by Ian Marshall, Editor

Once again Chinese excellence was on view

Men’s Singles

…………At the semi-final stage Xu Xin, the top seed beat Korea Republic’s Jeoung Youngsik (11-8, 8-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-6); Fan Zhendong, the no.2 seed, accounted for colleague Liang Jingkun, the no.7 seed (3-11, 11-8, 11-5, 4-11, 4-11, 11-6, 11-4).

…………Fan Zhendong beat Xu Xin (5-11, 11-8, 14-12, 11-7, 11-7) to claim the title.

…………It was for Fan Zhendong his 12th ITTF World Tour men’s singles title but his first appearance in such a final since he won in November 2018 in Sweden.

…………Xu Xin has now appeared in a career total of 28 ITTF World Tour men’s singles finals; he has finished the runner up on 12 occasions

Women’s Singles

…………In the penultimate round Sun Yingsha, the no.3 seed, accounted for compatriot Wang Yidi (13-11, 11-1, 11-8, 11-2); Japan’s Mima Ito, the no.4 seed ousted Feng Tianwei, the n.9 seed (11-8, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6).

…………At the final hurdle, Sun Yingsha overcame Mima Ito in five games (11-3, 9-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-4) and thus avenged the semi-final defeat experienced the previous week in Stockholm.

…………Success for Sun Yingsha, her fourth career ITTF World Tour women’s singles title but her first when seeded. In 2017 when she won in Japan and earlier this year also in Japan and Australia, on those occasons she commenced play in the qualification tournament.

…………It was for Mima Ito her 11th appearance in an ITTF World Tour women’s singles final, the fifth time the runner up and the third occasion this year; she was the silver medallist in Hong Kong and last week in Sweden