encountered Manica Batra, India's "Monster Baller". Batra used all kinds of weird spins and changes to beat Wang Manyu to the ground. In this game, Wang Manyu was firmly controlled by the opponent at both offensive and defensive ends, and was forced to leave the court early with a single game score of 5-11, 7-11, 10-12, 1-3.
This defeat was a heavy blow to Wang Manyu. As a top athlete in the world, she has exposed some shortcomings in terms of mental quality and technical and tactical level. In the face of Batra's special style of play, Wang Manyu obviously needs more learning and adaptation. How to adjust her state and regain her self-confidence will be the top priority she needs to solve next.
White-hot sprint
The Women's Singles title at the WTT Saudi Arabia Grand Slam is a very tempting trophy for the players. In addition to Chen Meng and Wang Manyu, players such as Sun Yingsha and Wang Yidi of the Chinese team, as well as Japan's Hina Hayada and Miyu Hirano, are all quite strong, and everyone has the hope of winning the championship.
In the second half of the event, the masters of all walks of life will usher in a more fierce duel in the knockout stage. In the stadium, the shouts and cheers of the audience, the tactical guidance of the coaching staff, and the comings and goings of the athletes pushed the atmosphere in the stadium to a white heat. The outcome of the tournament will not only affect the current honours, but also the future world rankings and the associated prize money and benefits.
For the Chinese team, the Saudi Grand Slam is an important review in preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Their performance here will have a direct impact on the final roster for the Olympic Games. Chen Meng, Wang Manyu and others will do their best to compete on the field and fight for their Olympic dreams.
Who can finally laugh in this pinnacle of table tennis will be a high-profile competition. Chen Meng has the upper hand with her excellent form, but Wang Manyu will not give up and will go all out to try to regain her strength. Other players will also be serious contenders for the title. Let's wait and see, who will win the final championship of this pinnifian showdown?