by Simon Daish
Birthday celebrations and Swedish dreams crushed
Women’s Singles champion in 2017, one year on Chen Xingtong would capture another gold medal in Stockholm as she partnered Sun Yingsha, who was celebrating her 18th birthday, to Women’s Doubles success in the morning session of play.
With the score sitting level at 1-1 the no.7 seeds raised their game to defeat the unseeded duo of Liu Gaoyang and Zhang Rui by a 3-1 score-line (11-5, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6), claiming their third ITTF World Tour title of the year.
Chen Xingtong & Sun Yingsha ?? take Women’s Doubles gold medals at the Seamaster 2018 #ITTFWorldTour Swedish Open by beating 3-1 Liu Gaoyang & Zhang Rui ?? #GoldenSelfie pic.twitter.com/s3Sqj49PZm
— ITTF World (@ittfworld) November 4, 2018
The home crowd at the Eriksdalshallen were in full voice hoping to see Mattias Falck and Kristian Karlsson over the finish line in the Men’s Doubles final, but it was not to be for the Swedish duo as Chinese Taipei’s Liao Cheng-Ting and Lin Yun-Ju lifted their first ITTF World Tour trophy as a partnership (10-12, 11-8, 11-8, 6-11, 13-11).
Awesome win for LIAO Cheng-Ting & LIN Yun-Ju?#Congratulation to Men’s Doubles champions!!! #ITTFWorldTour Swedish Open ??? pic.twitter.com/IoaOWSM65s
— ITTF World (@ittfworld) November 4, 2018
With the two doubles finals decided, it was time to find out who would prevail in the two singles events.
No comeback required, Mima Ito cruises to victory
Mima Ito has gained somewhat of a reputation for pulling off incredible recovery efforts in Stockholm, but at the final hurdle of the Women’s Singles competition the Japanese star no comeback was needed.
Ito Mima taking the #ITTFWorldTour Swedish Open
Women’s Singles title with a 4-0 victory over world no.1 Zhu Yuling#Congrtas pic.twitter.com/SWaZrdKZws— ITTF World (@ittfworld) November 4, 2018
Displaying table tennis of the very highest quality Mima Ito outperformed China’s Zhu Yuling in every department, beating the World no.1 in straight games (11-3, 11-3, 11-5, 11-8) to earn her sixth gold medal in the category.
Mima Ito seems to enjoy facing Chinese opposition on Swedish soil, seeing off three of the country’s players on the way to the title in Stockholm and also emerged successful against China’s Liu Shiwen at the 2018 World Team Championships in Halmstad.
“I was very focused, played one point at a time; suddenly I won the match, it’s incredible! In Halmstad at the World Championships I won against China. Today I did it again; that’s the best for me that I could do it again.” Mima Ito
Defeat last year, brighter fortunes in 2018
In the final fixture of the day Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin met in a repeat of last year’s Men’s Singles final, but this time around the outcome was reversed.
Trailing 1-0 second seed Xu Xin held a total of four Game Point opportunities across games two and three, failing to convert on all four attempts as top seed Fan Zhendong moved 3-0 ahead. Last year’s gold medallist managed to get his name on the scoreboard in game four but one game later the match was decided (11-7, 14-12, 13-11, 9-11, 11-9).
#GoldenSelfie ?????
2018 #ITTFWorldTour Swedish Open pic.twitter.com/CHKnwDHq8K— ITTF World (@ittfworld) November 4, 2018
Champion in 2014 and 2015, Fan Zhendong added a third Swedish Open title to his collection in 2018.
“I didn’t realise I have won three times; for sure I am very excited to have won again. Thanks a lot to everyone who supported me. I am very happy to play here once again in Sweden. I think I can win more than three times; whatever I will try my best.” Fan Zhendong
