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Lars Hamer

China’s leading table tennis players wowed fans in Macau on Tuesday as several of them got their ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup off to a winning start.
The tie of the evening saw women’s No 2 Wang Manyu rescue a win against Sweden’s Linda Bergstrom.
Wang found herself 10-7 down in the fourth game before she came back to win it 12-10, taking the match 3-1.
Earlier, men’s world No 2 Wang Chuqin recorded a more emphatic-looking winning scoreline in beating Aditya Sareen of Australia 4-0. In reality, Sareen ran Wang close in each game before going down 12-10, 12-10, 11-8, 11-5.
Wang, 24, said afterwards that he had been tested.

“My opponent played very well today,” he said. “His playing style and approach are quite distinctive, and he maintained a great tempo.
“In the first two games, he was in control most of the time, limiting what I could do and making me uncomfortable with his pace.
“I was lucky to win the deciding points in those two games, which I believe were crucial to the outcome of the match.”
There will be a new men’s singles winner, thanks to the absence of last year’s champion Ma Long, who in December joined Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng – respectively the Olympic men’s and women’s singles champions – in withdrawing from the world rankings.
But as Wang targets his first World Cup singles crown, he looks set to be rivalled by current world No 1 Lin Shidong, who defeated Australia’s Hwan Bae 4-0.
It was not all smiles for the Chinese paddlers. Wang Yidi, the women’s world No 3, suffered a shock 3-1 loss to France’s 43rd-ranked Jia Nan Yuan.
The event started in the Galaxy International Convention Centre on Monday and will end with the finals on Sunday. Even in the early stages of the tournament, mainland Chinese fans – often highly charged when it comes to their favourite players – have packed out the 16,000-seat arena for the evening fixtures.
When Wang Manyu appeared, there were repeated cries of “I love you” from different parts of the stadium. Throughout the session, points won by Chinese players drew cheers and chanting, whereas it fell silent whenever their opponents scored.
Earlier in the day, mainland Chinese player Kuai Man beat Hong Kong’s Zhu Chengzhu 3-1, and Hongkonger Wong Chun-ting drew 2-2 with Nicholas Lum of Australia.
“I think I played very well,” Lum said. “I’m a little bit disappointed that it finished 2-2, because I think in the fourth game, I had a big opportunity to run away with a 3-1 win.”
The final pool games take place on Wednesday, before the knockout phase begins on Thursday.


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ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation)

ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup Macau: Wang Manyu fights back, Wang Chuqin is ‘lucky’

Wang Manyu celebrates during her group match against Linda Bergstrom in Macau on Tuesday. Photo: Xinhua

Wang Chuqin hits a return against Aditya Sareen in Macau. Photo: Xinhua

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Sport

China

Linda Bergstrom gives Wang Manyu a test as Chinese fans offer the top stars loud backing


Linda Bergstrom gives Wang Manyu a test as Chinese fans offer the top stars loud backing.


Wang Manyu

Wang Chuqin

Sun Yingsha