Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha extended the winning streak of Grand Slam tournaments
At the 2024 WTT Saudi Arabia Grand Slam, China's Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha swept Hong Kong's Wong Chun Ting/To Hoi Kim 3-0 in the mixed doubles final to win the title. This is their back-to-back Grand Slam title in the mixed doubles, extending their winning streak at Grand Slam events and boosting their confidence for the upcoming Paris Olympics.
At the beginning of the final, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha relied on accurate serve and tacit cooperation to show a strong counterattack ability under the opponent's counterattack. They took an 11-6 lead in the game, squeezing their opponents' offense in the early stages. In the game, Huang Zhenting/Du Kaiqin adjusted their tactics and tried to break through Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha's defense by changing lines and accelerating, but the latter responded calmly and still relied on excellent defense and accurate counterattacks to win 11-6.
Entering the deciding game, Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha maintained a high degree of concentration and insisted on their own attacking rhythm. Although Huang Zhenting/Du Kaiqin launched many attacks, they were skillfully defused by Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha and quickly counterattacked, and finally won another game 11-6, swept the opponent with a total score of 3-0 and won the championship.
Speaking after the match, Wang said: "We are very happy to be able to defend our mixed doubles title at the Saudi Arabia Grand Slam. This is our back-to-back Grand Slam title, which shows that we are in good form in the mixed doubles event. Sun Yingsha also said: "We will continue to stay focused and fully prepare for the upcoming Paris Olympics. ＂
Wang Chuqin won the men's doubles championship and achieved a double championship
In addition to extending his winning streak in the mixed doubles event, Wang Chuqin also partnered with Ma Long on the same day to defeat Japan's Hayasuke Togami/Shinozuka Daito 3-0 in the men's doubles final, achieving an outstanding achievement of winning the double in both events.
In the Men's Doubles final, Ma Long/Wang Chuqin put pressure on their Japanese rivals with their excellent serve and backspin to keep their Japanese opponents in their own rhythm. In the game, Ma Long created scoring opportunities through accurate topspin straight balls many times, and cooperated with Wang Chuqin's backhand downspin diagonal attack, and finally took the lead 11-6.
Togami/Shinozuka adjusted their tactics in an attempt to break through Ma Long/Wang Chuqin's line by changing lines and accelerating. However, Ma Long relied on his outstanding backhand ball handling ability to defuse the opponent's attacks many times, while Wang Chuqin decisively counterattacked when the opponent's defense was weak, helping the two to win 11-6.
Entering the deciding game, Ma Long/Wang Chuqin remained highly focused and insisted on their own offensive rhythm. Although Togami/Shinozuka launched many attacks, they were all defused by Ma Long/Wang Chuqin's tacit cooperation and precise counterattacks, and finally won another game 11-6, winning the championship with a total score of 3-0.
After the match, Wang Chuqin couldn't hide his excitement: "I am extremely proud to have achieved the mixed doubles and men's doubles double title at the Saudi Grand Slam. It was a very valuable moment in my career. Ma Long also said: "Wang Chuqin is a great partner, we have a lot of chemistry on the court, and that's the key to our victory. ＂
The Chinese team has achieved good results in other events
In addition to the outstanding performances of Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha and Ma Long/Wang Chuqin, the Chinese team also performed well in other events of this Saudi Arabia Grand Slam.
In the Women's Doubles final, Chen Meng/Wang Manyu lost 1-3 to Japan's Miu Hirano/Hina Hayata, but in the semi-finals, they defeated world rankings Chen Xingtong/Zhu Yuma 3-1 to show their outstanding strength.
In the men's singles event, Lin Shidong went all the way, defeating Japanese star Tomokazu Zhangmoto 3-2 in the semifinals, but lost to Sweden's Trump in the final. Despite missing the championship, Lin Shidong's outstanding performance gave people a glimpse of the future of Chinese men's singles.
At the 2024 Saudi Grand Slam, the Chinese team won the mixed doubles and men's doubles championships, and also performed well in the women's doubles and men's singles, fully demonstrating the overall strength of the Chinese table tennis team.
In this Saudi Arabia Grand Slam, the Chinese team won two championships in mixed doubles and men's doubles, and Wang Chuqin personally achieved outstanding achievements in mixed doubles and men's doubles. In other events, players such as Chen Meng/Wang Manyu and Lin Shidong also performed well and won glory for the Chinese team.