by Ian Marshall, Editor
In the second round of the men’s singles event, the local boy from Shenzhen, Lin Gaoyuan looked down and out against Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov.
He was down 2-3 in games and in the sixth was 2-7 in arrears; he recovered levelled at 8-all, led 10-9, before eventually succeeding on his second game point. A life line but in the vital seventh it appeared that line had been cut; at the change of ends he trailed 2-5, then 2-7 and 5-10, the door was closing, there was the narrowest glimmer of light.
Point by point Lin Gaoyuan recovered, one stroke of fortune to take the score to 7-10 as the ball clipped the top of the net; crucially Lin Gaoyuan kept calm, there were no histrionics, no great outward emotion, just play one point at a time, keep the pressure on your opponent. He levelled at 10-all; then saved four further match points before at his second opportunity converting; the score line read success in seven games (9-11, 11-8, 9-11, 9-11, 12-10, 17-15).
Throughout those vital points, until 14-all, the point was won by the player serving, always Dimitrij Ovtcharov employing his favoured backhand service from the forehand; a fact arguably adds to the quality of Lin Gaoyuan’s success. The serving action of Dimitrij Ovtcharov, whichever selection he chooses, is very precise. It reflects his character; watch the way he carefully folds his towel before putting it in the box. He pays great attention to detail; he is not a high risk player, a fact which makes the recovery executed by Lin Gaoyuan even more creditable. He does give what might be considered easy points.
Moreover when the match concluded, Lin Gaoyuan celebrated, arm in the air but he did not roll over on the floor in ecstacy or rush to his coach for a fatherly hug, he shook hands with Dimitrij Ovtcharov who, to his great credit nodded in congratulations and conducted himself perfectly. Both behaved as true professional sportsmen; it was not to be for Dimitrij Ovtcharov but behave in such a correct manner, do everything correctly, does than not add to the overall mental concept and enhance the chances of success in tight situations?
Painful for Dimitrij Ovtcharov just as it had been on Saturday 17th December 2005 at the World Junior Championships in Cairo, at the semi-final stage against Japan’s Kenta Matsudaira, he led 3-2 in games, held three match points at 10-7, one more at 11-10 before experiencing defeat (11-9, 7-11, 7-11, 4-11, 11-5, 15-13, 11-8). No doubt he learned from that reverse.
However, if there is one player who has suffered pain more than any other it is Lin Gaoyuan. In 2009 he reached the semi-final stage of the boys’ singles event at the World Junior Championships in Cartagena de Indias; then on each of the next three editions he was the runners up, the silver medallist in Bratislava, Manama and Hyderabad.
A period of time followed as a support player for those preparing for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games; then is 2017 on first team duty at the Liebherr World Championships, safely through to round four, a quarter-final place beckoned. He led 10-5 in the vital seventh game against colleague Xu Xin, the faintest of edges, it spelt doom; overall Xu Xin won seven points in a row to snatch victory (10-12, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 7-11, 11-6, 12-10).
Later in the year in the Belgian city of Liège, he experienced the same fate at the quarter-final stage of the Liebherr 2017 Men’s World Cup, he led 10-4 in the seventh game against Timo Boll; the German levelled but then at 11-10 the balance was in favour of Lin Gaoyuan, he didn’t win another point, Timo Boll celebrated a sensational victory (5-11, 11-13, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9, 14-12. 13-11).
Now it would seem Lin Gaoyuan has learned, stronger for the agony; in Shenzhen against Dimitrij Ovtcharov, he saved five match points in a row; then another four as he clawed his way back to victory.
Does he now earn the nickname of the “Cat”? They do say a cat has nine lives!
