Tournaments

17 Apr 2025

It's time for the knockout stages here in Macao, China! Round of 16 action get underway at the ITTF Men's and Women's World Cup! Stay ahead of the thrilling moments happening in Macao as we kick off Stage 2 today – save this page for exciting updates. We'll bring you the key moments, and exhilarating games as they unfold!

The last match of Day 4 saw World No. 7 Truls Moregardh of Sweden beat Frenchman Simon Gauzy 4-2 in a nail-biting fixture.

Meeting for the first time on the international circuit, both maestros lived up to their reputations, treating the crowd to exhibition-style table tennis.

Gauzy was riding a remarkable wave in the tournament—a last-minute entrant who defied expectations by advancing into the Round of 16. However, his surge of momentum proved unsustainable at a critical juncture. Despite showing flashes of superior play, he hesitated when it mattered most, failing to convert key opportunities. Ultimately, Gauzy will leave the stage with the sense that he had the potential to do more, reflecting on the match as a missed opportunity.

Despite not being at his peak, Moregardh managed to secure a gritty win against a tricky opponent. His tactical acumen was evident through smart speed changes, clever feints, and precise shot placements that disrupted Gauzy’s rhythm throughout the match. This performance not only clinched the victory but also reinforced his reputation as one of the sport’s most astute tacticians.

Moregardh will now take on World No. 1 Lin Shidong of China in what promises to be an epic quarterfinal clash.

World No. 2 Wang Chuqin (China) beat Kanak Jha (United States of America) 4-1 (11-4, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-9).

Chuqin managed to shrug off a blip in the second game to continue his winning momentum.

Jha put up a good fight, and had his moments in the match, but could not find enough opportunities to push Chuqin on the defensive.

Chuqin, searching for his first World Cup trophy, will now face fellow southpaw Benedikt Duda (Germany) in the quarterfinals.

The evening session of Day 4 kicks off with a big result, as Benedikt Duda wins 4-3 against Dimitrij Ovtcharov in an ‘All German’ clash.

In a nail-biting finish to the morning session on Day 4, World No. 1 Lin Shidong narrowly secured a spot in the quarterfinals after a grueling seven-game battle against Sweden’s Anton Kallberg. The match was a rollercoaster, with Lin taking the first two games before Kallberg mounted a strong comeback, winning three consecutive games to edge closer to an upset.

However, Lin demonstrated a champion’s composure, regaining control in the sixth and seventh games to complete a hard-fought 4-3 victory (13-11, 11-5, 12-14, 9-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8).

Shidong will face the winner of Simon Gauzy (France) vs Truls Moregardh (Sweden) in the quarterfinals.

Darko Jorgic (Slovenia) won 4-2 (11-4, 16-14, 8-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-8) against An Jaehyun (Repubulic of Korea).

World No. 14 Jorgic , avenged his straight sets loss to Jaehyun from a few weeks ago, at the WTT Champions, Chongqing in stunning fashion. Incidentally, this also happens to be Jorgic’s first victory against the same opponent.

“I am am very happy with how I played, and seem to be enjoying my game a lot more. I know that I do not have a great record against An, but I did my best today. Extremely excited to have made the quarterfinals of the World Cup for the first time”, said an ecstatic Jorgic in his post match interview.

He will now take on the dangerous Liang Jingkun in the quarterfinals. With both players having beaten each other twice, the matchup promises to be one to watch.

Upset Alert!!

Cheng I-Ching (Chinese Taipei) beats Hina Hayata (Japan) in an epic Round of 16 clash.

Cheng, fresh off a win against the World No. 6 at the ITTF-ATTU Asian Cup 2025, outlasted her opponent in a marathon match that went the full distance.

Cheng dominated proceedings initially, racing off to a 3-0 lead. Her tactic of pushing Hayata out wide to her forehand seemed to be working beautifully. Cheng also showcased an exemplary receive of service, negating a major strength of Hayata.

However, a determined Hayata, tightened up her defensive game, preferring to play longer rallies and slowing down the pace, causing problems to Cheng. She grafted her way back into the match and seemed to have completely swung momentum her way, even holding match point at 10-9 in the deciding game.

But Cheng, backed by a full house crowd, reeled off 3 points in a row to win 12-10, sending the crowd into a tizzy.

The final score line read (in favour of Cheng) – 13-11, 11-8, 11-5, 6-11, 15-17, 4-11, 12-10.

Liang Jingkun (China) survived a late assault by Shunsuke Togami (Japan) in a thrilling Round of 16 match to win 4-2 (11-4, 11-7, 11-5, 6-11, 10-12, 11-5).

Jingkun avenged compatriot Lin Gaoyuan’s elimination at the hands of the Japanese, booking himself a place in the quarterfinals.

He found himself in a spot of bother after leading 3-0,  with the rampaging Togami relentlessly attacking with greater consistency in the fourth and fifth game to come back into the match.

However, Jingkun held his nerve to take the sixth game convincingly, and held on to his unbeaten record against Togami.

Jingkun will now face the winner of An Jaehyun (Republic of Korea) vs Darko Jorgic (Slovenia) in the quarterfinals.

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