By Neha Aggarwal

It’s yet another contest between the two powerhouses of table tennis, China and Japan. China has traditionally been sweeping away all medals at the big events like the Olympic Games, World Championships and Asian Championships, but surprisingly, the singles and doubles events of Seamaster 2017 ITTF-Asian Championship seems to be taking a different route after the team events.

Earlier in the day, both the World and Olympic Champions in singles, Ding Ning and Ma Long were shown the doors, which definitely puts China in a pressurized situation.

In the upcoming mixed doubles final, the Japanese pair of  Masataka Morizono and Mima Ito have come up defeating the Chinese pair of Fang Bo and Wang Manyu 3-2 in the semi finals. Certainly they are high on confidence and the Japanese contingent is pumped up with the victory of Hirano Miu over Ding Ning in the women’s singles.

On the other hand, China’s Zhou Yu and Chen Xingtong have an important task to complete. Competing in front of the home crowd boosts the morale but at the same time puts up an additional pressure, especially after the shocking exit of their teammates earlier in the day.

The match will be decided in best of five games and is too short to make any room for unforced errors or such mental pressures.

The mixed doubles is also an important event as the ITTF has applied for the event to be included in the 2020 Olympic Games to be held in Tokyo. Thus it is also a matter of prestige for the Japanese pair to win it today, to prove their dominance in the event as they hope it play it in the Olympic Games at home soil.

Time has arrived. The stage is set. The one better off mentally shall prevail.

The match will be telecasted LIVE on ITTF’s Youtube Channel.

Sit back and enjoy, the mixed doubles finals of the Seamaster 2017 ITTF-Asian Championship.