by Ian Marshall, Editor

Nevertheless, the duo could depart Linz with heads held high; it was their first ever defeat; early in the year in July at the Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Platinum Shinhan Korea Open in Daejeon they had emerged successful accounting Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha in the final.

In Linz they were facing a combination which was technical perfection; it is difficult to nominate two more suited players.

“The match was not as easy as the result may look. In the first game we made some unforced errors with our forehands but then we improved. Tomorrow will be tough matches and we need to be prepared for the final.” Xu Xin

Awaiting in the final is the Chinese Taipei combination of Chen Chien-An and Cheng I-Ching, the top seeds and silver medallists at the Liebherr 2018 World Championships in the German city of Düsseldorf; in a closely contested five games encounter, they overcame Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem, the no.3 seeds, by the very narrowest of margins (8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9).

Defeat for Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem but like Chen Chien-An and Cheng I-Ching they have qualified for next month’s Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals to be staged in Incheon; most significantly so has the pairing of Jang Woojin and Cha Hyo Sim.

Once again there is an opportunity for the Korean Peninsula to be unified.

Sunday 4th November: Standings following the Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open