(MENAFN- The Peninsula) By Armstrong Vas / The Peninsula
Doha: Chinese duo of Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin emerged successful in the quarter-final contests of the 2018 ITTF World Tour Platinum Open in Doha yesterday.
Both beat players who had been required to compete in the qualification tournament; Zhendong accounted for Denmark's Jonathan Groth 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-3, 14-12, while Xin, the no.4 seed overcame colleague Zhou Yu 11-5, 10-12, 11-5, 13-11, 6-11, 10-12, 11-8.
Exercising exquisite hand skills that enabled delicate short play, Groth, captured the opening game by the minimal two point margin, after having led 10-7; Zhendong recovered to win the second game but, as in the first, the Dane established a 10-7 advantage in the third.
Only this time he was not able to convert; Zhendong raised the level, he won four points in a row, the tide had turned. Groth never wilted, he narrowed the deficit in the fifth game to one point in arrears at 6-7 forcing Wang Hao, the Chinese national team coach on duty, to call 'Time Out. Taking risks, producing stunning top spin strokes, Groth levelled then went ahead 10-8; alas from the Danish perspective he was not able to take full advantage.
'I made too many mistakes in the first game. I have never played Groth before; he has his very own style, it took time to adapt. Zhendong
Success for Zhendong was followed by success for Xin, a contest in which the players were too familiar with each other to produce a high number of exciting, scintillating rallies.
The first two games were shared, Yu withstanding a trademark Xu Xin recovery in the second game. He established a 7-2 lead, Xin fought back to narrow the deficit to one point at 9-8; Yu called 'Time Out. Xin levelled at 9-all but could not complete the recovery.
Hard fought, Yu making every effort to nullify the long dangerous Xu Xin forehand, he forced errors from his more senior adversary but at 10-7 in favour of Xin in the sixth game, it seemed the curtain was to close. Contrary to expectations, Yu won the next five points; a deciding seventh game beckoned. At the change of ends in the seventh game Xin led 5-3. It was to prove decisive at 10-4 Xin held six match points, Zhou Yu won the next point, Xin called 'Time Out. Yu saved three further match points but at 10-8 Xu Xin converted.
Meanwhile in the women's section, Japan's Kasumi Ishikawa followed by China's Liu Shiwen emerged successful in the quarter-final contests.
Ishikawa, the no.4 seed, accounted for compatriot, Miu Hirano, the no.7 seed 9-11, 14-12, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9, 14-12, before Liu Shiwen overcame Hitomi Sato 10-12, 11-5, 11-2, 11-5, 11-5 in a contest between two players who had been required to compete in the two-day qualification tournament.
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