Post match interview with 2019 Men’s World Cup champion
Fan Zhendong reacts after being crowned Men’s World Cup champion for a third time:
“This is my third time to win the World Cup title. But every time is new for me, every time is different. This time is more about proving myself. I experienced some lows during the past few months, but now I know I should focus on the situation at the hand.” Fan Zhendong
Host nation tops medals podium
Fan Zhendong is 2019 Men’s World Cup champion!!!
Men’s Singles: Final
For the third time in four years it’s Fan Zhendong’s name that will appear on the trophy after the Chinese star successfully fought back from behind to be crowned Chengdu Airlines 2019 ITTF Men’s World Cup champion.
Trailing 1-5 in game six Fan found a new lease of life, winning eight points in a row. Harimoto manages to claw two points back but when facing championship point the Japanese teenager makes a fault service to hand the home favourite the title (9-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-8, 11-2, 11-7).
Momentum in host nation’s court
Men’s Singles: Final
Well, well, well. From 1-2 down Fan appears to have turned this one around: making a crucial response in game four (11-8) the World no.1 produces a stunning effort to claim game five by a monstrous nine point margin (11-2). The host nation player now needs just one more game to retain the title, but Harimoto won’t go down easily!
Fan responds but falls behind again
Men’s Singles: Final
Fan Zhendong turns up the heat in game two (11-4) with a crushing display to level the scores, but he can’t prevent his Japanese counterpart from once again moving in front (11-6) as momentum shifts back in Tomokazu Harimoto’s favour. It’s 2-1 to the Japanese player in this best of seven encounter.
Electric start as Harimoto moves ahead
Men’s Singles: Final
What a start to the men’s singles final here in Chengdu as Fan Zhendong and Tomokazu Harimoto put on an exciting show. Down 6-9 on the scoreboard Harimoto rescues five points on the bounce to steal game one (11-9).
The Japanese teenager ends the game with an almighty roar, showing he is clearly pumped for this one. Don’t go anywhere!
It’s time for the main event
Following the conclusion of the bronze medal match it’s now time to turn our attention to the final as defending champion Ma Long takes on teenage superstar Tomokazu Harimoto.
Lin Yun-Ju on his podium finish
Making his Men’s World Cup debut in Chengdu, Lin Yun-Ju reacts to his bronze medal finish following victory over Fan Zhendong:
“This is my first World Cup. I really did not expect that I could take home a medal. Ma Long is a very strong player, so I just tried to challenge him. When I led, I started to play more conservatively. After he managed to come back, I made some changes in receiving and ball placement. I am happy that I won.” Lin Yun-Ju
Bronze medal joy for Chinese Taipei star
Men’s Singles: Bronze Medal Match
Lin manages to reclaim the lead to move to within one game from victory but Ma immediately responds in game six with a commanding aura to force a seventh and deciding game.
Both players continue to deliver exciting high-paced action, but it’s the silent assassin Lin Yun-Ju who secures bronze in what has been a truly thrilling campaign to watch on the Chinese Taipei player’s part (11-4, 13-11, 8-11, 9-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-4).
The dragon awakens
Men’s Singles: Bronze Medal Match
Trailing 0-2 on the scoreboard but it looks as though the dragon has finally awakened as Ma Long responds with back-to-back game wins of his own: raising the tempo, Ma cuts the games deficit to one with a much better display in game three (11-8) before fighting back from 7-9 down to take game four (11-9). The match is level at two games apiece!
Lin Yun-Ju off to sensational start
Men’s Singles: Bronze Medal Match
In the fight for the third step of the medals podium it is Lin Yun-Ju who makes a flying start against Ma Long.
Claiming the opening game by a convincing seven point margin (11-4) the Chinese Taipei teenager backs it up by adding game two to his collection (13-11), moving two games clear of the two-time champion.
Are you ready for the finals?
…and now he’s there definitely!
Men’s Singles: Semi-Finals
After the long-drawn out events of the past two days, the final day seems to be in a rush for the final! China’s Fan Zhendong has beaten Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju in straight games (11-8, 11-6, 11-8, 11-5) and reached his second consecutive Men’s World Cup final!
This was almost a lesson in table tennis by the defending champion – and the teenage prodigy surely gave him his best. It just was not to be for him today, but he still can make the podium should he beat Ma Long in the 3rd-4th place finish match.
Meanwhile, for the winner – Fan Zhendong meets another teenage sensation, Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto in the final later today. Stick around for the best of both those games, starting 16:30 local time!
Imperious Fan with one foot in the final
Men’s Singles: Semi-Finals
Fan Zhendong has won his third game in a row (11-8) and things look a bit ominous now for Lin Yun-Ju. After nearly half an hour played, the young CHinese Taipei international needs something to fall his way – and fast.
Fan builds a strong lead
Men’s Singles: Semi-Finals
It’s time for the second semi-final now, with China’s Fan Zhendong now playing – and leading – Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju by 2-0 (11-8, 11-6).
The world no.1 will have taken heed from the previous match and want to maintain the pressure on the second teenager in the top 4 of the Men’s World Cup. Will Lin be able to hit back before the match runs away from him?
But Harimoto claims his final spot!
Men’s Singles: Semi-Finals
This is a monumental moment – Tomokazu Harimoto has just eliminated Ma Long from the Men’s World Cup to make the final, beating the Chinese 4-2 (11-6, 11-9, 11-8, 8-11, 4-11, 11-5)!
“I lost my concentration a bit when I led 3-0. But I know he is World Champion. It is never easy to win against him. I watched his two matches yesterday. Both Simon and Dima had their chances, so I just told myself I should stay in the game as long as possible then maybe I could get my chance as well.” Tomokazu Harimoto
It is a display of sheer class and work ethic on the part of the Japanese who truly covered every inch of that table with his variant shot-making and relentless returns against a legendary figure like Ma Long. While the veteran gave him a real scare towards the end, the teenager truly came good on his talent today and is now within touching distance of the golden trophy.
“Actually I expected that today’s match would not be easy. At the beginning of this match, I made lots of unforced errors and gave too much space for him. When I was 0-3 down, I tried to make some changes but it was not easy. In the fourth game, I felt that he really wanted to win which affected his mentality and I grasped the chance to win this game. Harimoto Tomokazu is much stronger now. He is very young and really loves table tennis. With the help of his coach, I feel that he has made lots of progress during the past few months” Ma Long
Ma finally roars
Men’s Singles: Semi-Finals
Talk about poking the Dragon – China’s Ma Long seems to have finally woken up and roared to win the fourth and fifth games of this epic semi-final of the Men’s World Cup!
Winning his first game of the match 11-8, he quickly sped through Harimoto’s defensive stance in the next one (11-4) – needing less than 7 minutes – and brought the overall score to 3-2. Has the momentum turned in the veteran’s favor?
Harimoto smells the final
Men’s Singles: Semi-Finals
It’s officially time for the Dragon to wake up – or it might be too late! Tomokazu Harimoto has won a third game in a row to establish a 3-0 (11-6, 11-9, 11-8) lead over Ma Long in the semi-finals!
In the quickest game yet, lasting 8 minutes, the 31-year-old Ma looks short for answers to the questions the teenager Harimoto is posing. Whether it is his looping forehand or the speed of his returns, the Japanese sensation has truly taken this game by the scruff of the neck!
Make that two!
Men’s Singles: Semi-Finals
The 16-year-old Harimoto has certainly turned up the decibel levels here at the Sichuan Gymnasium as the fans can barely believe what is happening. Taking a second consecutive game against Ma Long, the Japanese prodigy has set the cat amongst the pigeons.
His work rate being off the charts, Harimoto surely must sense an opportunity to beat the World Champion – will he keep up the pressure?
Harimoto opens powerfully!
Men’s Singles: Semi-Finals
What a match we have on our hands today. It is the real contest between youthful exuberance of Tomokazu Harimoto and extreme experience of Ma Long. And first, the youth has made his mark.
Speeding through the points, Japan’s Harimoto has taken the first game 11-6 and left China’s Ma feeling dazed. How long before ‘the Dragon’ wakes up and roars?
